T-Ball/Baseball

As we were getting ready for summer, I was asking the boys nearly everyday what they wanted to do.  I asked them what they wanted to learn to do (like play soccer, or gymnastics, etc.).  Finn's first response--"Drive a car!"  Hahahaha!  Anyway, at one point Finn came up with the idea of T-ball.  But then that idea faded almost as quickly as it came.  However, Kai had overhead and thought it sounded like fun.  I let him sit on it for a few days and he still thought it sounded fun so I signed him up.  I got lucky to claim the last spot on a team coached by a member of our ward and I managed to do it before he turned seven.  Which means I was able to sign him for t-ball for 4-6 year olds instead of having to do coach pitch baseball for 7-9 year olds.  Kai is the oldest on his team but you'd never know.  And that's just how we like it!  He is having a great time.  I love the fact that I don't have to drag him out the door to go to practice.  He is excited to go so that's a huge win in my book!

His first practice.  He's wearing the orange shoes.

Kai's team is the Dodgers and they had their first game this weekend against the Cardinals.  I wasn't sure how it was going to go, but I was very pleasantly surprised.  There were no outs or strikes.  Each kid got a turn at bat and had so many chances to switch at a pitch and then if they missed they would pull out the tee.  Everyone only ran one base at a time despite the fact that they probably could have ran a lot further with all of the ball drops and kids who weren't paying attention to actually pick up the ball and throw it.  It was great!  I was especially impressed that Kai hit the ball off of a pitch at his first at bat, as he had never practiced that at all.  (It wasn't a great hit, but it was a hit!)  When Kai touched home plate for the first time he thrust his fists into the air in a vicotry and stood on the plate for a bit.  It was cute.  And of course he noticed it was a tie game.  He even told me that the "Cardinals were hard to beat".  Too funny.  He has 5 more games in his season and I hope he continues to enjoy each and every one of them.

(PS.  I had two favorite moments.  The first was the fact that Kai didn't know to drop the bat and so he ran all the way to first both times holding onto the bat.  And the second favorite moment came from his teammate Sawyer who ran to first, didn't tag the base but ran next to, and just kept on running almost into the field next to us where there was another game.  A parent had to step in and stop him.  It was kind of similar to "Run Forrest, run"!  Too awesome!)

Lining up at the start of the game

Excitement after returning from his first run

Bree LOVES cheering for her big brother!  She clapped and everything.

His second at bat

They had to pull out the tee.  He still needs some work.....ok, a lot of work.

End of the game huddle with Coach B.  Go Dodgers!

This video is of Kai's run home.  Watch third base as TJ hits the ball.  I was going to post Kai's hit, but apparently I took that video upside down.  Hmmm....