Softball

My daughter is trying her hand at softball this season. What a steep learning curve it has been! Never mind all the equipment she needed, it's just that she never really spent anytime batting or playing catch, so she's been working hard.

Their first game was this past weekend and it was so exciting to don the red uniforms of the Rockville Thunder! She got to play pitcher (which for machine-pitch is standing by the machine and fielding ground balls), so she had a lot of activity. Unfortunately, the team she played against was really good. Really, really good. So the outcome wasn't quite what she wanted.



But she looked good!

There is nothing cuter than an 8 year-old girl all suited up for softball. Go pink helmets!




I also learned that if the batter on the other team has her name spray painted on her helmet with hearts and flowers, get ready because the girl can PLAY. And if the team knows all the chants and keeps it rocking on the bench their entire at-bat - it'll be a tough game. Also, tie dye socks, sleeveless shirts and visors are yet another way to tell softball from baseball.

My daughter's favorite part was learning hand games from the other girls during their at-bat:




I'm thinking that they don't do this in baseball either.

Winter Wrestling

One source of busy around here this season has been wrestling. My son discovered the sport last year and it was love at first smack on the mat. His excitement and energy around wrestling makes all the practice and meet times worth it. It never ceases to amaze me how much of a time drain it is when practices of anything are twice a week. That one extra evening shapes the rest of the week. But this is one area where we wallow in the busyness of it all!

Here's what a Sunday afternoon looks like for us:



Mats are seething with shiny-attired boys (and a few girls), ready for the weekly round-robin meets. Our matches have been at Tucker High School this year - an original "old school". This week was the big end-of-regular-season tournament.

Brendan (on top) started off with a bang by pinning his opponent in the second period. That's the referee to the left signaling the pin. Check out the arc on the other kid's back:



Horrible shot again, I know, but a symbol of Brendan's new-found offensive game this year. He's been trying all sort of moves - sometimes even on me (in slow-motion).



After winning the first two matches, he went to the gold-medal round - and won! Here he is on the top of the podium holding the schedule of his bracket that he won.



The closer to the top, the more smiles.

And no, the kid who came in second is not his twin! It was a little difficult watching them wrestle together as the are so similar in appearance, but the not-mine has much redder hair and is a bit taller. Other than that, it was two very white skinny boys going at team mates.

And here's the Wheaties box cover:



SO proud - both of us!

TenTen

The kids are both playing soccer this spring and this is our first experience with both doing a sport at the same time (not for the faint of heart!).



How fun it was when they realized that they both realized that they had the same number!




And even more fun when I realized what their numbers spell together!! Now if I were a really cool blogger, I'd figure out a way to put their picture in my headline. Anyone brave enough to help me with that one?!