OUT!

Eli is thick into baseball season these days. We have at least two games each week and a few practices on top of that. (Truth be told, we tend to miss many practices because we already spend so much time at the baseball field.) This is a season of 'firsts', as we are in an older league this fall, but tonight was a first beyond that. Eli was playing right field during a late game (6PM start, I believe? That is late for our 7PM-bedtime-having household :). The ball had been hit his way several times already, as it often is with these power-hitting 7 and 8-year-olds. Somewhere around the 4th inning, a line drive was hit to Eli, who happened to be playing a bit closer to the clay. He threw up his glove and WHAM!, he caught the ball. That in and of itself was not too out of the ordinary, but the fact that he was able to hold on to the ball and not drop it was a novelty. I think even Eli was shocked that it stuck! The game ball was awarded to my boy and he's officially part of the pop-fly/line-drive club now.

Beach Trip

We were very happy to travel to Watercolor this last weekend. School schedules have made it difficult for us to get in our usual trips there over the last few years, so we snuck away for a long weekend, pulling the kids out of school for one day. D, Renee and Bryce joined us, making it a fun, full house for three days. The kids all had their bikes, and we rode them everywhere.

The boys were primarily interested in skim boarding; both boys had boards and they threw them all day, every day. Maddux was more interested in the 'red river'. The section of beach we frequented was mostly deserted except for us. On one side was a large stream of water coming from the river/pond to the ocean and it was colored dark red from the sediment. Maddux loved it and wanted to play next to it the whole time.

The water was amazingly clear, as always, and we saw lots of ocean life. We caught a few crabs, saw several snails and hermit crabs, and had more fish-sightings than I can count.

We took a few breaks for the pool and bike rides, we ate enough seafood to feed an army, and we even had ice cream on the last night.

Gymnastics

Over the summer, I enrolled Eli and Maddux in gymnastics once a week. They really liked it, and with Eli's feet, the barefoot activity focused on balance is something that needs to be a regular occurrence. Since they enjoyed it so much, I signed them up for another session, right after school once a week. They are in different classes due to their ages, but their classes are at the same time. (The gym is huge!!)

Maddux is her usual goofy self, but she is progressing really far on the balance beam. She can walk the whole length (or more) 'scooping' her feet down each step and/or going backwards. She still falls often enough, but most of that is Maddux being Maddux.

Eli still struggles with the backwards rolls, but his cartwheels have gotten so much better, and he loves the rings. This last week they even got on the high bar and hung for a few minutes before dropping into a foam pit. The most interesting exercises his class does are bear crawls on top of the parallel bars and 'gator chomps' hanging and moving underneath the balance beam. Talk about an all-over workout!

Maddux's First Soccer Game

Maddux has been participating in soccer for the last few weeks, practicing on Tuesday nights, and this weekend she had her first game. So far she really enjoys it, and seems to have found a sport that works well for her social, athletic, and crazy self. Her first time on the field for the game she was a little timid; Lehr and I think she was just a little confused because it was so different than the drills they'd practiced. She would kick the ball and then just stand there, allowing the game to go on in front of her. After a few promptings that first time out, she got that a kick did not end her play. And the second (and third and fourth and and and...there were a lot of 'sub changes') time she got out there, she was aggressive (in a good way) and even helped score a few goals.  Eli was happy to support her and cheer her on, even participating in the 'tunnel' at the end of the game!

First Pinto Game

Eli had his first game in the 'big leagues' last night; his current team is the Mudcats. This league has faster pitches, the potential to strike out, less players in the outfield, and bigger, stronger, faster boys. One of the cons of this new league is later games and practices. Last night's game didn't start until 7:15PM. We are an early-to-bed family and Eli and Maddux are in bed between 7 and 7:15 each night during the school year. Yikes. But he rallied and did really really well.

Eli played mostly in left field, which he loved. The outfield positions in this league are very active and necessary as most balls get hit pretty far. He threw it in several times to help stop the play. Somewhere around the 3rd inning he was assigned the position of pitcher. This position is scary for me because of the power behind some of the line-drives hit by the boys. In addition, we are still in coach-pitch mode, so the coach is sometimes slightly blocking the actual pitcher's view of the batter. (He does wear a mask, which helps!) Eli absolutely rocked that inning. He got all three outs, getting to the ball quickly as it was hit and throwing it quickly and accurately to first base. The Mudcats shut the other team out that inning.Really well...getting three outs in a row during his first game (as pitcher).

On the batting front, he did well also, scoring each time he was up except for once when he was stranded at second base. All around a REALLY good start to the new season!