Catch With Mom Day

Today the Pawtucket Red Sox hosted a Catch With Mom BBQ Game Day.  Two-hours before the game, moms and their kiddos could go onto the field and toss the ball around for a while and then enjoy an array of barbecue treats before heading over to whatever seats we wanted for game time.  Hunter has been begging me to take him to a game for months, so he was super excited when he found out I got tickets for this event.

Hunter thought it was the coolest thing being able to play baseball on an actual baseball field around real baseball players.  He made some dramatic diving catches and he did a couple of body tosses into the back wall to make key grabs as well.

So....I forgot to bring the zoom lens, so you probably can't see us...but Hunter and I are in the middle and I'm pretty sure this was taken as I was getting up after he decided to make a football tackle on me

When our stomachs demanded food, we ended our game of catch and headed over for the BBQ in the tent area right next to the field where we took advantage of the All-You-Can-Eat Buffet. 

After lunch, we decided to begin the game-watching experience in the grass section behind left field. It was so cute to watch Hunter and his friend Josh play as they waited for the game to begin.

After a couple of innings of being blown around by the fierce wind, we decided to join my dad up in the stands where we were shielded from the unexpected, cold air.  Hunter loved being up in the stands. I'm pretty sure he shouted he cheers louder than anyone else around us. He cheered for all hits and all catches, no matter which team did what...I guess he doesn't quite have a loyalty to only 1 baseball team just yet.

Hunter and his grandpa joining in for the traditional 7th inning stretch singing of the "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"

After the 8th inning, Bubs decided he wanted to go back to the grassy area in the outfield to try to catch a ball before the game was over.  Unfortunately, he had accidentally (ahem...on purpose) threw the new ball given to us that day over the fence onto the field, and when an ump saw it a few moments later, he tossed it up to a group of boys on the other end of the area.  I almost went to explain the situation and asked the boy to give the ball back to Hunter, but then I decided that would defy the lessons of consequences from actions (ie...if you throw a ball where you are not supposed to, you may not end up getting it back)...plus, I didn't want to ruin the other boy's day who was so outwardly excited about getting the ball.  We spent the rest of the game trying to get a replacement (hoping for a foul ball to come our way), but we never did get one.  However, to make up for the one that he lost, I promised Hunter that when we got home I would give him a special Boston Red Sox baseball that I have that was a batting practice home-run ball that I got while sitting in the Green Monster seats the first year those seats were open.  Sure enough, as soon as we got home he asked for it immediately...so he is not too bent out of shape over the original one that he lost.  Long story long, we had an awesome day, and are thinking of making this Catch With Mom thing a yearly tradition!!