The Second Girl Plays Softball

It was the day of Willow's first softball practice last year, and thus the day AFTER softball registration had closed, that Syd decided that she, too, really, REALLY wanted to play softball, too! Never mind the fact that I had probably asked her four times in the preceding weeks if she was sure she didn't want to play, and she had every time said definitely not; nope, decisions in the affirmative cannot possibly be made until it is exactly too late, because otherwise you can't sulk for an entire softball season.

And so for that whole softball season--every practice, every game--Syd was restless and bored and grumpy. She couldn't manage to find an activity to bring to settle herself, and she couldn't stop thinking (and talking!) about how she wanted to play, too, and not playing wasn't fun, and she wasn't having fun, and the only thing that would be fun would be to play softball, which we would NOT let her do, and it wasn't fair.

Sigh.

This softball season, Syd said yes and Will said no, so we still have only one softball player! And she's happy to be on that field, let me tell you:

Matt and I LOVE going to her softball games. They are a highly entertaining form of slapstick comedy. We cheer, and we clap, and we laugh our asses off:


It's VERY important to have a good sense of humor in Six-and-Under Softball.

Although a good game face doesn't do you wrong, either:

And oh, my goodness, having one of his kids on a team sport is basically Matt's idea of heaven:

Even though Willow isn't playing, she generally manages to keep herself entertained. She digs in the dirt, or cons her dad out of pocket change to buy junk food, or, mostly, does this:

The experience is going about as well as it possibly could for everyone, thank goodness. Syd's enjoying herself, doing pretty well, not fixating on her failures (this alone makes softball a great experience, and a big deal), and learning all that good sporty stuff. Her sister is cheering her on and keeping herself busy. Her dad is thrilled.

And her mom is getting a LOT of reading done there on those bleachers.