Our Baseball Player

Today is Ripley's first day of T-ball practice. They just changed the age cut off this year, so he was able to start at the age of 4 1/2. Normally I might say that starting a child out with organized sports so early is ridiculous. I am traditionally someone who supports creative free play time, rather than organizing and filling the lives of children with activities. However, as soon as Ripley could sit up and hold things, he would take a toy drumstick for example, and bat around any toy within reach. Later, he'd crawl around and chase the toy with the drumstick. He was 'born with it'.

Perhaps there was a little input from Dad?

Before he was walking around, we'd plunk him outside with a bat and a collection of balls and he'd be happily occupied for ages.

For Halloween one year he dressed up as a Red Sox player. We are still getting use out of that beat-up well worn, now small, shirt. For the past two years when we've dragged him to Benjamin's baseball games, he'd get all dressed up in this uniform to go. This was his own idea. 

(How cute is this shot? With my niece Rosalie as Little Orphan Annie, Ripley the Red Sox Player, and Benjamin as a fighter pilot.)

This morning Ripley came downstairs (just now) and said "I don't want to be late for my baseball team!" Apparently last night (I was out with a girlfriend for dinner) there was much discussion about what Ripley was planning on wearing to practice, which he is now insisting on wearing to preschool. We will see if his talent equals his obsession, but I'm guessing I will be spending a lot of time at the baseball field. Better invest in a nice bleacher seat now.