Anxiety

Anxiety.  I have it.  Shane has it.  Dylan has it.  He has always been shy and takes a while to warm up to new people, but recently (the last few months) his anxiety has elevated for some reason.  I first noticed it when I would take him to preschool.  He had been going to Miss Missy's for a year and a half and all of a sudden would get very clingy when I would drop him off.  He wouldn't let go of  me and didn't want me to leave.  

Then baseball started.  Last year, Dylan played on two different T-ball teams and also the All-Star team and rocked it.  He was great in the field and could hit the ball.  This year, I took him to his first practice with his new team.  He was a totally different kid.  He told me he was not going to play.  He cried and wouldn't join his team.  Even if I stood by him.  He was afraid that the ball would hit him.  He didn't really have a problem hitting, but he did not want anyone to throw the ball to him.  We tried to work with him at home but he would not do it.  What happened to my little all-star?  As the season went on, he would allow his coach to throw grounders to him, but that was it.  He always asked to play short stop so that no one would throw the ball to him.

Church was an issue too.  The little boy that I was able to take to the door and send him on his way, was now throwing fits and refusing to go into his class with kids and teachers he knew.  I would have to pick him up, kicking and screaming, take him into his classroom, just for him to promptly run to the door.

Summer school too.  We signed him up for summer school at Wasatch Peak to prepare him for kindergarten.  The first day was a little hard to get him in the door, but that is expected for someone his age in a new environment.  The next day was fine, but day 3 was a different story.  Major meltdown in the hallway.  He would not go in.  He said he wanted to go home with me because he loves me.  He sure know what buttons to push with me.  I finally convinced him to go inside and stay, but it wasn't easy.  Every day since has been difficult.  He goes in with a lot of coaxing.  It shouldn't be this hard.

He played catch with Shane and Derek a few days later and completely shut down because he wanted Shane to kneel down to throw the ball to him.  This was getting out of control.  We made an appointment with a child psychiatrist and couldn't get in for 3 months.  Then I got a call saying there had been a cancellation and Dylan could come first thing in the morning.  

We filled out 21 pages of background information and found someone to watch the other two boys.  At our appointment, she gave us the name of a book to read and then gave us some strategies to work on with him.  Like making him feel comfortable and secure, even if that means standing by him in the field during his game.

I am looking forward to trying out some of these tricks.  Hopefully we can help our Dylan Bylan through this so that he can do the things he enjoys doing.

What?? No Baseball???

We had everyone ready. In the car.  We were pulling out of the driveway.  Shane gets a text.  Baseball canceled tonight because of rain.  What??? No Baseball??

We have had baseball almost every night since the middle of April.  It was kind of funny how all of us didn't quite know what to do.  We pulled back in and unloaded everyone.  Derek disappeared upstairs and Dylan and Shane watched American Ninja Warrior while Lucas and I played basketball.

After a little while, Shane disappeared upstairs as well.  Dylan, Lucas and I joined them upstairs to play restaurant in Dylan's room  Even Lucas helped prepare our dinner.  It was a lot of fun...and yes, we survived a night without baseball.

Rookie League Champions!!!

After a long season, the Mueller Park Rookie League Yankees won the championship!  They played the Rockies, Pirates, Athletics and White Sox.  The boys played defense extremely well.  Offensively there were no strike outs in the championship game.  Derek hit the ball at every at bat.  He played Left field and did an awesome job at short-stop.  It helps that his name is Derek :)  I am so proud of him and his team and the great sportsmanship they showed throughout the tournament.  Their coaches were also awesome.  Shane really helped the boys learn how to position themselves at the plate.  The score for the championship game was 20-5!  Awesome game boys!