Playing baseball with Ryman and JackAttack

Jack likes his pinstripes

As the calendar flips over to February, the happiest time of the year is now within reach. Baseball season will officially start with Pitchers and Catchers reporting to their respective Spring Training camps in just 12 short days :)

Ryan smiles in approval of his Yankee gear

With that in mind, the boys and I have already started warming up for the new season. Jack is already a little power hitter with a sweet swing. He has an idea of how to construct a hard line drive swing and we practice it whenever the weather is good enough to sneak outside for a few minutes. He also has an incredible arm which, with a little more fundamental practice, will be a force to reckon with when he enters Tee-Ball NEXT SUMMER :)

Grandpa, Jack and Mommy outside Yankee Stadium (Ryan is in mommy's belly, still)

Ryan, on the other hand, is also starting to show incredible baseball instincts. One of the few coherent words he says is "bayball" (pronounced with a growling tone, similar to his lions roar). He will hand me the ball, I roll it back to him and he will catch it. The whole time his face is lit up with pride and excitement, with drool leaking down his chin like a tropical waterfall and his cheerful if not menacing chants of "Bayballlll, bayballllll" filling my ears. Music to my ears, indeed.

Jack and Daddy celebrate the Yankees AL East crown with a trip to the fair

At the risk of wishing these precious times away too fast, I cannot wait until the boys and I can go out back and play a proper game of catch :)

Baseball in December? Of course!!

Needless to say, anyone reading this who knows me will know that baseball and the Yankees have been a part of these boys lives from day one. I really enjoyed last summer, when Ryan would sit on my lap and watch the game with me, and then Jack and I would snuggle in bed watching the Yanks before bedtime.

Daddy and Jack take in the game (with a few of Jack's buddies)

Newborn Ryan needed his magical hat to get a good nap

Ryan wants to know, do you have tickets to the GUN SHOW?

The best birthday party EVER ~ Yankee Stadium 2005