OPENING DAY!!!

After three weeks of 2 hour practices everyday, the Rose Park Cal Ripkin Baseball League has officially opened it's season. Jackson now eats, sleeps and breathes for baseball. In our league there are three age groups - the minis (6-8 yrs), the minors (9-11) and the majors (12-14). Jacks obviously falls into the mini category and plays on a team called The Orlando's. While girls are allowed to play in this league, there are only boys on his team of 12. Jackson plays center field because, as his coach puts it, "That little dude can throw!"

Saturday at 10:00 AM was our first official game. At precisely 6:05 AM Jackson started asking if he could put on his uniform. Being the wise and practical mother I am, of course I said something like, "Absolutely not. You'll spill breakfast on your jersey, Max will blow his nose on your pants and your cleats will give you blisters before you even walk out the door." I held out until about 8:00 and then gave into the excitement bursting right out of his eyes. It took him all of two seconds to don a white t-shirt, his navy blue #2 jersey, grey baseball pants and socks with a blue stripe on either side, batting gloves, mit and cap. Seriously, I have never seen this child get dressed so quickly. Then we began the process of the cleats. I've worn my fair share of athletic shoes over the years, and I never remember them being so blasted complicated. Putting them on my 7 year old who has bricks for feet is no small task. It takes a vat of grease just to get the foot in the shoe, then a half an hour and a whole lot of man power to lace them. Apparently it's worth it though because,according to Jacks, "cleats really do make you run a whole lot faster."

The game was AWESOME!! The people we play with are extremely serious about baseball and even the tiniest kids are learning to play a great game. Jackson stopped a few balls that bounced his way and threw with all his might to get them to the appropriate base or to the pitcher. Our team is loaded with some incredibly strong batters and Jacks held his own with several good hits. I can't even begin to describe the emotion I felt as my boy ran like the Road Runner on his way to first base. Five innings, two grass-and-red-dirt-stained knees and some seriously wind chapped lips later- WE WON!! 16 - 10 was the final score and my little man now knows what it means to "PLAY TO WIN!"