May 5, 2009

The Orange Cheerleaders


My daughter's t-ball season is going remarkably well. We're half way through the season and she's only had one practice and one game. The other twelve events have been canceled due to rain.

On the one day in April when the baseball fields were dry enough to allow competition, the coaches had a lot on their agendas: in addition to teaching thirteen six-year-old girls the fundamentals of the game, they also had to come up with and agree on a team name.

My daughter's team color is orange, which was cause for much wailing and gnashing of teeth.
"Why couldn't our uniforms be pink?" she whined. "It's not fair!"

Clearly this sentiment was shared by many, if not all of Camber's teammates. Three girls had to be shoved into their uniforms against their will and a fourth showed up to the game wearing a skirt and hot pink leggings. That girl just happened to be the coach's daughter.

"Put your uniform on, NOW!" he growled. His daughter responded by asking her father if anyone brought snacks and if so, when they would be distributed.

I immediately made a mental note to invite this girl over to our house for a play date.

To this credit, the poor coach tried his best to find the positives in the hardship of having orange uniforms and a daughter who refused to wear it.

"Who wants to throw out an idea for a team name?" he asked.

Sadly, the process of selection was postponed for several minutes while the coach dragged his daughter--who was writhing in agony on the grass--off the field and into the arms of the girl's very annoyed mother.

"No you cannot sit in my lawn chair!" the woman snapped as her daughter tried to take her seat.

The delay gave the remaining girls just enough time to think up a sensible team name.

"I know!" yelled one girl. "How about the Orange Cheerleaders?"

There was a collective gasp followed by a round of wild yelps and cheers. All was right in the world once again.

"Any other ideas?" the coach asked.

Camber raised her hand. "I like the Orange Elephants," she said. Her teammate's response to her suggestion was less than enthusiastic. Not surprisingly, my daughter's suggestion was outvoted 13-0.

"Why didn't you vote for your own idea?" I asked later.

My daughter looked at me like I was the head cheerleader at a leper colony.

"An orange elephant?" she said tartly. "That's ridiculous."




******
Today I'm spotlighting my son Cameron's future wife, a little sweetheart named Bela (I hope she likes younger men!).



Bela is a one-year-old cutie born with a rare congenital heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. Basically, God was so sad when Bela was born that he kept half of her heart with Him in Heaven. Bela spends a lot of time in the hospital, so we figured that if she's got to be an inpatient, then she at least she's going to be a cute and hip one! Is she not the most precious thing?!


Baby Bela, Here's what is headed your way: a handmade crochet hat from Stitchin' Time Crochet! Made to your specifications, this super soft hat will glamorize your hospital gown and keep you stylin' through all your upcoming procedures. So cute!



You'll also be getting a deliciously cute gift pack from MiniMe Baby Gear.
MiniMe is one of the hottest baby boutiques in the universe. Designed for an on-the-go girl like yourself, your gift set includes:

* One Wet Happened? wet bag (I wonder: Do they make these for postpartum women as well?)
* One Sip and Snack feeder
* One Perfect Feeder
* One Dwink Box

Retail value: $38!

For Bela's mom Avery, we have a one-year subscription to Eliza Magazine. Hopefully some light reading about your favorite celebs and lots of modestly sexy clothes will make your clinic visits pass by a little more quickly.


Bela: I speak for everyone at the Meanest Mom blog when I say that we're praying for you, rooting for you, and wishing you all the best!

Thanks Sponsors!

23 comments

Linda said...

True story: The year my softball team was wearing the color orange, we had a meeting to discuss the name, and it was voted upon. Somehow...SOMEHOW...the parents let us get away with naming our team, of all things!, Agent Orange. How, how on earth, did that survive the vetting process?! We girls of course had no idea at the time what it meant (I don't even know who suggested it) but I think the vaguely "secret agent" connotations were enough to get us to vote on it, and Agent Orange we were the rest of the season. Now I am horrified.

Oh, girls' softball.

Good luck with the rest of your season! Here's to more rain dates!

Carrie said...

That reminds me of the Olivia episode where the soccer team gets green shirts and Olivia is not happy about it. She shows up to the game in blue b/c green just isn't her color!

Viv said...

I just couldn't help but appreciate a forum where you can reference an Olivia episode and people think, "oh yeah, I remember that one!"

Marci said...

Fun story, and really hits home right now, as I just started coaching my 8-yr old son's baseball team last week. I know next to nothing about baseball, so I pretty much have been letting my son run it when my husband's flying. It's been interesting...

Melinda said...

Hey, could you send one of those hats my way? My daughter just sheared her head and I'm looking for ways to feminize her. You can see the result at www.1lil2lilgirls.blogspot.com

The Mother said...

I think the only reason my son goes to soccer is for the snacks. But at least he has outgrown the temptation to throw a tantrum if he doesn't like them.

kimert said...

Love the tball story! I remember my daughter's first year playing soccer. The girls decided on the team name of The Elephant Ponies. Lol

Foursons said...

Ha ha- I love that the very exact behavior that the coach and his wife were appalled with at the game is the same behavior that leads you into the decision to invite the little girl to your house.

Natalie said...

I want to say good luck!! To Bela and her family. My daughter Elizabeth had the same condition and she returned to Heaven 15 days after she came here, just a short visit, but the kind that changes lives . . I miss her so much.

Karen said...

Luckily for us my kids never had the choice of naming their teams. They all had names of real ball teams like the Red Sox and the Yankees.

Diva Ma @ Mommy Fabulous said...

I think my little girl would have the same response to orange shirts. She's BEYOND girlie!

Christine said...

At least it's not green. My soccer team was the "Green Goddesses." True story.

Gina said...

That softball story brought back memories of my terrible sports teams growing up. And HOW CUTE is Bela???

Kerrie said...

When I saw the title of this post, I thought you were talking about that team from "Amazing Race."

Great team name. Beats mine when I was little: 7-11. Gee, I wonder who the sponsor was...

Amy said...

My daughter's soccer team wound up with orange uniforms too and they called themselves The Orange Dinosaurs. But yeah, Orange Elephants??? Ridiculous!

Thanks for sharing about Bela--what a sweetie. I have a CHD son so I immediately connect to those kinds of stories.

Ashley B. said...

Drat, I though I had commented earlier but I guess it didn't happen! Anyway, my husband recently joined a church softball league, and when he received his burgundy t-shirt with the yellow, cursive "Looking to Score" team name blazoned across the front, there was considerable whining. I chuckled while reading, realizing his behavior was comparable to a bunch of 6-year-old girls.

Amalie said...

orange cheerleaders? But they play t ball? Oh okay it makes sense. perfect sense.

Cecily R said...

The Orange Elephant suggestion made me laugh outloud. Ridiculous or not, I LOVE it. The Orange Cheerleaders is almost as rad though...there is so much awesome irony in that name!

The Ridgway Family said...

I am a friend/neighbor of Avery and Bela's and my daughter Eden was born the exact same day as Bela with a very similar heart defect as well as Down syndrome. Eden returned to HEavenly Father last July 5th at 4.5 months old and Bela took all of my breast milk that Eden was never able to have. We love that family and Avery and I always say that Eden and Bela are friends from way back.
I just wanted to say how kind of you to honor Avery because it is a long road and she deserves a treat. She has been so good to me and our family and I know this meant so much to her.
I just came upon your blog and I don't know but my girls call me the "meanest mom ever" every day too. It's a privilege I guess.

Keisa

Jennie @ Modern Mamaz said...

I don't think there is a single child that thinks their mom isn't mean! It's all just part of the job:)

Caroline said...

Go Bela! We're all cheering for you [even if some of us are wearing orange].

P.S. Who says orange isn't the new pink? I'm just sayin'...

Caroline

Lindy said...

My daughters soccer teams colors are yellow and black...oh. the. horror.

Elizabeth said...

Aha, when my son says "Mommy, please don't sign me up, please!" it may be that the uniforms are conflicting with his fashion sense? His fave color is "army" (camo of all types).