baseball lover

I am not sure, and I am not taking the time to read past posts, if I have recorded any thoughts on Daniel the baseball lover.

He l-o-v-e-s baseball.

Daniel talks about baseball, the Nationals, Screech the mascot, and the "Pwesidents" (teddy, thomas, george, and abe.) a lot - especially with Scott. Sitting still at a game is another story, but the interest is definitely there.

Scott is a baseball fan. I did not grow up loving baseball, and I am slowly coming around. I enjoy baseball games in person. Our neighbor, who was a pitcher in college, bought Daniel a Little Tikes tee for his first birthday. By about 18 months, Daniel could hit the ball off of the tee with no problem. We had to move it outside because, even with plastic balls, I thought he might damage something in the house.

Scott has not pushed Daniel to baseball. Daniel just plain loves it. We play catch in this house a lot. Next to racing Hot Wheels, it's his favorite thing to do. He puts on his hat and glove, uses a pitcher's stance, raises his knee on the wind up -- the whole nine yards. I have to say, Daniel is pretty coordinated. He throws one of those squishy balls to me at the pool ( he won't get in the big pool, Elizabeth and I get in and throw to him on the edge) and I would say, it goes a good 20 feet.

At the pool the other day, we ran into some acquaintances with a 7 year old nephew. They started to play catch, and the dad came over to me and said, "how old is he?" I replied, "2 years, nine months." He said, "He really knows baseball. He's talking to us about who is manning what base, who is pitching, he really knows the terms." Then, Daniel walked over and leaned over on his elbows on this post coming out of the grass - just watching. I called over, "What are you doing? I thought you wanted to play catch with them?" He said, "Mom! I the coach!"

We were playing catch today at the playground and he asked me where second base was.

When he was playing cars this afternoon, I could hear him talking about the Nats. Somehow, "Dmitwi (Dmitri) Young, Wyan Zimmewman, and Johnny (whose actual name is Ronnie) Beyeeyawd (Belliard)" were involved in the race.

It cracks me up and amazes me at the same time that a child so young can have such a clear interest in anything - not just playing it for enjoyment, but the actual logisitics and elements of the game.

It will be interesting to see how this hobby evolves, and once he has the chance to play tee ball on a team, if he will want to do it. Right now, he has told me that there are "too many kids" at the pool and in his summer art class, so I'm not so sure he's going to get into team sports!

And, if baseball does become a passion, I am fine with that, as long as he is on the honor roll!