First of all...I am behind on my blogging...just a little bit...but still behind. So, I will be playing a bit of "catch-up" here in the next few days...you've been warned. :)
As you know...if you read a previous post...Landry played in a summer t-ball league. The league was 6 weeks long and sadly...it has already come to an end. You might remember that he started off really strong, out on the field by himself, playing, having fun, and then we quickly went downhill. After that game we made a "deal' that if he played the whole game and didn't cry, then we would go and get ice cream afterwards. I am proud to say that there was only one week we DIDN'T get ice cream...and boy was someone upset...but...a deal is a deal. :)
Here is how most practices/games went down. Chad would do some warm-up activities with Landry. Landry would complain about the glove hurting, being thirsty, not watching the ball, etc. Then the game would start...and Chad and Landry would head to their spot at third base.
Chad would try to give Landry a bit of a "pep talk"...
which normally resulted in something like this!
If he wasn't sitting, twirling, playing in the dirt, facing backwards, or kicking sand...well...then he was just hanging out. :)
He did do a pretty good job at batting. He ALWAYS hit off the tee. The coaches would try to get him to hit a ball that was pitched...but he knew what he wanted...the tee. :)
After he hit the ball he knew to run...in the general direction...of first base...where he was almost always greeted with a high five from one of the other dads.
This picture cracks me up because in true t-ball fashion, most of the entertainment came from watching the kids "field"...and I use that word VERY losely. To say that we were a team of non-competitive players is an understatement. Notice all the dads. Yup, that's becuase if they weren't there...we would have only had two kids out there...Rylie and Johnny. Those two ran all over the field, tackling each other, and fielding pretty much EVERY ball. The others...well...they liked to kick dirt, put their gloves on their head, spin around, cry, pick up rocks...pretty much do anything BUT field the ball. :)
Here they are...the mighty Pirates...doing their final team cheer at the end of their last game.
Tunnel time! Yup...in true Landry fashion...he FINALLY went through the tunnel...the very last game of the season. Look at his smile! He was sooooooo proud of himself...and we were pretty proud, too. :)
After the tunnel it was time for them to get their medals. The volunteer coach/dad was so sweet! He called each child one at a time and gave them their medal.
He told the team that Landry was the team's "secret weapon!" Loved it!!!
Daddy and his t-ball player!
So proud of my little man!
We love you, Landry Tigh!
Big thanks to Auntie KK and Uncle Ron for coming out to watch pretty much every game!
And of course lots of love to Nawnie and Papa who cheered on our little man each week!
Here is his "official' team photo. Can you tell that someone was NOT happy about taking a picture WITHOUT his sunglasses?
And here they are...the mighty Pirates of CUSD Summer T-Ball! There is so much about this picture that just cracks me up. Landry was quite "taken" with the little girl that is the third from the left. Her name was Victoria and he loved her. They were soooo stinkin' cute together. In this picture he was so mad that he didn't get to sit next to her for the picture. If this is any hint at what the future holds...oh my...we have a little Casanova on our hands. :)
We can't say enough how proud we are of Landry! He grew so much and showed us a side of him that we haven't seen before. He went out each week...with very few tears...and did what we asked of him. Chad and I had anticipated 6 weeks worth of tears but he proved us wrong. When we were talking about his last week he said, "T-baw is aw over...now we can jus tay at home aw night!" Gotta love it!
Here is a series of videos I took during his last game. They are not very exciting...just a peek at his "athletic" ability. :) Really...they are something that only a parent or grandparent finds interesting...just a warning. :)
Here he is batting and running to first...
Landry on first...running to second...
On second...heading to third...
Third to home!
This last video is Landry hitting and running all of the bases. They had a "rule" that when the last batter hit, everyone ran all the way to home. It was hilarious because the would all get to home and just stop...standing on the plate. Love it! :) Landry was the last batter so he got to run all the way.
Last night was our first adventure in t-ball! A few months ago I was looking online to see what age t-ball and soccer leagues start and I was stunned when I learned that they started at 3. Chad and I kind of joked about the idea of a group of 3 year olds, all on the field, attempting to play t-ball. After some thought...and a few experiences where Landry was super clingy around new groups of kiddos...we decided to sign him up.
You might remember that for his birthday he got t-ball pants, mitt, batter's helmet, etc. Everytime we talked about playing...the answer was a definite..."NO, I don't want to play t-ball!" Even in the car on the way to practice..."No, I don't want to!" Chad and I both fully expected him to be in tears, not want to play...he had already told us he just wanted to sit...clinging to us, etc.
So, you can imagine our surprise when we got there, learned he was on the Pirates team, got his shirt and hat...and this was the expression on his face...
He was soooo excited to play!!!! He went right out on the field, joined his team mates, and listened to his coaches' directions.
Ready to run some bases...
Getting ready to play catch...
And...game time!
He actually ran up and grabbed the ball the first 3-4 times it was hit and would run around with it.
He also did this...:)
Then it was time for his team to bat...all lined up...ready to go!
He actually hit the ball...and ran...not exaclty in the direction of first base...but he eventually got there!
When the next inning started one of his other teammates beat him to the ball...and then...we hit the wall! He decided he was done. The water works started and there was no going back.
Before the game I had told him that if he did a good job of playing we would get frozen yogurt after. He decided that he had caught the ball, hit the ball, played, and it was yogurt time. :) Such a smartie! He wasn't buying the fact that t-ball wasn't over yet...he kept telling me, "But I payed tball, Mommy...now we get fozen ogurt!" I tried to explain that it wasn't over yet and that he needed to finish playing.
So, after a 5 minute rest...he returned to the field to do...this!
Yup...the ball would go past him and he did...this!
Still not going to stand up.
At one point he told me he just wanted the other kids to get the ball...he didn't want it. :)
Here I am cheering on one of his teammates...and trying to get him to bat one more time.
Swing...and a hit!
He decided that he didn't want to run to first base this time. Luckily he was the last batter and it was the end of the game. So, it was time to shake the other team's hands...
and get some "fozen ogurt!" The yogurt place by our house was packed so instead we hit up Fosters!
We can't wait for next week...hopefully there are a few less tears...but overall we were so proud of our little man and so impressed with the fact that right from the beginning he went out there all by himself...which is HUGE for him! :)
