Play Ball!

This past Saturday was a day that I both looked forward to and dreaded at the same time. It was Jamboree Day at Mim's Park. The opening day of ball season. It was a very beautiful but very long day. It was also a much anticipated day at our house. This year, not one, but both boys are playing t-ball. This is big. Nathan played last year and had a good time. Even with just one child playing, Jamboree Day is long. But now, Luke is playing too. This is new for us. This is big. Our child with autism is playing t-ball with typical kids. So Jamboree Day is even longer this year and full of all sorts of uncertainties. How will Luke handle all of this? How will we handle this? Will he make it through the game or will it just be too much for him? I don't know, I don't know, and I don't know. Am I nervous? Is this scary? Am I afraid? Yes, yes, and yes. Goal of the day: try to have fun... and survive.

Our day started early: 7:15 a.m. Luke's team had pictures made first thing that morning which was a good thing considering that his team, the Yankees, are in white pants. It may be the only time we have a picture with his pants so white! Then opening ceremonies began at 8:00 a.m. All the teams were called out on the field, the national anthem was sang, then "play ball!" was announced on the speaker. Well, so far so good.

Luke's game started at 9:15 a.m. He was excited, I think. Sometimes it is hard to tell. He went out on the field with Roger. Great thing about the 4 year old league is that parents are welcome on the field (and needed) to help instruct the little ones as each hitter comes to the plate. Luke mostly stood there with Roger and watched as his team mates tackled each other to get the ball and by then, the runner had long since made it to first base. He was more of an observer but that was ok for me. He was out there and he wasn't crying. When it was his team's turn to bat, he waited patiently for his turn, then went out there, and with instruction from Coach Shawn, he hit the ball! It was a pretty good hit too! He ran with a smile on his face to first base. He eventually made it all the way around the bases. Success! It was great to see him participate! He looked so happy. Then, he had to go back on the field. He was growing tired and I could see Roger was having to work more with him to try to get him to stay on the field. By then, it was almost 10:00 a.m. and the activities of the morning were wearing on him. He made it to the dugout with his team but by the time it was his turn to bat, he had basically had enough. He cried and cried. He kept saying "pee-sa" over and over. I couldn't figure it out then I looked outside the fence and saw Nathan drinking a Capri-Sun and realized Luke wanted one too. I tried to bribe him to go bat while I got his drink but it was no use. He was too upset and tired to continue. He finished the game sitting in the shade, watching his team, and drinking a Capri-Sun.

Next, I hurried off to fulfill my one hour obligatory concession stand duty then back to the field for Nathan's team pictures at 11:15. Luke was happy playing with Gran and eating snacks so attending to Nathan's team schedule went a little more smoothly. We had a short break which meant grabbing a quick lunch then back to the field by 1:30 for Nathan's game. Nathan did great and his team looked great. It was neat to see the progress he has made since last year. He had a good time and his team "unoffically" won - since Jamboree games don't count on the schedule. We were almost finished with the big day. Nathan told me how tired he was after the game. "Yes! We can go home and rest!" or so I thought. He reminded me that he still had one more thing to do that day: go to his good friend's birthday party. I should have previously added that Nathan had been sick most of the week prior to Jamboree and woke up at 5:00 a.m. that morning crying with an ear ache. I thought for sure we were done. Everyone was tired. But, we had just one more thing.

We went home long enough to change clothes and then headed out again for the party. Nathan had a great time with his friends and I am so glad we went. It did not matter that I was ready to fall out on the floor at Pump It Up. I had a chance to sit for a while and visit with friends while my big boy had fun with his friends. It was nice. So the day is over, right? Almost. We got home, got the boys cleaned up and into bed. Then, I headed back out to borrow some ear drops from my sweet friend just in case an overnight earache came back to haunt us. She saved me a trip to an urgent care clinic and 24 hour pharmacy. (Thanks Hope!). Then I crashed into bed. Ahhhhh....

We made it through the day. It was a long day filled with new memories and new possibilities. Luke is playing t-ball and making new friends. Nathan is playing t-ball even better than last year and he is making new friends too. Roger and I are once again out of our comfort zone and we are learning more about life and ourselves through the simple (or not so simple) game of t-ball. Maybe we will make some new friends too. Here's to a new season!

A Perfect Fit

So, it has been a while since I have been on here. I have a feeling all of my upcoming posts could begin with that sentence. It has been so busy in our household lately, just like everyone else I guess. Some exciting things are happening....

A couple of weeks ago, we loaded up in the car and headed over to Mim's Park to sign Nathan up for his second year of t-ball. He is excited and we are too. He has made such progress since last year. I think he will really enjoy it more this year too. When we arrived at the park and went in to the park office, there was a lot of hustle and bustle with parents signing their kids up for ball. There were team jerseys hanging up all around and as soon as Luke saw them, he was so excited. He started pointing to them and talking. I told the woman at the desk that we were there to sign Nathan up for ball. Luke spoke up and said "Lu pay too." He thought we were there to sign him up as well. We had talked about it. There is a Challenger league at another park that is for kids with disabilities but we thought it might be better to wait another year before pursuing this with Luke.

At Mim's, there is a 4 year old league which is more for the parents than for the kids! It is simply instructional, no score is kept at the games. Just trying to teach them the basics. To say Luke was excited is really an understatement. Another worker there that night asked if we wanted to sign Luke up too. We were hesitant but we told them about Luke, his autism, and our concerns. They were so welcoming and encouraged us to sign Luke up. The manager bent down to talk to Luke. He asked Luke if he liked to hit the ball. Luke: "I hit ball." He asked Luke if he liked to run fast. Luke: "I run fast." Then Luke said once again, "I pay too." We decided to go for it.

He had is first practice last week and I guess it went as well as could be expected. It takes a great deal of patience to be a coach, and extra if you coach t-ball, and a monumental amount if you coach 4 year old t-ball.
Luke's coach is so very kind and patient. Of course, parent participation is absolutely necessary to keep the kids focused on what they are supposed to be doing. Roger spent the entire practice with Luke on the field. He was working so hard to help Luke. All went well until he tried to put a helmet on Luke's head. That's when Luke lost it. He cried and cried and would not wear one. If he doesn't wear a helmet, he can't bat. Park rules. So, after some time, we were able to calm him and he finished the practice out in the field with his team.

This was hard. I haven't thought about what a father must feel like when he sees his son is different than other kids his age. I have been in situations before where I was so very aware that my child was different and it was so hard for me. Now, Roger was experiencing it in a very real way. This is going to be a challenge for us over the next couple of months. We know that it is going to be good for Luke, but I think it is Roger and I that will be learning the lessons the most. It's hard not to compare. We are so guilty of it. No matter how hard we try, we see others his age and think "that's what Luke should be doing now." It's not fair to him. He is precious and doesn't deserve to be compared because he is extraordinary just as he is. So, we all have our challenges ahead this ball season.

One of the first challenges is just trying to get Luke to wear a helmet. His little head, well, is not all that little. Nathan's helmet is too small for Luke and it hurts his head. So, we went to Academy Sports in search of a helmet. We just might have tried on every helmet there and it wasn't looking good. And then, there was that moment, maybe like when the slipper went on Cinderella's foot. He picked up a helmet and put it on and smiled his sweet Lukey smile, dimples and all. Eureka! We found it! Perfect fit! Roger took the boys, who were growing restless, to the car and I headed to the check out with our prized helmet. We didn't bother looking at price tags when trying on helmets, seriously didn't even think about it. We were in desperation mode. No helmet, no t-ball. That was our thinking. Then the worker scanned the helmet. My jaw dropped and I was had to take a moment. Are you serious? I bought it anyway and told the lady that I would probably be back the next morning to return it. I won't tell you how much it cost, only that if not Luke, someone in this family will be wearing that helmet for years to come. The great news is that he loves it and will wear it without crying. He has slept with it in his bed for the past couple of nights and even wore it to breakfast one morning. We may actually make it to the first game now. I can't think beyond that.

Here we are. Starting on a new adventure. We are mingling with the general population. This is out of our comfort zone. Our school friends know us. Our church friends know us. But now, our ball park friends have got to get to know us and Luke. We are exposed to new people and new things. We did this last year with Nathan and it was good. But now, our child with autism is playing t-ball with typical kids. This puts him in a new light. I try to think of it as opportunity to educate others, maybe break down stereotypes. But that is my thinking on a strong day. In reality, I am scared. That is my thinking on a weak day. I don't want him to be labeled or made fun of. I have trouble dealing with other people who may not be so kind. I want to protect him. At least, that is what I say. I guess in reality, I want to protect me. Staying to ourselves, sheltering him is not the answer. That's not always what is best for him. My sweet, social little guy is getting to experience something new, something I wasn't sure he would get to do. That is exciting! I am so happy and thankful that he is able to take part in this. He is going to learn and grow so much. We are all going to learn through this - maybe a little about t-ball and a lot about ourselves. Maybe we can teach others about autism along the way.