And they…

WON 3rd PLACE!!!

It was a really long day, but the look on Kalyn’s face at the end made every part worthwhile.

The Pink Panthers lost their 1st game this morning.  I was okay with this until I found out that the tournament was a double elimination and that even the losers have to play a second time, but no biggy. 

Then they won their second game.

Then they won their third game.

Then they won their fourth game!

They lost the 5th game—the game when I finally had to admit that I am one of THOSE Moms. 

Remember a few weeks ago I wrote about the Amazon girl who chased kids down?  That was the team we lost to the first game.  I was every bit as irritated with the Amazon this morning as I was when we played them earlier in the season.  And I can’t stand the Coach.  He took every opportunity he could to cheat.  At least that is what I think.  Apparently he didn’t actually break any rules, but I still think he is dancing the line of shadiness.

Well, in our 5th game we were stuck playing that team again. (Heath actually saw the coach throw a hissy fit when his team lost their 3rd game).  And now I really can’t stand the coach.  I realized (or was made to realize by Heath and my Father In Law) I was crossing the line when I threatened to slap the Amazon after the 20th time she punched one of our players while ‘tagging’ them out.  Seriously.  She rears back and punches them with the ball. 

Apparently while I was ranting about the coach and this girl, her dad was sitting right next to us.  I don’t know if he heard me.

Heath asked if I needed to be banned from the softball fields.  His Dad said that I wouldn’t be the first parent banned—remember that the Lamb family has been involved with the softball fields forever.  Heath said, “Yeah.  But this is t-ball!  A parent has never been banned in t-ball!”

Anywho…

After they clinched the 3rd place, they took a team picture and we got pictures of our little t-baller!  She was so excited.  I bent down to kiss and hug her.  She couldn’t kiss me because she couldn’t stop saying, “I won!  I won!”  She didn’t care if she won 3rd or 1st—she got a trophy and that was all that mattered!  She is still so excited about it.

She is also a MESS.  She is about 20 shades darker than normal thanks to the layers of dirt and sweat covering her body. 

Heath just gave her a bath—he had to wash her hair and body twice—and she will still need another bath tomorrow to scrub off the rest of the dirt.  Who cares though?  She had a blast today and so did Heath and I watching her.

She has really improved this season.  By the end of the tournament, other parents were even commenting on how well Kalyn was doing.  She is hands down the best hit and run player we have, meaning that as soon as that bat hits the ball, she takes off running.  Then after about 3 steps she slows down, but still.  We have time to work on speed.

It was a HOT, GREAT day!!