T-Ball

Michael had his first t-ball game this week. It was a lot more fun to watch than you are probably thinking. As far as I have observed, these are the approximate rules of pre-K and Kindergarten t-ball:

1. The whole team plays on the field, even if there are 20 players on your team.
2. #1 is not necessarily an advantage for the team on the field. Skirmishes among short stops were plenty.
3. Your half of the inning is over when your team gets three outs or every player bats, whichever comes first. In general, the latter comes first.
4. When you hit the ball and get tagged on your way to first, you are out. However this out might or might not count towards the 3 outs in your inning, and you might or might not be allowed to continue to run the bases.
5. You are only allowed to run one base per hit. Unless you are tiny and really cute and just take off running around all the bases regardless of what else is happening in the game. Then you are allowed a home run.
6. Given the number of players on the field, feel free to dance, dig in the dirt, do somersaults, or daydream.
7. Hitting the ball and finding your way to first base requires a celebratory dance on such base that almost always resembles moonwalking, even though I'm pretty sure none of these kids have ever seen moonwalking.

After the game Michael said his least favorite part of the game was hitting the ball.

But eventually we determined it wasn't hitting the ball he didn't like, but wearing the batting helmet, which he described as too big so that it fell in his eyes, too small so that it pinched his ears, and smelly.

After the game, he wore his uniform to bed, and all the next day, until I finally made him put on clean pjs for bed that night.

And the final rule: listen to your assistant coach. She already knows all of your names, and she means business.