We’ve been doing little league with the boys ever since David was about 5 (he’s now 15).  Jacob and Ethan got a late start in baseball and we’ll probably always have some regret about that.  However, David started very young and played every year but one, and Caleb and Seth also started as soon as they could (although we did skip t-ball).   It’s not always fun for me to drive to the fields almost every night of the week, and sometimes in not the greatest weather.  In fact, we still have cold evenings and we shiver as we watch the boys play.  But then, we’ll have evenings so hot people are holding up umbrellas for shade.

Rich especially LOVES to watch the boys play.  He mourns having to leave on business trips and missing the games.   This is when it’s so nice to have the phone.  I can easily take short videos of the boys at bat and send them along to Rich.

On game nights, we eat an early dinner and drive the boys to the field early to warm up and then I walk and walk and walk (with my headphones in my ears, listening to podcasts) until the games start.

Here are some photos:

Seth (9 years old, 3rd grade) started out as pitcher on Friday night.  It was very hot after several cooler game nights and the boys were rather wilting toward the end.

Seth had an “off night” as pitcher and was visibly relieved when the coach put someone else in.

He’s a very good all around player.  And he will play every position if possible.

One time they were warming up and he was at shortstop and he and his teammate called “Got it!” at the same time and Seth ran into the kid to catch the ball.  “Seth’s a show off!”  I heard.  He’s not necessarily a show off, but if he yells “got it” he’s going to get it, even if his teammate said it at the same time.

Seth’s face looked so worried as he ran to first base after getting a hit but knowing he won’t make it to the base in time.  When Rich saw it, he got right up to go get him a cold Gatorade from the food booth.  Usually does magic.  🙂  It’s so much better than mom’s warm water bottle.

He got a nice hit this time…..I heard someone in our crowd say “beautiful!” as we watched it go…..

This season, Seth had to break the habit of watching what the other team was doing with the ball as he ran the bases.  Seeing him run to base with his neck twisting this way and that was silly.  “Watch the base!” we would yell.

******my heart*******.

Now for Caleb., who is almost 13 and in 7th grade.

Everyone loves Caleb.  He’s a team player, he is quite vocal about encouraging the team and telling them when they’ve had too many errors.  He’s also a lot of fun and can be too goofy at times.  I heard his coach get on his case once when he struck out at bat and then went to the dug out and started goofing around.  Sometimes Caleb will dance after getting a good hit and making it to first base.  Caleb is well-known for his realistic chicken noices and as a result, his nickname is “Chicken”.  Even his coaches call him Chicken.  Not because he’s scared and timid like a chicken, but because he SOUNDS LIKE ONE.  Rich groans and groans.

He’s such a calm player and rarely makes mistakes.  He DOES make them now and then, but as his mom I’m always very surprised.  (every mom thinks their kid is practically perfect).  He looks great in all three of his positions that he plays; first base, pitcher, and catcher.

No home runs yet this year….oh how we are waiting!!  Last night he got walked three times.  He was SO annoyed.  He and one other boy on his team have red cleats so I’m always squinting down at the field and saying, “Is THAT Caleb?”  Caleb is number 11 and his cleats used to be Ethan’s.  I took these photos with my long zoom lens.  He looked so very handsome with that game face.

Here he is jogging to first after getting walked……Caleb wants a home run so bad!!!!!

The white pants have been fun to wash all season.

Pitching

As I’m writing this I’m thinking I should ask my brother Isaac to do a pitching clinic with Seth and Caleb.  He was an excellent pitcher when he played years ago.

Caleb as catcher.

Here is a video from last night.  He was warming up the pitcher and looked so cool and confident.  I LOVE THIS VIDEO and so does Caleb.  He said, “Send that to Dad.”

Jacob dropped off Seth and Sarah at the game yesterday after church.  I had stayed home to get Caleb to his game on time and he helpfully took the other kids to church (Rich had to leave for a trip).  So Sarah looked like a princess in her church dress.  She had a hamburger for lunch from the food booth, and took off her shoes as soon as possible.

I went to a tag sale before the game and bought a bag of old linens and she found this piece of lace and her princess attire was complete.

Happy golden days.  Lots of times chaotic, but all the time worth it.