This is the first season that we're doing any sort of a team sport. Our girls have done ballet, gymnastics, swim lessons, etc. but nothing too organized with games, etc. until now. Softball is a big sport for girls in our town and so we gave Sawyer the choice of participating in soccer or softball this spring to take a breather from gymnastics. She chose softball and so here we are.
While there were a few practices, the season really just jumped right into games, with our first one a week ago and now they go every Weds and Saturday until the end of June. Sawyer had been excited about her new glove and ball she got in Florida and when we got home she got a bat, cleats, and a helmet....topped off with a new uniform. Needless to say she was ready.
She posed for Mark in the front yard before heading out for her first game. He wasn't able to make it because we ran him to the airport shortly after this pic was taken so he could head to Providence for marathon #26. I'm not sure I ever heard the final time but it was similar to the race the weekend before, and he was happy to cross one more state off his list. After we dropped him off the girls and I headed to grab some lunch and head to the field.
Isla and Margot were all too pleased to hang out on the blanket and have some snacks and juice, despite the fact that we had just also ate lunch.
Meanwhile, Sawyer's team had a mini-practice ahead of the game to practice throwing and fielding balls. It's somewhat comical to watch as no one really throws it directly to the person so there's a lot of running around after balls on the ground and such. But they all seem to have fun so that works for me.
Our girl has a pretty good arm, and her coach has been great in teach her some good form.
There are 9 girls on the team, and unfortunately one of them broke her collar bone so she can't play. But it's been great for Sawyer because almost all of these girls go to her school though only one is in her class so she's getting to know some more people, many of whom live very close by to us. I am constantly amazed by the number of kids within such a small radius of our house - her starting kindergarten has really opened up the town even further to us and I feel like we are running into people we know all the time now.
Once the game started Isla and Margot would cheer a bit, saying "Great job girls!" but they quickly got bored of that and instead felt like the hill next to the field was a great place to explore. I got many "flowers" in the form of picked dandelions, and they probably ran up and down that hill a bunch of times. Thinking it was tiring them out, I was all for it.
They would then come down and "rest"...or fake sleep.
On the field, the girls were doing pretty good. It's fun to watch because these girls get bored and distracted themselves and forget to pay attention. So a lot of balls were hit and no one would chase after them, or they would just watch them go past them. They did better with that the second game so perhaps it was just first game jitters and still learning the rules.
Sawyer is still learning the rules, though last night when we went to dinner together she was explaining some of the intricacies of the game to me. While I learned nothing new it was interesting to hear the game through her eyes. One of my favorite parts of the game, and just had me giggling every time was Sawyer would not run straight from base base. When she was on second she did a wide arc to third to avoid the basemen and fielders. Because no one hits into the outfield those players really play short stop and so she was running a pretty wide arc to get to the next base. She also ran with the bat to first base her first time up. Haha - funny memories that I'd like to remember for posterity.
And just because I thought this was cute, here's the bottom of the lineup waiting for their turn to bat. In case these girls become her good friends, Lucy is #5 and Aubrey is #7, and I believe that is Evie on the right.
So all in all I think the start to this season has been good. It gets everyone out of the house, and I've even taken the opportunity to walk the 2 miles to the field a few times. Plus, Margot and Isla are making friends. Isla and a boy her age ran around for an hour during Wednesday's game, and one of the older brothers loves playing with Margot and chased her for a bit. I think Mark enjoys it too - when we are both there, he is able to help out on the field either playing catcher or first base/outfield coach to help teach the girls what to do.
And with that we're about to head into another weekend. Mark is currently in Michigan with Margot and Isla hanging with the Harris boys while Ann and Ted rock out to some country music for a night away though headed back tonight. Sawyer and I have been having some one on one time which she has been loving....and me too - one kid is EASY! She's having a friend over after school today and spent the afternoon cleaning the playroom and organizing, and was rewarded with a pizza and fro yo dinner in town. She spent all her time asking me questions about my favorite things...food, candy, song, etc. She found it funny when I explained I don't have one favorite song because songs remind me of different things throughout my life and I love when I hear them because they remind of those times - i told her about how Mark and I danced at our wedding, or Grandpa and I, or songs from high school and college, etc. We decided that since she's still young she only has one or two favorite songs but she's probably going to have lots too as she gets older. So wise that one. PS - Katy Perry and Taylor Swift are her faves right now. She's also kind of funny in that if Mark is not here she wants to sleep in bed with me, so despite me thinking I get to spread out I had her rolling around next to me...and popping up at 6:15am so excited that she's getting picked up for school by her friend's mom. She was dressed and ready to go by 6:45 and asking how many minutes it would be till she got picked up. For a girl who we have to fight with to get ready every morning I'm starting to think we should carpool more because it seems to motivate her.
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