First Spring 2010 Baseball Game

Hayden had his first Spring baseball game this week. He was SO excited to be back on the baseball field. The difference in him from last year to this year is truly night and day. He is so much more concentrated. Don't get me wrong, he still has LOADS of fun but he is definitely there to do his best and not be silly and act goofy.

Check out the swing in this next photo. We may not have gotten that private hitting lesson at Spring Training because God's timing was just not in it for Hay this year (wink, wink, to the other two people on the face of the Earth besides me and Harold who know what I'm talking about here!!) But I am satisfied that just watching someone he admires SO very much swing a bat, did world's of wonders for this kiddo. He smacked the ball!!
Of course, this stretch made his Daddy and his coaches terribly proud. He is so funny, he used to tell us that he was trying to be like a "real" baseball player. Now he just says he is trying to do just like his ballplayers. Guess he has made to "real". ;-)
What would baseball game photos be without the swagger photo back to the dugout?!?

Baseball Evals

Hayden had baseball evaluations a week ago. How did this kid get so skinny? At least with baseball kicking back up, he has decided to eat again so he can be strong. Ha They had the "draft" on Monday night. Hayden will be a Red Sox this year. He is not really sure about all of that. He is definitely happy with his two coaches and two of the other players on the team but....a Red Sox? "Mom, they're like the Angels real rival!" So much drama!!! He did promise the Coach's wife last night to hit two homeruns for her this season. WHAT? I would just like for him to hit the ball hard. He is going to be tried out at 1st and 3rd so he is happy about that. His very first baseball hero plays those two positions so he is going to give it his all and try to be able to play them well. Now if he can just get the "correct" number for his jersey, we'll be good to go.

Such a Good Heart!

Hayden just never ceases to amaze us. (all parents say that right?) His school is participating in Pennies for Pasta again this year. It is a program that raises money for Lymphoma and Leukemia research. This year the school is allowing the children to raise funds in honor of loved ones who have survived cancer.Hayden has really thought about this program. He is making his donations in honor of his Great Aunt Johnnie. She is a cancer survivor and one of our heroes! We love her so much.
This year Hayden told me that he is donating the change he has saved all year for spending money for his Spring Training trip. I told him he did not have to do that this year like he did last year. (Now I know, and we get told frequently, we do spoil our son and he surely knows that he will get souvenirs even without spending money) But his response when I told him that he could keep his change for himself was something that I will cherish and remember always...."Mom, lives are much more important than trips and stuff".

Yes dear they are!

Our Valentine

Happy Valentines Day!
Harold and I are so blessed to have this wee one as our Valentine. Oh my goodness, we love him so so much.
These photos were taken on our snow days here. Do you just love our little redneck's camo? He was in heaven playing in the snow, chasing Ranger, pelting me with snow balls and pretending to play baseball with snowballs being pitched to him. What a one track mind this kiddo has.
But we would not have him any other way!!! Hay, you will ALWAYS be our baby and we will ALWAYS love you!

Christmas - I think the looks say it all!!!

Spelling Bee

Hayden was one of two participants from his class for the school spelling bee earlier in the month. We were so proud of how hard he worked and studied. He learned some really hard words. He was focused and really put in lots of time studying. He knew it would be hard and that beating 5th graders would not be easy but he had high expectations for himself. (He even won one of the practice bees that they had at school getting ready for the bee itself).

He was so nervous the morning of the bee. His teacher and I thought he might just throw up on the stage. Bless his heart he was so pale. (Of course, he told Mrs. Pack after the bee was over that his Momma was more nervous than he was --- now where does he get that?) I talked to him about it being no different than playing baseball but informed me quickly than when he is on the ball field he has either his bat or his glove with him. Okay...then.

He did really well. I am not a good enough Momma that I kept a list of the words he had but thankfully Dawn is!

There were 24 kids that qualified to be in the Bee. (8 3rd graders, 8 4th graders and 8 5th graders). Hay's words were:

1. Receive (and you could see him thinking as he got ready to spell..."i before e, except after c") There were 3 kids out after this round.

2. Sculpture (you cannot imagine how many times the kiddo left the "p" out when we studied at home. And when he nailed that word and said the "p", he gave a glance over to me and Harold as if to say "see I was paying attention while we studied) There were 10 kids out after this round.

3. Casserole (there were 12 kids out after this round)

4. Affiliation (this is another word we struggled with at home because he would leave the "a" out but he was so confident spelling it to the Judges) There were 14 kids out after this round.

5. Shuttle (This was not even on the list of words we had to study even though the Counselor told us that the words would be from the list...oh well. In fact all the words from here on out were not on the list) There were only 5 kids left after this round.

6. Dimension (He missed this word but everyone else but his friend Kate missed in this round. She missed her championship word so the remaining 5 spelled again)

7. Humility (Hayden missed this word and his Daddy and I laughed because he really has none of this so why in the world would he know how to spell it) A 4th grader was the only one to get a word right in this round and then got his Championship word correct to win the Bee.

8. Interim (Hayden spelled this just like it was pronounced and put a "um" at the end. Kate was the only one to get a word right in this round so she won the 2nd place trophy)

9. It was now down to Hayden, a 5th grade girl and his friend Rebecca who was in his 2nd grade class with him. His word was parable. And as his teacher said, he asked for the word to be said a second time, thought about it and then nailed it!!! The 3rd place trophy was his and he was thrilled. (until he learned that only the top two got to go to the county bee).
So in true and total Hayden fashion, he announced right after the Bee pictures were taken that he is going to learn to spell 50,000 words between now and next year and he IS going to win the Bee next year. What a kid.

Fun Time At Dickey Stephens

Hayden attended the Miracle League Baseball Camp yesterday at Dickey Stephens. He had so much fun. He, of course, was missing "his" ballplayers. It just was not right to not have them there as far as he was concerned. He did have a good time and tried hard on all the drills. My wrist is hurting today because I took about 600 pictures. Good grief, who does that?
Hopefully you will enjoy my sweetie's photos! If you don't just pretend!This is the sink hole in centerfield. Hayden was very worried that they need to get this fixed before the "guys" get here!Running the bases. Oh my, he loved this part of the camp.After diving back into 3rd to avoid being tagged out. :-)
A pitcher? Hmmmm, I think NOT.These I love because Hay was so proud that he caught the ball. "Mom, it was just like I robbed a homerun!" And YES, he held the ball there a while. I am not sure it was for the photo op as much as it was for him to make sure more than a couple of folks saw he caught the ball. :-)
And of course banging into the wall was a big hit with all the boys.
The best part for Hayden was that he got to spend time with Ethan too!!