Play Ball !!!!!!!

So, this year Landon is old enough to play tee ball. Chuck decided a long time ago that he wanted to coach Landon when he played baseball. Boy, we didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. Chuck and Brad are now the coach and assistant coach (respectfully) of a 3-5 year old tee ball team. Our team consist of 16 three and 4 year old boys and girls. We have 13 boys and 3 girls and they are divided evenly between being 3 or 4. Our first practice and game were quite a sight. In our city the parents go on the field to help the kids out with fielding (if they want). Well lets just say if they didn't I don't think some of these kids would make it out alive. Our team has been known to tackle each other and punch each other in order to get the ball. Since none of the kids really know how to catch you have to be on your toes out in the field with them. When they are batting you never know which way they are gonna run and if they will drop the bat, sling the bat or just run with the bat. It is very comical after the game is over but very stressful while the game is going on. They play two innings and every child bats in each inning. They can only advance one base at a time and there is no outs so everyone gets to run to every base every time they hit. You wouldn't believe the improvement we have seen in all of these kids. They are all so cute in their jerseys and we have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all of them and their families. Our hope is that they have loved us as coaches too and we can retain some them in the seasons to come. I am sure we will have LOTS of baseball in our future.

Landon is great little hitter. As with most of them, hitting is basically all he is interested in. After he hits he doesn't always run to first, sometimes he has been known to run a little or maybe half way or just plain walk. In our game last week he was on third and when the ball was hit he didn't run home and didn't know when the ball was hit because he was too busy flirting with the little girl playing third base for the other team. In his defense she was a really cute little girl. She was dressed in her jersey with a matching little bow and socks. Now you all know how much we love a bow in this house so I am sure he felt justified in not paying attention to the game at all. Chuck had to go get him off of third and bring him home.

Now, when we go out in the field to play defense it is a whole different story. Lets just say that wearing his glove is NOT something that he likes doing. We fight that battle each and every practice and game. We have now just started telling him that he can't come out of the dugout without his glove because his glove his part of his uniform and obviously you can't play ball without a glove. He also finds the dirt on the field very interesting. This dirt must be the BEST dirt around because Landon can't keep his hands out it no matter how hard we try (and believe me we have tried everything). He loves putting it in his glove and throwing it in the air and drawing pictures in it. Hopefully we can work on this before we go pro. I don't think the Astros need a dirt digger on their team. Landon has a great time playing and of course he loves the snack at the end of the day.

Here some pics from a couple of our games. Wendy has been taking videos for us so maybe I can figure out how to put them on here.

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