This year in baseball for Jimmy has been a little frustrating for the star in the making. He has moved up two leagues to be in a league where is playing against some really tough competition, mostly kids that are two, three and in some instances, four years older than he is. The fastballs come shooting at him at such a fierce speed, its amazing he makes contact. To me, he's never looked this much smaller than his peers. Thats mostly because he is smaller, and younger than all of his teamates. He's been making some contact when he gets up to bat, but he's been striking out regularly as he gets used to the new pace. Well, he has adjusted. For his birthday, he got a full batting cage equipped with a pitching machine and netted cage, a sixty foot cage fit into the back yard that is. He loves it, as do all the other kids. During the last week, he got hits in two of the games and through sheer hustle, he continued to get into the hit column regularly.Even Jack gets in on the action in the batting cage. We can slow down the speed and groove some right in on him too. The ump was impressed when Jack grabbed a bat and started slugging pitches going his way. He doesnt back down either. Laura and Catherine have also had their turns turning on some fastballs for their softball hitting practice.
Back to tonights game. Jimmy sat out the first two innings and went into the field (Right field) for the rest of the game. It was a pitchers duel and in the top of the fifth with men on base, an opposing hitter shot one at him, into the sun. He handled it like a pro and it landed right in his glove. I asked him later about it and he told me that he had some trouble with the sun but he looked for the little black dot coming through which turned into being the baseball. A great catch ended the opponents rally. He struck out his first time out on a pitch in the dirt. The opposing pitchers were really throwing the heat. We had talked about just keeping an eye on the ball and keeping his head straight to make contact. Sooooo up he came in the bottom of the sixth, game on the line with the winning run on third, one out. He fouled off the first pitch with an errant bunt and dug his cleats in. I loved, loved, loved to see the confidence in his swagger facing off against the pitcher. A fastball came grooving into the plate and in a moment, he swatted that sucker high into the early evening air headed far enough into center field where the fielder was uncomfortable and knew there was no way he was going to throw a tagged runner out at the plate. The game was over as the runner crossed home plate with the winning run. Jimmy had been the hero of this 3 to 2 win. His teamates surrounded him just past the first base bag and knocked him down for a congratulatory beating. How freaking exciting. Success was his. You couldnt wipe the smile off his face with gritted sandpaper. Dad just paced and hollered, inside only of course. I let him get a winning monster sprite. It was a moment in time, hopefully one to give him the confidence he needs to dig in some more and not worry so much about the strikeouts!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jack and his girlfriend Addison hiding underneath the "tent". 
Well, he's finally gone for someone his own age. You just gotta love this little girl. One Jack's first day of preschool she was the one that set him straight and told him to stop crying. She wont take much from him, he's got to watch out. She's so cute and photogenic....not that we take alot of pictures.
Here is the famous "Benson"...really Vincent. He's about one hundred miles an hour at all times. Really a cute kid. His mother is named Mary, his father Joseph which leads to the obvious question...was he born in a manger????
Cat came and enjoyed the festivities. She was torn between thinking she might be too old for the festivities and the thought that she really wanted to get out there with the kids and play. When she finally did go running out she told me she just wanted to go and say hello to Jack and keep an eye on him. I've said it before....she's so damn cute.
