Take Me Out To The Ballgame

For a few years now, Bill and I have talked about going to a minor league baseball game. Before we got married, we traveled pretty frequently up to Baltimore to see the Orioles play. After we had kids, those trips became less and less because of the drive time, the length of the game (with kids) and the cost of the tickets. We currently only live about 10 minutes from the minor league team for the Washington Nationals, who are named originally, the Potomac Nationals. It was such a nice afternoon that we decided today was the day to try out the team.

Children under 5 didn't require tickets, so Bill and I got in for a combined total of $18. We got two pretzels, a soda and two beers. Being that it was a Wednesday night, there was a grand total of about 15 people. Ok, there really were probably closer to 50-100 people, but still...

Everyone at the ball field was nice. The Event Staff said hi to everyone and didn't talk any differently to Heather or Kailey - 'Hi, welcome to the park.' There were others kids around and by the 4th inning, they were all playing together, walking up and down the bleachers. At one point Kailey and Bill went for a walk around the park. During this walk, Kailey waved to the team mascot, Uncle Slam. He waved back to her and then handed her a baseball! With some encouragement from Bill, Kailey took the ball and said thank you (using her real words, not just the grunts she has used in the past). I've been to many baseball games and I've never gotten a baseball! Not that I'm jealous.....

Not to be outdone, Heather dragged Bill to the gift shop and ended up with a $4.00 Big Red Hand (more garbage for the playroom). But, Heather and another girl played with them together until the 9th inning and Kailey liked showing her ball to the other 2 year old who was there.

In the end, the game ended tied up at the bottom of the 8th and the Nats won at the bottom of the 9th. We learned our kids can sit through 9 innings of baseball, even when the game doesn't end until 9:45pm, and we made out under $50!

Summer, here we come!