The Ballgame

Did you hear screaming last night? Were you wondering what that noise was? Yes, one of my children had a ball game last night, and that screaming you heard was me. I have tried to tone it down a bit, but the excitement of the game gets to me every time. And these boys just love to play ball. I was the scorekeeper last night, so I had to record all the strikes, fouls, runs, etc. So I was really into the game! No trips to the concession stand (whew!) no chatting with other parents at the ball park - I was 100% game. I don't know if WMV is embarrassed by all my screaming, but I love to be there encouraging the boys. "C'mon, you can do it!" I shout. "Run, baby, run!" I shriek. "Oh, good try, boys, good try!" Is it my fault I have to scream in order to be heard way into the outfield? If they made the field smaller I wouldn't have to be so loud! But it was a really good game - our team played some good ball and won the game - not something we always do.

The funniest part of the game was watching the other team's catcher. He's a boy from church, and one that I had in my preschool from 14 months old until he went on to kindergarten. He saw me and said, "Hi, Mrs. Kim!!" with an excited smile - teeth missing in the front, of course. So cute. I waved and told him to watch the game. But he kept turning around and waving, talking to me, telling me stuff. Don't get me wrong, I love to be loved, but I was afraid this poor kid was going to get hit in the head with a bat! The umpire kept laughing as I kept insisting the child turn around and get his head in the game. Who wouldn't love to watch a game like that??

WMV did pretty well, despite crying after being hit with a ball and crying again after he struck out. He's finally getting some really good hits, but now that he is, he's ten times harder on himself when he strikes out. That's hard for a mom. I'm trying to encourage him to feel okay about striking out, and I'm also trying to get him to suck it up and quit crying - he needs to toughen up some. But the mom in me wants to hug him and hold him and cry right along with him. *Sigh* And as the score keeper it was tough writing that "K" in his box every time he struck out. *Bigger sigh*

But the good news is that there's another game Friday - time for more screaming and cheering, whooping and hollering and hoping these boys all feel great by the end of the game. "Take me out to the ball game, take me out to the crowd...."