Diamonds Are Forever!

 

Here he comes, Noodle Arms back at the bat! I am so happy for our little friend, to be returning to activities outside our house, Gigi's pool and the beach. I'm also glad we got back in at Fall Ball, which is a little more easy going, and a shorter schedule than spring little league. They let him play down for fall, so he's with kids younger than him, but I wanted to make sure he had a good season, got his legs back under him, and wasn't getting flattened by baseball players whose parents felt comfortable having them play last year. When the other parents exclaim over how tall he is, I do make sure to point out he's 8. Sure, he's tall for 8, but if he were 6 or 7, he'd be a mutant at his present height. He had a good first game, hit every time he was at bat and actually fielded a few plays. And in a miraculous turn of events, out in the field, he was actually baseball ready, with his glove on and his knees bent, ready to grab a ground ball. 

Ellie also got suited up to try a season of baseball. I thought it would be easier, having both kids in the same co-ed league, but she had one practice and came off the field crying, saying she hated it. I offered to find a softball league but she wasn't interested, and said she'd rather go back to gymnastics and basketball. Thankfully, her old gymnastics had a spot for her at the level she'd been at before the pandemic, so we'll see how it goes. I might also sign her up for swim team in October back at the Y, if the pool hasn't been shut down for kid lessons. (It's been in the 90s for the past week, so don't fear that it'll be a polar plunge.) 

It's nice to be getting back to some semblance of normalcy, back to having folding chairs and baseball bags in the trunk of my car, back to the kids getting to see more of their friends. Last night we got invited to a casual evening BBQ at the swim club in the neighborhood (we live on the wrong side of the tracks, can only go as guests) and I was so happy to see Ellie frolicking with her other fifth grade friends. I also got in and played sea serpent - I managed to swim all the up behind her in the deep end and grabbed her ankle and from underwater, could hear her squeal.