My little baseball player

I shouldn't admit this, but my child has seen (parts of ) more baseball games than church services.  Now, in my defense, baseball games are on 7 days a week, therefore weekly attendance at services would still be trumped by daily ball games on the television. 

In June she and her little cousins played with a ball and bat -- previously she'd only tossed (and sometimes caught) balls of varying shapes and sizes.  While watching a few minutes of the home run contest prior to the All-Star game, she was practicing her stance and swinging a cardboard paper towel roll.  Obviously, it was time to get her the real deal. 

Last Saturday, a day of soaking rain, I found her a foam-covered bat and ball set ($5 at ToysRUs).  She looooooves this toy.  I have to laugh -- when I tell her to "keep her eye on the ball" (classic advice, but she's only two), she squints her eyes and makes a funny face.  And her attitude when she doesn't get a hit (which is most of the time), is a little like Paul O'Neill.  She tosses the bat and sometimes lays down on the floor in frustration.  So, while she's learning I'm being really encouraging, saying, "That was a really good swing!" so she won't get discouraged.