How 'bout them Bulldawgs?!

So the girl in charge has had what you might call a roller coaster ride of a softball season this spring.  She's playing right field for the Bulldawgs again this season -- it's her senior year, so she really intended to make every game count.  At let me tell you she got off to a great start!  During the first game of the season she hit a home run!  OK, so it wasn't really an official home run: she hit a totally sweet bunt that flustered the other team so much that all they could do was make error after error as my girl ran the bases.  The scorebook called it a "single with multiple errors," but at our house, we're calling that bad boy a home run!

But that was the last home run the girl in charge would hit for quite a while, because later in the same game she took a bad fall . . .

. . . and you can see why she was no longer all that up for running the bases.

Instead of softball cleats and a glove . . .

. . . the girl in charge cheered on the Bulldawgs carrying these accessories.  Yes, she usually had a book, too -- but I'm talking about the crutches and the boot.


But last week she got the all-clear from the quasi-sexy orthopedic surgeon.  She avoided an actual operation and was relatively good about obeying his instructions.  If she cheated a little bit there toward the end of her stint of "no weight-bearing whatsoever," well -- we will just keep that to ourselves, won't we?

 And now -- she's back on the field, wearing the good old blue and gold polyester Bulldawgs uniform!  It's nice to see her running those bases again.

Bring it, Bulldawgs!

Catching up: How 'bout them Bulldawgs?!

So it has been a while . . . . How's things? We've had a busy spring around here and that's no lie. Now that I can actually sit down for a minute, the first thing I want to say is:

YOU GO, BULDAWGS!

The girl is charge is having another fabulous season playing softball for her high school team -- these girls take no prisoners, people! Just like the girl in charge!

This one (one of my girl's besties) broke the district home run record this season -- and she ain't even done yet! So far she has smacked ten balls over the fence; one of them hit the scoreboard, which the fans loved and the Athletic Director hated. Look for a profile of her in the next issue of Softball Today, because, to quote the girl in charge, "she's just that awesome."

And here's her sister, also a phenom; softball is paying her way to college this fall. Don't let that sweet face fool you. No prisoners, people.

All in all that could sum up this whole team. They're lovely girls: smart, shockingly tough, kind, funny -- and girlie. In fact, they got a little razzing from an opposing team once, because the Bulldawgs showed up with pretty, pretty ribbons in their hair.

Final score: Bulldawgs 11, Razzers 3

You may be noticing that the Blue and Gold Bulldawgs are rocking the Pink in some photos. We've got some breast cancer awareness going on this season -- which you can imagine warms my heart. At one game both the Bulldawgs and the opposing team were decked out in dazzling pink jerseys. The only way the umpire could tell the two teams apart was by their socks.

Love those Bulldawgs!

Happy birthday, adored one!

Today my fabulous girl in charge turns sixteen, and I am a little freaked out, as usual, by the speed with which the years have flown by since I welcomed this dynamo into my world.

She has always been my dark-eyed beauty, and carries a serious demeanor wherever she goes -- this fools people into thinking that she is not just as big a goofball as the rest of us.

She holds her hugs close, so when I receive one I know she means it, and each hug is doubly dear.

She is brilliant and organized and logical -- a triple threat.

She loves to be on stage (here she and the tall boy ham it up), she loves to argue -- and she loves to win at any game. Good thing for her she usually does!

A natural athlete, she is strong and graceful.

Whether on the softball field . . .

. . . or in the ballet studio, she moves with power and beauty.

Her little sister has always wanted to be like her -- and glows with happiness when they spend quality time together.

She informed me long ago that "it's so hard to be the middle child," and I am sure that she finds it frustrating to be such a swan among us ducks and geese -- but we feel so blessed to have her in our lives.

If you are ever fortunate enough to meet this beautiful, loving, smart young woman -- who can't wait until she is old enough to change the world -- I know you will agree with me:

I'm the luckiest mom.

Gettin' it done

So I went to the oldest girl's softball game last night; it's always fabulous to see the Bulldawgs take another team down.

A thing that makes me particularly happy is that the guys from the baseball team regularly show up to root for the girls. A lot of times baseball dudes are dismissive of fast pitch softball -- because "hey, it's fine and all, but it's not baseball." I need to say I have never seen these guys express that disdainful attitude. When our pitcher smokes one across the plate, they hoot with glee -- and are glad they don't have to hit against her. And when when a fielder makes a a sweet play, they shout with pride. These baseball players make great cheerleaders!

Here's my girl in action at the plate, looking pretty confident as she waits for the pitch --

-- and takes her stance.

Her hit gets her safely to first . . .

. . . where she always does a little jig on the safety base. She says it feels like she's playing hopscotch.

The opposing pitcher always has to worry if her runners will try to steal --

-- and when my oldest girl is running, the pitcher is right to worry!

Safe at second base, Number 11 cheers on her teammate at bat. She rocks the bright red batting gloves, doesn't she?

There she goes again -- headed for third!

tangent: I am a little phobic about third base, because a couple of years ago my girl slid into the base, which for safety reasons is supposed to "break away" when a runner slides into it with force. Well, let's just say that the base did not break away, so my oldest girl's ankle broke instead. Ask her about it and I guarantee you that as she tells the story she will make sure you know that she was safe.

So I didn't get a picture of her scoring this particular run, because I was cheering and talking on the phone at the same time, as well as eating a hot dog, and I can only do so much, so don't pressure me.

At the inning change, the oldest girl took her position in the outfield, where she never misses a pop fly, and is the go-to girl for double plays. Not that I'm bragging.

But I have known her for a long time, and when she gets this look on her face, the job will get done. I'm just saying.

After the game the girls get the privilege of grooming the field. Ain't that a kick in the pants? It really does prove that an athlete's work is never done -- and the oldest girl would give that a big "AMEN," because she still had chemistry, Spanish and history homework waiting for her.

Final score: US 16 v. THEM 0
Go, Bulldawgs!

Another Season in the Books

When my oldest daughter started out in Little League baseball, she began with a couple of strikes against her (heh! see, I'm talking about baseball . . . . ? strikes . . . .? heh!). She was the youngest person in her division. As a girl who wore glasses she had some batting helmet issues. Here's a tip: the combination of helmet, glasses, and pony-tail contains one element too many. Get rid of any one and you're good to go. And as a shy person, she didn't like the idea of all those people looking at her when she batted. Her coach's goal was for her to make it through a complete game without crying. The day she accomplished this goal, he awarded her the game ball.

This week she completed her first season playing on her high school's softball team, and I just cannot tell you how proud I am of her. Never having been athletic able to put one foot in front of the other without breaking a limb myself, I am so impressed with anyone who can show such grace and strength simultaneously. She's a wonder to me! At the end-of-season party, she was named her high school team's MVP, and I can't wait to tell her Little League coach! He'll be so proud.

tangent: Throughout my life all my BFFs have been athletes. Gymnasts, swimmers, runners, basketball phenoms . . . . I love and applaud them all, as long as they don't make me put down my book.