Play Ball?

Nathan was young when he first handled a ball. It seems he was always a sports enthusiast even before he could walk, he'd watch the Red Sox or Patriots, Celtics and Bruins play on TV. You could hear him say go Sox. or, Yea!

His mother works in Boston, has met some of the players and would talk about them. So early on, he would say "Manny," calling some of the players by name. When I asked him about a player who had been traded, at two-years-old he answered, "He's gone." I thought it was incredible. How did he know that? It was just as if he'd watched the news. I see a real interest growing here.

We allow him to pass the ball in the house where it will do little, if any damage. So, when grampy comes home, the first words out of his mouth are "play ball,"? Grampy is quick to accommodate him. Its more important than even eating for both of them. Nathan has a swift hand, and can throw two balls at a time. His goal is to hit grampy with a fast ball. So, he goes in for the kill. Of course, grammy thinks its funny, because grampy misses the ball and ouch it stings, or it hits the closed door in the hallway, making a loud banging noise.

We had to put the basketball away for now, although, he thinks he's big enough to handle it. Holding it in the air, his hands go in a backward manner over his head. Its a little too heavy for him. He plays outdoors with a small ball, getting it in, no problem! No doubt in my mind that Nathan will play sports. He is the All-American boy, can recite the calls as the football is readied between his little legs, while he checks out grammy.
He knows all the stickers, like NFL. Besides playing cars, he likes fishing and car racing. Haven't introduced him to golf, yet.

One day when he was waiting for grampy to come home from work, he stood in front of the living room door holding the two balls in his hand, a small football and a baseball, and as grampy was climbing the stairs, Nathan couldn't wait anymore. He threw both of them at grampy at the same time, expecting him to catch them. Then, in excitement he started to jump up and down, yelling its grampy. (All that , as grampy opened the front door.)

When Nate runs out of something, he tells me to tell grampy to "buy some at the store". He knows what grampy is for. Grampy spoils him with chocolate milk, front loaders, and whatever Nathan wants. It will always be Grampy.