Take Me Out to the Ballgame!!

Anyone who knows the Sweet family, knows that this is our favorite time of year!!  It is a hectic and crazy time, but we love it!  Conner's love for the dramatic is in full swing every year during February with the annual school play!  Long nights of practicing, costuming, and dancing combine with frantic attempts at homework!  We are one week and counting now, and things are looking good for him! 

We are also gearing up for our annual baseball run!  Baseball is not just a sport in our household--it is an obsession!  We love baseball--professional, little league, high school--ANY kind!  When Jeff and I first were dating, it was softball.  (Bat/ball--same concept!)  He played four or five nights a week, and I loved hanging out watching him!

It was a given that one of our boys would love the sport, as well.  (Both like it!  Colton LOVES it!)  When Conner was born in 1997, we made every attempt for Katie and Colton not to feel neglected or left out of the excitement.   Colton was about 3 years old at this time, and he had a tendency to be jealous of "mom" time since the new addition.  One afternoon, Conner was napping, and Katie was at kindergarten.  I figured this would be a perfect chance for some one on one time with Colton.

From the time he was very young, Colton had loved playing with a ball.  If it could be kicked, rolled, or thrown, he was in the middle of it!  The third or fourth word in his vocabulary was "bawl"!  (Yes, we are from the South!)   I had I bought him a "Winnie the Pooh" padded bat and ball set, so I had him go into the bonus room and wait.  As I presented the gift, he was really excited.  It was raining that afternoon, so I suggested we play inside.  I showed him how to stand up and hold the bat.  After several attempts at my throws, he got the hang of it!  Before the afternoon was over, he was smacking that fat little ball all around the room.  When Jeff got home, Colton wanted to show him his new trick!  On that day,  Colton told us that he was going to be a "ball player!"  Our afternoons of hitting and throwing in the bonus room during Conner's nap time became a routine.  He hit the stuffing (literally) out of that ball.  The seams on the bat eventually became thread bare.  He moved on to a larger plastic bat, and our time together move outdoors.

Since that time, I have no idea how many balls I have thrown to him!  (I wish I had a nickel for every one!)  I finally had to stop when he began hitting so hard that a ball almost broke my shin.  From playing "tee" ball at age 4; from watching our cat chase hit balls over the backyard fence; to All-Star games; to travel baseball; to DreamsPark in Cooperstown, NY; to high school varsity; this has been our life for the past 13 years!  Colton's playing has taken us all over the country--Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Ohio, New York, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania!  Our love for the game has driven us to visit MLB ballparks in California, Colorado, Arizona, Ohio, Florida, New York, Georgia, Minnesota, Texas, and Toronto.  We love roadtrips, so we just get in the car, and GO!

The other night, Colton and I sat and talked for about two hours--just about baseball!  There was no television; no one home but us; no cell phone; no texting!  Just talking!  (What a rarity!)  He went back in his mind to all those little league games; the trip to Cooperstown; meeting some of his idols @ Spring Training.  He thanked me for always supporting him and allowing him to live the dream!  I was really touched!  Teenage boys don't often remember to say "thank you!"  So this was a huge gift for Mom!  Colton also said he had some regrets.  This was strange for him.  When I asked about this, he said he regretted that his grandmother's never got to see him play high school baseball.  Both my mother and my mother-in-law were big baseball fans!  They could really be embarrassing at little league games!  Their grandson was always safe at base and never should be called "out" at all!  (And they wouldn't mind sharing this with anyone!)  I assured him that even though they were not here with us, they were watching!  He smiled, saying he knew that.  He just missed them! 

As we begin to wind down a high school career, college is looming in the distance.  He knows--and I know--our baseball time is growing to a close.  Two more seasons of high school and summer ball, and we move on.  Sure, there may be college ball.  (We are hoping for that!)  But we know, it will be different that the road we have been on! 

I remember fondly those afternoons in that bonus room.  I remember a little boy with curly red hair in slouchy pajama bottoms dragging a "Winnie the Pooh" bat.  I remember the laughter and excitement from a hit that bounced off the television to the window to Mom's head!  I remember the little arms around my neck saying, "I 'lub' you, Mama!"  That little boys is all grown up now, but he will always be in my memory!

So, with that in mind, I am going to live in THIS moment!  Even as I write this morning, we are getting ready for the season.  Scrimmages have started.  Travel plans for spring break are confirmed!  Our household is changing over to baseball mode.  So for the next six months (or 9 months if you count fall ball!), dinner may not be on the table at 6.  Laundry may not be done.  (Of course, the baseball uniforms will be though!)  The house may not be perfectly clean!  Our cars will contain buckets of bubblegum, sunflower seeds, gatorade, and dirt.  If you need me, you better text me!  I'll get back to you when I can!  Everyone will just have to get over it!  Mom's at the ballpark until further notice!  And she's LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT!!