Last Wednesday we took Mason to his very first Astros game. Thanks to Uncle Wesley getting company tickets we had awesome seats on the club level right in front of the press boxes. As soon as we got there Mason was in baseball heaven. We had been building it up all day for him and he was so excited to go to the game. When we got there I took Mason to our seats and said "Okay Mason this is where you are going to sit." He turned to me with a sad and confused look on his face and pointed down to the field and said "No, I go hit the ball." It was the cutest thing ever! So I told him (as any mother would have) that if he really loved it and he practiced really hard then maybe one day he would be hitting the balls down on the field. :) From the moment the game started he was entranced with it. He was actually watching everything that was going on and giving his own commentary on it ("Oh he hit it!", "Oh he missed it!") It was hilarious!!
Here he is getting ready for the game to start
Watching the game on daddy's lap
Making faces at me while I was trying to take his picture
So moving on through our night we get to the 5th inning of the game and Derrek had just commented about how if a foul ball came our way ( b/c we were in a prime spot for them) then to grab Mason and move quickly. :) Then literally like 2 minutes later a foul ball came our way and landed in the press boxes behind us. So everyone in our section stands up and is asking for this ball and quick thinking Uncle Wesley turns to Derrek and tells him to pick Mason up. Well it was lucky that we did because the guy in the box threw the ball to Mason! It was so awesome!!! Mason got a foul ball at his very first professional baseball game ever!! So he gets the ball and Derrek turns to me and asks me if I knew who just threw Mason the ball. I said no b/c being only 5'2" I couldn't see who was in there :) and Derrek replies "It was Craig Biggio!!" WHAT??? REALLY???? For those who may not know Craig Biggio is a former Astros player who retired a few years ago and just for the record my FAVORITE Astro. So apparently he sits in the press boxes to watch the games these days and he threw my son a foul ball (now I love him even more heehee).
After Mason got the ball he turns to us and asks (as he is pointing to the field) " I throw it?" And in unison Derrek, me and Wesley yell "NOOO!" Poor kid, I think we scared him half to death :) So we explained to him that it was a special ball and he had to keep it forever etc, etc...
This is right after the ball was thrown to him.
In the 7th inning Derrek got up the nerve to go and ask Craig Biggio for his autograph. And being the nice guy that he (Craig Biggio) is he signed the ball for us.
Here is how Mason held the ball after he got the signature. Its like he knew it was even more special and was not going to let it go.
What an amazing night we had and what great luck! Even more cool is the fact that Derrek actually has a Craig Biggio ball from about 20 years ago. How awesome is that? Both balls are going to be put in keepsake holders and put in Mason's room. We know that he will never remember what happened but at least we have pictures and the ball to be able to tell him the story and he in turn will be able to pass the ball down and tell the story to his kids. :)
Mason with his Uncle Wesley
Me and my boys at the game
Oh, to top it off the Astros ended up winning that night. Go 'Stros!!!
