Happy Birthday to...

Jack turned 6 years old this last weekend! Of course I got out the old photo albums. Where did the last 6 years go? It was just yesterday that Bob and I had no idea what to do with this precious little child we named Jack. Somehow we have seemed to manage. I frequently tell Jack, "No matter how big you get, you'll always be my baby." I hope I have brainwashed him sufficiently into always needing his mama, but the truth of the matter is he's not a baby anymore.

After his first haircut (Bob did a nice job)

He didn't even know who Batman was, but he loved the costume!!

His first hunting experience

Every time his cup went to his mouth, his hand started twirling his hair. To this day, when he reads or concentrates, his hand twirls his hair.

He was advanced in knowing how to aggravate his sister and began at an early age.

At least he thought he was cool!

His first bow! Don't worry, he's just shooting at a target...nothing alive...yet!

His first time riding his bike without his training wheels (I had a hard time fighting back the tears...I know...I'm pathetic)!

He decided to have a dinosaur birthday cake that we saw at Walmart, so I bought this one.

One of his favorite gifts this year was this dinosaur. The bones came separately, each one twisted into the packaging so that even a real paleontologist would have a hard time breaking them free. Thanks to Pappy, each piece was retrieved from the packaging and put together in the correct manner. Thanks for your patience, Pappy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK!!

"I'm so excited..."

"...that I just can't hide it." Here is a picture of Jack the night before his very first baseball game. He just kept saying, "I'm so excited!" The next morning he was up wearing his baseball uniform even though his game wasn't until 6:00 that evening. He informed me that after I put him to bed the night before, he changed so he could sleep in his baseball uniform.





The game was so much fun to watch. When the team is made up of 5, 6, & 7 year olds you're in for a real treat!! The coach has promised that every kid gets to play every position throughout the season. Since only a few of the older kids can actually catch the ball, this presents the problem...many kids playing first base without being able to catch. As a result, the rule of advancing only one base per hit was added so that kids were't getting home runs every time they hit the ball.



Jack played center field for the first 2 innings. (An inning is done when a team reaches 4 runs or gets 3 outs. I don't think we ever made it to 3 outs before the inning was over.) He didn't see much action out there. The coach walks around making sure the kids are actually still paying attention!

The last 2 innings he got to play pitcher. They are required to wear a helmet with a mask when playing this position. When they told him he was playing the pitcher position, he ran out to the correct position and started practicing his pitching wind-up with an imaginary ball. He then called out to the coach that he was ready and needed a ball. The coach then had to explain that he was playing t-ball and the coach pitches the ball or the kids hit off a tee. He still made the best of his pitching position and hustled after every ball that was hit...no matter where it was hit. At one point he even ended up in the outfield!!

I tried to get a video of him hitting the ball, but every time I held up the camera he kept watching me instead of the ball, so this strike was all I got.

And of course the free snack at the concession stand at the end of the game was the icing on the cake!