First Game of the Season

My boys started softball again this past week. Actually, they "started" a couple of weeks ago when practices began, but their first official game was Tuesday night. This is with a homeschool league - low pressure, not so competitive, cheap - something good. I should have a picture with this post of all 3 boys in their t-shirts and "Homeschool Softball" ball caps. But I didn't take one.



The reason I didn't take one was because I was miserable Tuesday and couldn't wait for the whole thing to be over! Maybe I'll get one next week. Oh, it was just awful. We always start the season freezing at the first game or two and dying of heatstroke by the last one - which is always a doubleheader, in the hottest part of the day. Then, we eat a potluck lunch, which I always eye somewhat suspiciously, thoughts of salmonella poisoning crowding to the front of my mind... Tuesday we had terrible wind and so I froze. Have I mentioned that I am a world class weather weanie? I am. If it's not a perfect, balmy 72 degrees out, then I don't want to be out.





When I was pregnant with Sam two years ago I remember wondering how I would do these ballgames with an infant in tow. Well, it actually was no problem. Last year at ball season, Sam was only 6-7 months old. He couldn't go anywhere! He either slept in his stroller or laid on a blanket. It was great! I should have wondered how I would do ball season with a toddler. Oh my goodness - what a trial that kid was Tuesday night! I recently downsized my stroller because my old one doesn't fit in our new van as well. And I don't need all that stroller space anymore. Well, this new stroller has smaller wheels, which made pushing it over grass quite difficult. I really need a jogging stroller, but I'm not going to buy one when I will only get use for it for one child. So anyway, I had to contend with the stroller with little wheels. Then, it turned out that Sam had no intention of sitting in his stroller anyway. Not even when I was pushing him! He kept standing up and turning around. When I complained later to Paul about this he said, "Well, why didn't you strap him down?" Hmm, let's see...Oh yes, wel-l-l, when I was in Walmart earlier that same day I used the strap for the first time and caught my left middle finger in the latch. By the time I got it unlatched, I had sacrificed a huge chunk of my finger. Of course, I had no bandaids, so I bled all over the one used tissue I found in my purse. I should have purchased more bandaids while at Walmart but I was in a hurry and was under the mistaken assumption that my finger would heal quickly. It didn't and I bumped again and again all night long. At one point, while pushing Sam across the field, imploring him to please sit down, he gleefully grabbed my open can of pop from the back of the stroller and dumped it all over himself.



We finally got to where Ben and David were playing, got all settled, and I realized that we were sitting on the side with the opposing team. I stayed put, anyway. Soon, Sam was helping himself to others' bats and balls, and attempting to run out onto the field. All this was while the cold north wind was buffeting our bodies and whistling straight into my ears. I lasted until the middle of Will's game. I asked him if he would be terribly offended if I went and sat in the van and he was agreeable, as I knew he would be. Thank God for easy children! So, I issued Ben the usual threats about his behavior and headed off to the van, which was parked miles away. Well, seemingly so, anyway. Pushing a stroller with itty bitty wheels and a standing toddler, while balancing a folding chair (folding as in collapsible, like for camping, not folding as in church basement type), and attempting to keep said toddler from grabbing the rest of my pop made the trek seem very, very long.



We made it eventually and I spent the rest of the time trying to keep Sam from breaking the gear shift knob and turning on the van lights and wipers. He has a real obsession about driving that I don't remember with the other boys. He always wants to get into the van, even when it's parked at home and just sit behind the wheel. Anytime we don't immediately pop him into his car seat, he clamors for the driver's seat and is as happy as a clam pretending to drive. The other boys showed up when Will's game was over (they lost, same as Ben and David) and we finally went home.



Today I bought Sam a foam bat and ball, thinking maybe he'll be less likely to grab the metal ones at the games if he has his own. He was pretty excited by that and ripped them out of the Walmart bag when he saw them. I could bring the playpen, but that would be something more to carry and then we'd be subjected to his hollering as he would request to be let out. Maybe next year it will be easier! I don't know how some of these homeschooling softball families do it, those that have babies every year and have multitudes of little ones on the sidelines - they must be much better parents than I am!



All right - whining time is over. This is about the boys and their needs and desires. I will endure. But for the next 8 Tuesday nights, as you are happily ensconced in your homes, eating your hot suppers, and watching tv, think of me, alone on the sidelines, chasing a toddler, telling Ben to "sit down!", consoling and assuring David that he is not the worst softball player in the history of softball, and maybe even going a bit crazy when Will hits one way out of the field - you might say a little prayer on my behalf!