When I was a little girl, my Daddy took me to professional baseball games out at Candlestick. We’d try to go to the Giants vs. the Reds and we’d sit in the stands and FREEZE our tails off. He’d sit and explain the game — the nuances of baseball strategy, the history of the players and gaze in awe as the players sped around the bases or whipped the small ball quickly around the field. I, on the other hand, would watch the people in the stands. I often miss “astounding” plays and never remember who was playing, what the score was, or what notable thing happened. I know I’ve been to some “historic” games but alas, even they don’t leave a lasting impression — now the crazy woman with the bare feet, all the Giants gear, and the radio — SHE left an impression. (Despite my clearly different perspective on baseball, Daddy still takes me to games. We no longer freeze in the new stadium and I do try to pay a little more attention but I still find the people — and the garlic fries — more interesting than the game.)

Yesterday was Walker’s first baseball game. It was the Giants vs. the Milwaukee Brewers. Giants lost, 5 to 8. But that’s not what was important. Walker was accompanied by Mommy, Daddy, Uncle Thayer and our friend, Ash. Walker tried to show his spirit with as many orange items as he could find — even his sippy cup! He sat quietly and watched the game. Whenever the crowd clapped, he’d participate. But it wasn’t JUST a clap. He’d extend his arms out as far as they’d go and enthusiastically smack his little palms together as hard as he could. Coincidentally, yesterday was also the first time my brother “put him to work” as girl-bait. Walker tried to woo some English ladies for my brother. It’s not clear if it worked for Thayer, but the ladies were certainly smitten with Walker.

It has been said that baseball games are three innings too long. (I’m not sure if that’s a common saying but someone in front of us said it and it sounds about right.) Walker made it through the first six innings like a trooper and decided that rather than stretch his legs in the seventh inning, he’d take a nap. However, not until he joined in the rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”

In development news, Walker has a molar. I only know because he bit me with it when I stuck my finger in his mouth. He’s been teething for many, many weeks and I was curious. I didn’t see any teeth coming in and I just knew it wasn’t possible. And way in the back, on the top right, was a little tooth that had poked through some time ago. The teething continues and Walker is getting annoyed with my fingers in his mouth. Walker is also walking with a cute little walker (funny how you use them when you’re very little AND when you’re very old) and is just starting to understand that he can walk with us. He seems to think he can only stand or walk while holding on to stationary objects. When he grabs on to us he thinks a moment and then sits. However, this weekend we walked about ten feet together. It’s a start. And I’m not anxious to have him on his own since I know he’ll never stop moving.

Larry is preparing for the big comic book convention in San Diego. There is much stacking of boxes, coordinating schedules, buying of water, packing, and getting psyched up. SDCC has more than 130,000 visitors over four days (and preview night) and it’s gotten more and more insane in the last thirteen years that we’ve been attending. Walker and I had planned to attend a few days this year. We have our plane tickets and our Pro badges. However, given Walker insists on waking at 5:00am (on the dot — I now try to get to sleep between 9:30 and 10pm), I figure everyone in our room (and those rooms around us) would appreciate it if we stayed in San Francisco. So, I’m going to be a single Mommy for a week. I went grocery shopping and stocked up on my bachlorette food — peanut butter and jelly, Raman, Diet Coke, popcorn and salad — and I’m preparing to watch a few “Firefly” episodes on DVD. We’ll miss Daddy but we’ll feed our loneliness by eating all the things he doesn’t like. Perhaps while Larry is away, we’ll take a hike in the backpack or go to the corner store in our red wagon. It’s Walker’s new favorite way to travel — in a big red wagon with wooden sides. He likes to hold on to the side and keep track of the bags of fresh fruit and yogurt.

And if getting ready for SDCC wasn’t enough, we tried to start the Honda yesterday and it just clicked away. It wouldn’t start. We didn’t leave any lights on but it seemed that the battery was dead. Thank goodness for AAA. A cute little chick mechanic came to the house on Sunday and did some diagnostics on the battery which appeared to have a bad cell. She quickly got a new one and installed it. Walker was very intrigued by the whole process and the big yellow truck. The car is now running well but the CD/Radio doesn’t work. Ah. If it’s not one thing, it’s another.

Did I mention Walker sleeps from 7:30pm to 5am? Wheee! Who cares about car trouble?