Softball and Harry Potter

Ellie's game last night went really well!  Sure, they lost 22-0 and Ellie struck out the only time she was at bat, but I was so impressed with how focused she was on the game.  It was fun watching her.  Especially since I didn't have to deal with the boys...best $20 I ever spent.  I am considering hiring a babysitter again for next Thursday's game.  I don't know if I will be able to get the same one because I think two hours chasing Jack and Sam around the playground/ball fields wore her out.

Ellie and Jack are both missing their games this weekend.  I am like the parents that Tom hates on his team...letting my kids miss so we can go have fun. But my dad is taking Jack on the father/son campout through my church.  He took Jack that year and Jack has not stopped talking about it since.  Then, on Saturday, we got passes to the zoo.  Not just any passes, these passes come with an animal encounter, free lunch, an pictures with the Easter Bunny.  I gave Ellie the choice between her game and the zoo. Of course my animal-lover picked the zoo.  I just wish Tom didn't have a meet and could join us!

This morning, Ellie came downstairs dressed like Harry Potter. After I stopped laughing, I asked her why she was dressed like that. She informed me that it is Dress Like a Movie Star today at school (their school is the All-Stars). She chose to dress like Harry Potter because "he is in movies so he is a star." I decided not to discuss the distinction between celebrities and characters because I love Harry Potter as much as she does.

Feeling old and cheap

Ellie has her first softball game tonight.  I am actually really excited to watch it because Ellie has been taking this whole softball thing very seriously. I know.  Nobody is more surprised than me.  Anyway, Tom has a meet and I know I will not get to watch with Sam and Jack in tow, so I am hiring a babysitter to come to the softball fields with us and play with the boys on the nearby playground.  This is a milestone moment, y'all, because I have never had anyone babysit my kids who is not related to them. Also, babysitting is dang expensive these days.  The going rate is $10/hour.  So tonight's little game is going to set me back a cool $20. Back when I used to babysit, in this exact same neighborhood, I only got paid $3/hour.  Talk about inflation.

Jack's Adventures in T-Ball

Jack finally had his first t-ball game yesterday.  He was so excited for it!  He really loves wearing his uniform. Jack started as the catcher. He walked out there and then turned around and told me he needed to use the bathroom.  Of course he did.  Because Jack is notorious for waiting until the very last minute to use the restroom, I made sure he went before we left for the field, but I think the excitement of it all activated his bladder.  Tom took him and Jack missed the team huddle and the first couple minutes of the game.  He didn't quite make it to the port-a-potty in time so he returned with a damp spot in front of his pants. The game was already in process so poor Jack had no instruction where to stand.  He just stood a ways behind the plate and kept looking to us for instruction. No matter how many times Tom told him to go to the plate after each hit, he just couldn't seem to grasp the concept. He was already out of sorts about the bathroom incident so this just further frustrated him and he was pulling all sorts of angry faces and his eyes were welling with tears.  Not a good start.

 When it was his turn at bat, he positioned himself directly BEHIND the tee. Like he was going to hit the ball into the dugout. I swear, it was like the boy had never been to a single practice. The coach had to physically reposition him.

Next they placed him in the outfield behind first base and no balls went his way.  I say luckily because he spent the whole time taking his hat on and off.  His next turn at bat went much smoother, but then he was placed at 3rd base.  The coaches kept telling him to "be ready" so he would hunch down with his glove on the ground and hold that position. But he wanted to make it very clear that it was hurting his back so he held his back with his other hand, all the while grunting and groaning like and old man.

Anyone watching would think he had a miserable experience, but when asked about the game, he enthusiastically said, "It was great!" I asked him what was his favorite part and he said, "All of it!"  So...there you go. If he's happy, I'm happy.

Weekend recap

Well, my weekend didn't end up as busy and hectic as I thought it would be, but it sure started out that way.
Thursday I took Jack and Levi to their lessons with Sam in tow.  I thought I could keep Sam contained in a stroller if I let him watch Elmo on my phone.
I thought wrong.
He did enjoy climbing up and down the bleachers and pushing his stroller around the pool area - screaming at me whenever I would stop him from pushing it into the pool. Or out the door.

This was Jack's last lesson.  His instructor was in the water with the kids for all of 10 minutes before getting them out of the pool and walking them over to the adjacent pool.  She then sat there on the side with them for a full 10 minutes without even talking to them.  I texted a picture of it to my sister as proof to justify my outrage.

Apparently, she was waiting for another instructor to come over. When he did, the kids still sat on the side, but he spent another 10 minutes explaining the rules of the pool.  These lessons are only 4 days, 35 minutes each.  During all the sitting, I walked over to complain to the guy in charge behind the desk. This is very unlike me. I never complain (I mean, I complain online and in text, but not to someone's face).  The guy in charge told me to wait til after the lesson and share my concern. Um, it was the last lesson and I certainly was not signing up for more. Plus, I had to rush to t-ball after the lesson so I had no time to tell them how to do their job.

After the pointless lesson ended, the boys changed clothes and I rushed them out the door to the baseball fields where we caught the tail-end of Ellie's practice.  And then I made her take Sam to the park so I could watch Jack practice.  By the time we got home, it was waaay past Sam's bedtime and even past Jack and Ellie's.

Tom had his varsity meet on Friday and I was supposed to take everyone to Ellie's teammate's house to decorate the float and eat pizza. Well, an email was sent out about the parade and opening day ceremonies being cancelled due to rain. I was thrilled. The kids, not so much.  Then, Ellie's team decides they are still getting together for pizza, candy, and team-building.  I made the executive decision that it was not worth two late nights in a row for Sam. Ellie was not happy with me. I tried to make it up to them by ordering pizza and putting on Jumanji.

Jack woke up bright and early the following morning and put on his new uniform even though I told him his 3 PM game would most likely be rained out.  It was. He was sad. I was not. Well, I was sad he was sad.

Sunday was church as usual and then Tom and I took turns taking naps.  I took the later shift which made me unable to fall asleep last night until 1 AM.  And then my alarm went off at 5.  I am hoping my students are as tired as I am today and thus be a little more mellow.

Why can't they just sit at home and watch TV all day?

I have already written about how enrolling my kids in t-ball/softball during track season is going to kill me.  Well, I decided to enroll Jack in swim lessons this week just to add to the fun.  Honestly, since games haven't started and swim is just Monday - Thursday, it hasn't been that bad. Today is the only day it gets tricky because Tom has a meet and Ellie has practice when Jack has swim. I am also taking my nephew to swim because my sister has to take her daughter to piano and volleyball.  And then Jack has t-ball practice right after swim.  Also, Tom is at a meet tonight so I will be trying to keep Jack contained and entertained at a pool and then at baseball fields.  Plus, Jack's practice is from 6:30-7:30. Sam goes to bed at 6:00 (and even then I STILL have to wake him up in the mornings)! So, Sam will be up way past his bed time and Sam doesn't do tired well.

Friday is also busy because Tom has another meet and Ellie's team is decorating their float for the Baseball Opening Day Parade.  They are meeting at 6:30 and so once again I will be keeping Sam out past bedtime. Then, Saturday morning, I have to drop Ellie off for the parade at 6:45 AM at one house and drop Jack off at another location at 7:00 AM.  Then we watch the parade and go watch opening day ceremonies.  And to top it off, Jack has his first game at 3:00.

All of these times and events are just bumping around in my brain, driving me crazy, and I keep going over my schedule and trying to figure out a way to be most efficient and sane.  Typing it all out actually helped because it doesn't seem as much on paper (screen) as it does it my head.

On a brighter note, Jack is LOVING swim lessons.  He isn't learning anything, but he really loves it. So, yay, I guess.  It is hard for me to watch his lessons because the instructor wastes so much time and doesn't get much accomplished during the lessons.  I taught swim lessons for years and I just want to jump in the water and give her some tips. Oh, this reminds me, swim team registration is now open and I need to go register Ellie.  Awesome.

Jack and his cousin, Levi

Ellie helping me keep Sam entertained and away from the pool. That lasted for 5 minutes.