Baseball!

Technically it's wee-ball, but we just call all things baseball, baseball around here. Afterall, ChippaJones plays baseball... not wee-ball.

Garrison officially began his baseball career yesterday with his first ever practice. It was cold. It was a little unorganized. But it was fun! Yaaaay!!! He was SO excited in fact about his first practice that he was a little wild before we left the house. And he got in trouble multiple times for forgetting his self-control and using his mouth to talk back. Taking away the privilege to play baseball may or may not have been threatened before his first ever practice. Gracious.

Because our practice was at 5:30 I made one of our favorite, go-to, simple meals on Sunday night for us to have yesterday so I wouldn't have to cook. The boys and I ate around 4:30. Talk about a record early supper time. BUT, we made it to practice on time and met Terrell there.  

Garrison did so good following directions and participating in all aspects of practice. We have a big team with 4-5 girls and 8-9 boys. And we're the Braves. Woohoo! Of course Garrison would have insisted our team was the Braves no matter what because he informed me on the ride over that he was a ChippaJones baseball player... and everybody knows Chipper plays for the Braves. (Poor baby hasn't accepted his retirement yet.)

Terrell made all the pictures for me on my phone because I just couldn't lug our fancy camera around while trying to keep up with Austin. So they aren't the best but they'll have to do for documentation purposes.

They stretched as a team. So cute.

 

They stood in the field waiting for their teammates to hit the ball to them.

 

They fielded balls as they trickled out to them. =)

 

They practiced playing catch with one of the dads. The main goal was to try to catch the ball of course but they were also working on throwing it back as soon as they got it. Garrison made 5 catches and was soooo proud.

 

Then there was batting practice. My baby was the only left-handed batter. (Even though he's right-handed he has always batted left-handed. His daddy has dreams of him being a switch-hitter one day.) He did great!

I spent my time between trying to watch Garrison and trying to keep up with this little man. After a while he was bored with being held and watching Garrison and the Braves. He was ready for his own adventure.

We had a really great experience our first go-round. I did have a temporary moment of anxiety once I saw our practice schedule and that we practice multiple times a week at different fields, AND, that we even have 2 practices at 7:30. Shouldn't 4 year olds be getting ready for bed at 7:30??

Anyway, after a closer look at my personal calendar I came to realize that we won't be able to make every single practice every single week because of prior commitments/plans anyway. And that's OKAY. It actually made me feel better. No more practice anxiety for me!

The only other glitch was the fact that we were all hungry again by the time we got home. So we pretty much ate again. The boys shared fruit, cereal, bread, and a few animal crackers. It was almost as if they had never ate supper. Oh dear. I guess next time I'll try to have something ready to go the second we walk back in the door. OR, since we're meeting Terrell there and will have 2 cars, Austin and I may leave early to come home and get supper ready. I'm sure it's going to be trial and error for a while, I just like having a plan. And that plan does not include "lunch food" for supper or fast food take-out after every practice. (We have our share of "lunch food" everyday for lunch and we have our share of take-out on the weekends.) It may include however a frozen pizza or Stouffer's lasagna every now and then.

We are all (especially Garrison... okay, and daddy) looking forward to this baseball season and brand new experience. And we were all thankful for a great first practice. Go Braves!! =)