More T-Ball Than You Ever Cared to See

Tonight was Christian's final t-ball game of the season.  I'm going to put up some pictures from the game, because they're really different from the last pictures I put up of his games not too long ago.  I was standing a little more to the left this time.

It was fun to see Mike coach first base.  Here Christian is up to bat, and Mike is at first.

He was safe!

There are two things que me gustan mucho mucho in the pictures from tonight's game.  Christian's intensity comes through as he is focusing on the game, what others are doing, and what he is supposed to be doing.  I also love his expressions.  The two go hand in hand.  Here he is scooping up the ball and eyeing third; he knew a runner was coming...

He went to throw it...

but he didn't when he saw that their guy was so close. He held it instead. He knew what was going on, though. I like how his hair is so long that it curls from under his cap...

He's speedy. I think I mentioned that before.

A reminder from the base coach:  "As soon as the bat hits the ball, RUN!"   Mike's advice is pretty much always good like that...and seriously, you have to tell them over and over.

All of the other people on the field are intently looking towards first base, paying no attention to Christian...this picture makes me laugh a little...

Coming home...see the third grader pitcher chasing after him?  The boys on the opposing team were bigger than our guys.  But that doesn't matter if you're part cheetah.

Dude didn't have a chance.  "BOOYA," as Christian would say...(is anyone else laughing because I just said,"Booya!"?)

Poor Eliana; I forgot her shoes. The truth is I thought they were in the car, so I didn't grab a pair as I left the house.  I was wrong.  Since she was stuck in her stroller she needed entertainment.  I believe she had some.

The coaches were great about rotating positions.   Christian was playing right field here, picked up this ball...

and knew exactly what to do with it...look at his face!

Stomp!  On the base...but look how close that was!

The boys played a great game against a team that had bigger players who seemed older, and had obviously been playing t-ball for a while.  Several on our team were rookies.  As far as scores go, they didn't fare as well as their opponent this game, but they had a great time and made some very good plays.  In fact, one little boy caught a fly ball so the batter was out; he jetted over to second base and got that dude out; then per coach's instructions dashed to first and got player number three out because no one told said player he couldn't take second.  Three outs, just like that!  I would have taken pictures but Murphy said that I had to help Eliana right at that moment with her blueberry bar-it was stuck in the wrapper.

Even though the game was over, the evening fun was just beginning.  We headed to one of the team member's homes for a pool party and some great food.  Everyone had such a good time.  My favorite parts included watching Mike laugh with some other dads, seeing Christian have so much fun with his buddies in the water, watching Michaela play with some of the little girls who adore her, and being the only adult in a bathing suit in the swimming pool.  Especially that last one.

I hope you didn't think I was going to put a picture of my pre-Florida self in a swimsuit in this post.

This might have been Christian's favorite part...

His tongue is green. Trophies and medals, of course.

We're proud of this little man.  We have had the greatest time watching the boys play this game.  And I have to say, I'm beginning to enjoy baseball.

Dad?   Get up!   Dad?!  Can someone help him get back in his chair, please?

Special Delivery: A Case of Sillies

Not too long ago, I was headed through the front of the house when I caught a glimpse of the UPS guy carrying a GIANT box up to our front door.  I opened the door just as he got to it, and he pushed the box inside and left the kids and I wondering what this huge cardboard container might be holding.  I set it against the wall next to the front door and told the kids we could ask their dad when he got home.  Shortly thereafter I realized that it was probably the train/activity table Mike had ordered for Christian.  I was right. Tonight the kids and Mike put the table together, and needless to say, they were very excited.  They love all things new, from a package of rubber bands to piano lesson books, so this was a big deal.  The two of them pitched in, I'm sure...

When I first went up to check on them Christian had the directions; he told me,"Look!  I'm instructioning!"  His reading skills are developing so quickly, and his vocabulary is always growing.  He expands ours as well.

The kids wanted to pose with their new toy, and instructed me to take their picture and put it on the blog.  Why would they think I would do that?  I can't figure it out.

Here they are, in all their super-silliness and fun-loving glory... (I really wish this picture had audio...imagine shrill, hysterical giggles.)

Michaela is growing like a weed...

I am excited that he will have a place to dump the Legos, or the Tinker Toys, or the Lincoln Logs, or the K'Nex, or the train tracks, or the Q-Ba-Maze, or the Magnetix, or the cars, or the puzzle pieces.  My goodness, he has a lot of things to do...that should keep him plenty busy for the next few days!

Play Ball!

Christian had a t-ball game tonight, and it's the first time that I have both had the camera there and had a battery that was charged enough to take pictures of the whole game, and not just one whole game, but two.  Oh yes, a double-header, with the first game starting at 5:30.  The second game would end around 7:30.  Mike had a meeting.  I took all three kids to the field.  I was a little less than enthused.

We were there a little early for warm-up. This is Christian...

Seriously.  Earlier in the day we were leaving a friend's house and I'm pretty sure I heard him say,"Boo-ya!" "Boo-ya"? Really?

In spite of my worries, it turned out to be a fine evening.  Michaela took it upon herself to watch over a troop of little girls who delighted in her stories and general tutelage, and all of them had great fun coming up with many different things to do including making sandcastles.  These little girls got good and dirty.

Where did my daughters come from?  They like to dig their fingers into the ground.  They like to play outside no matter what the weather is like.  These are things that come from their daddy's genes...it rounds things out, I'm sure.  Otherwise my little bookworm would be as white as salt and as muscular as a wet noodle.

Christian had a great time...the team played very well.  It was amazing to see them working together, throwing the ball to one another in an effort to get the other guy out, and cheering one another on.  He played pitcher first.  (Why, yes, there is a pitcher in t-ball.  Funny, no?)  He was getting ready for the first batter...

Early on he fielded a ball and threw it over to first base; the first baseman tagged the base and the runner was out!

Great play, guys!  They thought so, too...

I love Christian's intensity when he is playing a sport...

He has the ability to check out the ball's whereabouts while hot-tailing it to the base...he's speedy.

Safe!

Back on the field, he played third base. He caught a ground ball, watching his base the whole time...

and moved onto third quickly...

You can see the other team's coach telling the runner to stay put.  He didn't have to go, it wasn't a forced run.   I was proud that Christian did what he did, though, I thought it was smart.  (I can't think fast on my feet like that.  Watch; ask me what is 7 x 8...53!  No!  56!  See?   I'm no good...and I'm not even on my feet.)   And just because I haven't shown you enough pictures already... another first base run...

Second game, first time at bat (I like the action)...

Well, it wouldn't be baseball otherwise, would it, now?

Another at-bat...eye on the ball!

They tied the first team, but they won the second game 15-13.  Since it is a 6-run per inning game (or however you want to say it) it's hard not to tie.  The second game actually had several outs on both sides.  It was an exciting win.

Now it's the bottom of the ninth, and the bases are loaded...I'm up and the pressure is on; that's the way it is when you are known for batting 1,000. (Read..."It's late and all the kids are in bed.  I'm still up, but I need to get to sleep, although it's as sure as peanuts and baseball that I'll get it all wrong tomorrow, too."  Why mess up a perfect record?)

Fun Finale

Boy, are you going to be sorry that I got the camera back from Mike.  I tried to pick and choose...so we'll see. One of the Kindergarten moms (she had a child in each of the three classes!) had shirts made for each student.  Christian's teacher is Ms. Ferris...on the front of the shirt is a ferris wheel with one kid in each seat.  How cute is that?  Ferris' Friends!

Under the ferris wheel it says,"It has been a great ride this year." I got all teary looking at it the night before, when I pulled it out of his bag.

He seemed pretty happy about his book from the exchange...

There were a few other pictures from the class party, they had a reading time, and a snack. But here are some really funny ones from the field day...

These pictures crack me up-Christian actually made it all the way around the cone and back before he crashed...

He kept checking to see how the other guy was doing-cutting his eyes over. He also concentrates with his tongue sticking out...

He was totally ready for the tug-of-war...

The first time his side lost. The second time, he literally hand-over-fisted that rope and dug his heels in-he was not about to let victory go!

He's one of the smaller boys in his class, but he is strong!

And the parents against the kids? Fuggetaboudit!

They didn't stand a chance...

Take a wet sponge, fill a bucket...

There he goes with his tongue again!

Ah, in the middle of it all, Mike saved me from my folly yet another time-I couldn't find my car keys, and the stroller was in the car. I was holding Eliana this whole time. He brought stroller and keys.

Back to silly games...more water. Balloons filled with the wet stuff, tucked under the chin; kids must run around the cone without touching balloons with their hands. Who comes up with this stuff?

Oh no! He lost this one!

Irresistible!

A refreshing refreshment...

Isn't she sweet? She hung out the whole time, watching this craziness...

Final game:  the three-legged race. Seriously?  I don't know what was funnier, this or the sack race. But this was pretty darn funny. They literally fell all over each other, and what was great about it is they thought it was hilarious too.

What a great class! He made some wonderful friends this year.

There were group hugs at the end (along with some tears...too sweet)...

Christian had such a good year.  He did a fantastic job academically.  He had not really been in a classroom before, in such an intense way, and he did well adjusting to the demands and constant distractions that are in this kind of environment (not that he doesn't still need some work in this area...); I think he would say the best thing was his friends.  We're fortunate that many of these folks go to our church, so I know we'll see them around.  All I can say is this year was a blessing!

The End of the First and the Beginning of the End (Just Kidding)

Today was our first last day of school. Because we have homeschooled up until this past school year, our schedule was more year round, and the end of one school year and the beginning of the next was somewhat fluid.  But today was Christian's final school day in Kindergarten.  It was special.

Mike and I took turns participating in the activities; he went to the class party, and then I took Eliana to Christian's field day.  Field day is where the parents set up a bunch of games for the kids to play so that the parents can totally laugh at their kids while they fall down, get soaked by balloons, and trip on each other kids can end their school year having a lot of fun.  Have you ever seen a class of boys and girls in a sack race.  (Almost) EVERY SINGLE BOY FELL DOWN.  And I mean flat down on their little ol' honkers.  The girls, they bounced right over the fallen ones.  Just kidding.  They went around them.  I never realized this before, but today it was quite evident that girls have a bounce gene that boys are missing.

It was a fun morning, and I would assume that the class party was nice as well-they had a book exchange.  We sent in Adventures of Morris the Moose, and I hope the kid who ended up with the book likes it as much as my two older ones did.  They took a sneak preview of the stories and both of them (ages six and eight) were howling and giggling and just plain hysterical over Morris and his moosiness.  I remember reading Morris when I was little and having much the same reaction.  He is a pretty funny antlered fellow.

There are a ton of pictures...but Mike has the camera.  So they will be for another day.  And mostly for the grandparents, I'm sure! It's hard to believe that the school year is over, and summer is upon us.  Methinks pool passes are in order...