Baseball for Brenden

Soccer was not Brenden's favorite thing to do. So when we signed him up for Tee-ball, we were cautiously optimistic that this would fare better. Turns out, we had nothing to worry about. He didn't need prodding or pushing to get out on the field, he hit just as hard and well as all the other kids...never once got tagged out...and made it home every time. In the field, though, he would either fill his hat with red sand and dump it all over his head (causing me problems that night in the bath to try to scrub out all the tiny granules of sand) or chat it up with the kid next to him. He is more confident and it shows in his athletics. Trent had class all but 1 of Brenden's games so he missed the majority of the season, but what he saw made him happy to watch that tall, lanky kid out in the field in his first season as a ball player.
Trent and Kyleigh hand delivering Brenden's drink while he's waiting his turn on offense.

He was on the Braves team and got to wear his favorite color-red. He was #9. 

Some kids are already intense and had the baseball pants and cleats. 'Scuse us for throwing on a pair of common athletic shorts and tennis shoes. But then, maybe B wouldn't be semi-backing away from the incoming ball (he's the one on the left). 

This kid (one in blue shirt who forgot his red team jersey shirt) walked over to Brenden and they started chatting while waiting for a ball to fly into the outfield. This may be why Brenden prefers baseball over soccer. Slower paced and more social :)

*Update: (Forgot to add these photos and wanted to include them on this post instead of create a new one)
My Baseball star.

 With appropriate childhood-scraped up elbows.

My loyal companion on the spectator bench. (they held games at 2 locations. One was down Hawkins near an old church and park. This one is down the street from our home at the library and rec center). This game was on August 1st, but apparently it was very, very cold that day...at least for August standards.

But she was willing to come to the game with me and support her brother instead of stay home and keep warm while Dad studies in the basement. 

 His team had good coaches that would keep the boys informed during the game on what to do next. Nice for these young kids who can't process alot of information during practice and then apply it at gametime.

This long-legged kid reached home every time he was at bat. 

Defense was a little harder to keep him focused. 

Good coaches. Want the boys to have fun as well as learn the rules of the game.

Uh oh...innocent dirt play or something more sinister? 

 This little trick was so entertaining to him that he later decided to pour the dirt into the inside of his hat and then put the hat back on his head.

Yes, those millions of tiny granules of dirt were very hard to scrub out of his scalp during bathtime that night. 

B reached 3rd base and decided to head right home....but it was the wrong home. This nice girl was directing him as to the correct direction he should run first. 

This picture looks like he is angry and mad...but he wasn't. It was another make believe/pretend moment where the glove was playing an important piece in some imaginary battle right before climbing the fence for some crazy hooligan antics before Mom shoves him in the car to head home. 

We probably won't be here for the next tee-ball season, so hopefully we can find something for him at our next destination...because this was fun for Trent and I to watch and B said he had a good time. Win-Win.