It's that time of year again!! This one turned 11 on Friday. They had the day off from school. He woke up on his birthday around 6 a.m. because he was "excited" and couldn't sleep. Honey & Pop Pop treated him and Jackson to lunch at Hooters. Then it was bowling and a sleepover with his closest buds. Instead of cake, it was Krispy Kreme donuts by request. A good time was had by all.
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Spring 11U season has started. It was not baseball weather., but baseball didn't care. This weekend kicked off our first tournament. We won 2, tied 1 and finished 1st in the Silver Bracket. Cam got to pitch and did very well. This is his last year before he enters middle school and things really take off. And Bella pretended she was the beach and built sand castles out of baseball clay with Lexi and Carter. Where was Jack, you might ask?
At home, sleeping in and playing Fortnite, of course. Not only is he sexy, but he is also a hard working baseball dad and coach. Okay, so I'm going to be honest. I do complain about the time he puts into this VOLUNTEER job as coach. He gets to practice early and stays late. He has to prep the field and clean up afterwards. He spends evenings on the computer scheduling tournaments and searching for hotels, ordering uniforms, and calculating budgets. He spends time coaching other peoples' kids which takes away from extra 1-on-1 time he could be giving to his own son. He deals with disgruntled parents and stresses about friendships and feelings. He loves every single kid on his team. And treats them like his own. And though, in the craziness of our day to day, I often overlook all of this, but I am always aware of his sacrifice. And I love him for all of it. I know this makes him happy. He won't be able to do this forever. Someday, soon, he will have to give up coaching him. And I know Cameron loves having his Dad as a coach. I know he's proud of his Dad, as I am. To him, Dad knows everything about baseball. And how cool is that.
Way back in 2008, Jackson started playing basketball. He was a Wolverine, go figure. And only 4. The rim was 6 feet tall. Fast forward 10 years. His love for basketball really took off when he was 10. He spent most days afterschool in the driveway shooting hoops. The other day, I was in the kitchen and thought I heard a basketball bouncing outside. I knew Cameron was upstairs and Bella was also inside. I looked at the clock. Yep, Jackson should be walking in the door right now. He didn't even make it inside. His backpack was in the garage; he had grabbed a ball and started shooting. This happens most days. I might yell sometimes, but I secretly don't mind that we can't leave the house without him grabbing the ball and taking a few lay ups while I pack up the car. I'm not naive. I know my son won't play for the NBA. I also know he won't play college basketball. Well, I guess that's too early to say right now. After all, Michael Jordan was cut his first year in high school, right? It's never been about being the best. We just want him to have fun and be proud of himself. It's about wanting something really badly. It's about pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. It's about practice. And passion. He has all of that. Since he turned 10, he has practiced and played and pushed himself and taken chances. And he's gotten better and better. He made his middle school team in 7th and 8th grade. He joined the Jayhawks when he was 11. But, it all started with his rec team. And his biggest fan and his coach, his Dad. This is likely his last year with his rec team. 10 years. What a ride. I've cheered for the Wolverines, the Tarheels, and the Thunder. I have watched most of these boys grow from crying, whiny, tiny little boys who only cared about the after game snacks into sweaty, squeaky-voiced teens who talk trash on the court and get on their cell phones as soon as we get in the car. I wish we could go back and do it all over again.
I really do love the sound of a bouncing basketball outdoors. I know someday, my heart will ache for it when it's gone. She wanted to help me clean. How could I say no to that? Even if I did have to go behind her in a few spots.
He's worked so hard the past 9 years. And it's all paying off. First, he's been accepted into the Governor's STEM Academy at Landstown. Annnnnnd he received the Brandon Middle's Student Athlete award for basketball for 2018 in his last year in middle school. I can't stop thinking about all of it. Some days, I still look at him and have to pinch myself. He's mine. Almost 14 years later, he's still my {big} baby.
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November 2018
AuthorMy name is Kaci. I am a working mom of 3. Wife to Josh. Mom to Jackson, Cameron & Isabella. My life is dinner, homework, baseball, basketball, grocery lists, laundry, middle school, wine, video games, and schedules. I started this blog because I love taking pictures, and I needed a place to document our life. I wanted a place to write it all down, to remember little details so easily forgotten in the mad rush that is the life of a family of 5. Through my photos and words, I endeavor to capture our story. Categories
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