Before. This is my new favorite picture of all three, with Katrina refusing to cooperate. That's just so....her.
A perfect opportunity for a "no evil" shot!
She did fine with the actual haircutting though.
After. I wish all 3 ended up with shorter cuts, but, whatever.
Another double-sports morning! I had to leave Julian's T-ball game before it was over to take Gabriel to a skating lesson, but before that, I had a great time hanging out at the game with Gabriel.
Before the game, the kids needed a few minutes of entertainment while the coach set up for the game. A Dad took the whole team running down the field, which was soooo cute.
I'd have happily volunteered to do this, except for two things. One, any parent interacting with the team is supposed to have a background check first, according to Little League rules, which I haven't done yet. I'm not sure if that rule applies to pre-game practice, but I haven't made myself entirely available to the team yet, partly because of that, and partly I really can't be dependable yet. Any parent who has a younger sibling to deal with on a regular basis really can't be there 100%.
Also, last Wednesday, I had a near miss with my back. I was getting up from the floor at the end of a weights class, and felt a telltale pull in the wrong place. Nothing at all like my usual back blowouts, but the similarity is unmistakable. Sitting on hard surfaces is uncomfortable, and if I sit too long, my feet start to buzz. This kept me from running on Friday, and, apparently, from butting in on the pre-game fun today.
Trick back notwithstanding, I still greatly enjoyed watching. Here's Julian batting.
Julian played first base for a while today. (There was a reason for that, I found later.)
Some video of a perfectly typical "play" in T-ball. All the plays are like this: the batter bats, the kids pile up to get the ball, the winner throws to the first baseman while the batter runs to first base, the first baseman throws home to the catcher. They're all like this, in fact. (That's Julian at first base -- the kid always pulling his pants up.)
Almost all like this -- last week, a teammate at first base actually caught the ball. That's extremely rare!
Well, unless someone outside the game handles the ball. I was a little annoyed about another kid allowed to participate in the game, fielding the ball when it went out of bounds. Looks benign, but after a few plays I could see this affected how Julian played. He knew the kid was there, and would hesitate and wait for the kid to get the ball and toss it to him.
The times Gabriel's been on the periphery with a glove, I've given him very very strict instructions not to touch the ball or get in the way of the players at all.
Julian got this week's "Spirit Award," mostly because he hasn't had it yet -- and that's why he was placed at first base. In T-ball, the first baseman is guaranteed some action.
Overall I don't like the modern trend of awards given for just participation, but this is a little different. The "spirit" award is like a rotating MVP award, that the kids have to return at the next game for the next player. But really, all of T-ball is about getting kids interested and having fun and staying encouraged when they're this age. Everyone bats, everyone gets on base, everyone runs home, no score is kept -- and every team member gets acknowledged at some point. Real MVP awards come later, with real baseball.
Real baseball is a ways off, but T-ball is an essential first step. Meantime, the kids are learning about teamwork and sportsmanship and cheering for teammates, and that's what the Spirit Award is about.
And meantime, I continue to be startled at how much I'm liking this!
5/1/2010
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