5.22.2012

Playing games

Man, I’m having fun with this softball stuff.

After our awful showing last week, our team played flawlessly tonight.

I don’t know what the final score was, but I know we won by a comfortable margin.

We hit the ball solidly and kept scoring runs. … Better yet, barely a ball got through our infield. I played a perfect third base, notching four putouts myself, including the first part of a 5-4-3 double play to end the second inning.

At the plate, I went 1-for-3. I lined out to short and then flied out to left. In my last at-bat, I singled on a liner to center field and eventually scored.

Our team got together for a practice Sunday and I think all of us could agree it jumpstarted our play tonight. I know it made a huge difference for me to get in some lengthy fielding practice and, after all of my years of facing hard-throwing baseball pitchers, I’m adjusting to the slower pace of a soft, underhand pitch.

The ball was flying off my bat during our practice Sunday. Despite my small frame, Coach says he’s impressed with my bat speed. He says I’m like Alfonso Soriano, but I play better defense.

I’ll take it, I guess.

* * *

Meanwhile, the waiting game for Baby 2 continues.

We have to keep reminding ourselves that D-Day isn’t for another five days. But we were sure she’d be here by now.

Instead the anxiety is growing. Kates is more uncomfortable by the minute.

At dinner tonight …

Kates, with a sigh: “I’m ready for this baby to come.”
Me: “I am so ready.”
Phoebe, with a more dramatic sigh: “Me, too. I’m super-duper 100 percent ready.”

Phoebe’s questions are getting more inquisitive, too

Tonight, to Kates, as we drove home from my softball game ...
“How will you get the baby out?”

As Kates left for her doctor’s appointment the other day ...
“Is it time for the baby to come out?!”

Of course, we’ll always remember the classic that started it all ...
“Did you eat it?”

Although, seeing Phoebe’s response to every new development makes me glad we timed the arrival of her little sibling when we did. It’s fun to see her love for her little sister already developing with the way she kisses and hugs Kates’ belly. And it’s fun to witness her responses to our random baby discussions.

One of her recent memorable quotes as she played in our living room ...
“M-O-Q-H-I! What does that spell?! Baby!”

When Kates returned from her appointment yesterday and reported that the baby had dropped and the doctor was able to feel its head, Phoebe responded with a high pitched ...
“Are you serious!?”

And on Saturday, as Phoebe was deep into another one of her pretend cooking sessions, she walked around, stirring a bowl and saying ...
“I'm just dilating stuff.”

This stuff never gets old. Soon, God willing, we’ll be having double the fun.

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