Day 68: Not-Really-Opening Day

It rained a lot in March. 

Like, I'm from Seattle and I was bitching about the amount of rain in March. 

Because of said rain, the boys' baseball league's (Cal Ripken Youth) opening day, which was supposed to be March 12th, wasn't, because we got like ten inches of rain that weekend. Seriously. 

SO, they decided to move "Opening Day" to today (May 1st), but since the season is nearly over, there isn't really any "Opening" to it. So they renamed it to "Cal Ripken Day", complete with all the original opening day festivities: team parade, league president speeches, National Anthem, first pitch etc. Followed by team photo day AND the hit a thon fundraiser AND like a million bounce houses and and AND. 

Basically it meant 7 straight hours of hanging out at the ballpark. And you didn't hear any of us complaining (even the kids, surprisingly). 

The parade was first and since they go from oldest divisions to youngest, you see all these humongous pre-teens walk by and by the time your little 7 and 5 year olds come up you're like "wow, they're so SMALL!" followed by the speeches and stuff at the main field. I was shocked at how big this league is. 62 teams and 750 players. I understand that the league incorporates three general areas (Rohnert Park, Cotati and the outskirts of Petaluma - where we live), but damn, that's a lot of kids. In one place. At the same time. 

Rookie Indians! Calen is behind that parent to the right

Pee Wee Orioles!

Cam's team in orange, Calen's team is behind the little Giants team

We had to wait a good hour after the parade for Camden's team pictures, and surprisingly the kids weren't bored at all. They ate snacks and climbed trees and played catch with whatever random kids they found walking by them. After Cam's pics we had another good hour before Calen's team photos, which unfortunately were at the same time as Cam's afternoon tball game (of course it was). Luckily, everything was at the same field today, so there was no driving all around Rohnert Park. So, we wandered around the booths and watched an inning or so of the Major's game (13 year olds) being played at the main field while somehow trying to stay hydrated in the 85 degree heat. 

Did I mention there was no shade? Yikes. 

Team photo outtakes

Learning a thing or two from the big kids

Camden's game, as all tball games are, was in the grass in the soccer field adjacent to the baseball diamond. Even though he was hot, tired, and had been at the field for five hours at this point, he was very patient, focused and even got a coach pitched hit (those that know Cam, know that patience and focus does not describe him in the least). The coach recognized this and selected Cam as the recipient of the game ball today. Cam literally squealed with joy. 

By then we were puddles of melted mush on the floor, but the kids had been so strangely complaint-free all day, we rewarded them with an hour at the bounce houses before we determined that our vitamin D levels were at near-overdose level and it was time to say to heck with the great outdoors, we are going home, closing the blinds and laying on the cool hardwood floors for the rest of the day. 

Three weeks left of baseball and I'm already sad it's going to be over. 

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