May down pours bring ... new friends

Yesterday my son had a baseball game. They are still undefeated and every team is gunning for them. So now the pressure is on.
Our game starts. The kids are a little stiff, not playing all too great, and the other team takes a large lead. Then the rain comes. Not a drizzle, but rain. OK. I and Trish (score keeping mom for our team) are the only ones not tucked under the trees. We are up front and personal. I have a camping chair and a kid size sleeping bag I use for a blanket at the games. I opt to sit with her because I wanted a good view and I felt bad for her sitting by herself in the rain. Well the rain turns into a driving rain coming in sideways. But I hunker down, pull my ball cap low and tell myself if our boys can play in this then I can sit in it and cheer them on! We take the lead back in the bottom of the fourth and hold it through he top of the fifth. There are only five innings at this level.
By the time the game was over, the kids, Trish, my sleeping bag, and myself are soaked. I feel like a stuffed sausage as I try to move around in my wet jeans. My nose is running and my earaches from all the water it collected. But it was worth it. Trish and I ended up discovering similar personalities in each other, and that we would both be with out child for the night due to sleep-overs. So we met up later, saw a movie, grabbed some dinner, and sat talking at her house until after 11 pm. And we will be doing it again!

OK I Lost It !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today I took Corey on a seemingly pointless and carefree day to the park. So, after doing other park stuff, we tried to play fetch with Milo. Milo looked at us like we were asking him to sing Opera while doing the Hula. It wasn't going to happen. So I turned this into another idea. Have a game of catch with Corey. This will help him be less afraid of the ball.
So we are playing catch and Corey is way off his mark when throwing. So I give a couple of casual suggestions.
"Um ok Mommy, but I already know how to throw the ball."
"Yes I know you do, I am just trying to help you aim it a little better."
Fast forward to a few throws later. I try to explain that it would be better for him to throw over the shoulder rather than side arm. He argues with me. So I explain how side arm is changing his release, thus the ball going to the right (my distant left) every time.
"Mommy you don't know what you are talking about."
"Excuse me? You don't think Mommy knows how to throw a ball correctly?"
"Well you do, but this is baseball. It is different in sports. You just don't understand."
Excuse me! EXCUSE ME! The hell you say? (ok so I am thinking this, not saying it, but it was very close to coming out of my mouth.) So Instead I take a deep breath and say:
"That is where you are dead wrong little man. I was MVP Volleyball, Basketball, and should have been MVP Softball too. Do you know what MVP means? It means Most Valuable Player. It means I was the best player on the team. I played Shortstop, 3rd base, Left and Center field. I had the strongest arm on the team. I had perfect aim and knew where the best play was every time! I got several triple plays and rarely did a ball get by me. I also hit the ball very well. I know a lot about sports and you could learn a lot from me. But that's ok, you go on throwing the way you are, thinking you know more about sports than I do. I am sure your team mates won't mind having to chase the ball around." And I walked away.
I know, I lost it. But I have been listening to this attitude all season. I have kept my mouth shut. Tried to be supportive, not take it personal. But enough is enough. Don't discredit my athletic ability or at least my knowledge of the game just because I am a little out of shape, and especially because I am a woman!

Who will parent when they won't?

Today Corey went to another birthday party. Last week was a pizza place, and this week was at an indoor swim park. The birthday boy is a sweet and fun kid in Corey's class, and I had never met his parents. They were just as nice, and very down to earth.
There were 12 kids there and they went straight to the water. I casually moved my way around to keep an eye on Corey, even though he had his life vest on. It was a very busy place, and they have a tidal wave pool with waves up to 5 feet high.
As I look around, I realized that only about 1/2 the parents stuck around. Many of them just came in, dropped the kid off, and left.
Now when this happened at last weeks party I thought it was a little rude, but none of my business. But at this party I thought it was down right disgraceful.
We are talking 6 and 7 year olds here. In a crowded WATER PARK.
Don't you think you ought to stick around? That is a great deal of responsibility to put on the birthday boy's parents. Anything can happen. Not to mention that the two boys who needed the most supervision (very reckless and unruly) were the two mothers who dumped and dashed their little hell-yins.
I bet these would have been the first two to sue both the park and the birthday boy's parents if something had happened to their kids!
I sat there amazed as no one seemed to mind. The birthday dad stayed in the water and "wrestled" with the kids the whole hour before cake. Three moms, a dad, and myself watched from a distance.
It wasn't until later that I realized that I was not the only one who found this all to be rude and alarming. The birthday dad (who reminds me of a NY cop) thanked me for sticking around for the party and said a couple of other things that reinforced how I felt. He also thanked me for trying to keep the two unruly kids under some control.
I was thinking of having Corey's party here, but seeing what I saw today, uh, no. There will be no parties with large bodies of water involved.

Baseball Update

So, Little League has been great for Corey. He is doing really well, and learning so much. If you remember, he was the kid out there with his mitt on his head chasing God knows what in circles at the first game.
Fast Forward to last week.
Corey received the game ball. He had 5 RBI's (Runs Batted In) and got the ball for the very specific reason that follows ...
Corey stepped up to bat with a bat too heavy for him. He took a timid stance and barely swung. Although connecting with the ball, it fell about 4 feet in front of him. He ran with all his might, the pitcher threw the ball to 2nd rather than 1st, so Corey was in luck, as he is not very speedy around the bases. The 1st base coach was waving him through, but Corey took this as waving him ON, so rather than running through 1st, he rounded 1st and kept going.
Everyone starting yelling no, go back, and he was half way before he noticed that his team mate was still on 2nd. So Corey turned to run back to 1st, but he was now in a "Pickle". The 1st baseman had the ball.
You should have seen the look on Corey's face! His large eyes made even larger with shock. He was thinking what I was saying "Oh Shit!"
Corey turned and ran towards 2nd, forcing the 3rd base coach to wave the 2nd base runner over to 3rd and the 3rd base runner home. The first baseman over threw the ball to 2nd base by about 5 feet, so Corey kept running! Again everyone yelled, but there was no stopping him. The 3rd base coach sent the kid on 3rd home to make room for Corey.
By this point our entire bench is on it's feet yelling, and all our parents (we always have a great turn out) are laughing and cheering uncontrollably. I had tears running down my face. I was so tickled and scared at the same time.
My son got a triple and drove in 2 RBI's with a bunt! And that is why he got the game ball.
Corey is not the star player, and in fact, is probably just the opposite. But he goes out there and plays and learns more every time. I ask (ok demand) only three things:
1.Finish the season
2.Be a good sport and supportive of all players at all times.
3.Pay attention so you don't get hurt.
If he never makes a single play or hits a single ball, I don't care.
It looks like it is paying off. He is less emotional when he plays (ie does not get as upset if he gets out or misses the ball, he knows what the play is (ie what he should do when) and I only have to tell him to pay attention and stop chasing bugs twice a game now!(Oh and he is no longer doing that windmill thing with his arms when he runs anymore!)
I put Corey in a team sport for very specific reasons and I am glad I did.

Ahhh the power of Hollywood ...

So my son takes after me in many ways. One of the strongest is in his love for movies. But he has taken it to a higher level.
When Corey watches a movie, he isn't just watching, he is IN the movie. It completely consumes him. I am not exaggerating when I say that the rest of the world does not exist. If you talk to him, he doesn't ignore you, he never even hears you. you can touch him and he doesn't notice. He is far far away in a world of a different form.
When at the movie theater, he will forget that anyone else is there and will yell things out to the characters. In Finding Nemo he shouted out "She's not there Marlin, she got eaten!" When the poor fish franticly called his wife's name, not knowing she was dead.
He tells characters to look out, where to go, and shouts out "eeeewwwww" when there is any type of physical affection between a male and female.
Even better, he will move with the characters. If they are running, you can see his feet moving, if they are dancing, you can see him bouncing, if they are swimming under water, you can see him holding his breath, if they are yelling, you can see him furrow his brow and glare, etc.
If it is a movie we own, and he has seen even once before, he will say the lines along with the character, he will act out the scenes along with the movie. If it is one he has seen many times, he will say all the lines for all the characters and play out all the parts.
He can recall the scene or line from a movie upon request. He can tell you what song was playing and what was going on during it.
Yes, Hollywood has got a fantastic hold on my son. I hope he can make great use of it one day. Until then, I will. As now, instead of watching the movie with him, I watch him. It is great entertainment.