The Salvateenies: Going to the Giants game for Mommy's birthday

This year, the Giants' season ended on my birthday, so I got ten tickets in the bleachers and decided to make a day of it. Uncle, the kids, and I got there early to stop in at the press box to say hello (and to get hot fudge sundaes).

We sat out in my normal section to eat them and wait for Grandma and Boppy and our other friends to arrive.While we were there, we saw some of the ushers I work with as well as some of our "regular" fans (including local comedienne and actress Diane Amos, who Caroline later remembered when she saw her on a Pine Sol commercial). They made a point of coming by to say hi since many have known me since before I was pregnant and have only seen the kids periodically. There was a lot of commentary about how big they've gotten.

When we heard that the grandparents had arrived, we (now accompanied by my friend Jill) went back around to the press box to sneak in and up to the broadcast level to say hi to Jeff Huson. At their first game this year, the kids talked to Jeff and mentioned that the Giants "got a new trophy! now we each get one!"

Though the Rockies actually won an overwhelming number of their games at AT&T Park, the kids are well enough versed in baseball to think the Giants always win and the Rockies always lose. In face, in August when they went to a game in which the Astros beat the Giants 2-1, Caroline complained that it was strange because "today the Giants were the Rockies and the Astros were the Giants".

After this, we headed out to our seats in the bleachers. It was HOT at the game and the kids were fading fast. Uncle took them out at one point for a walk and to go down the slides and play in the mini ballpark. Then I took them out to get popcorn and soda. Then we all went out to the cable car in center field (where there's a breeze and you can sit or play or climb in the cable car).

Daniel getting his popcorn (that third hand is Max's)

Daniel munching on popcorn he snitched from the bag

After all that, we returned to the seats. Caroline was not dealing well with the heat and asked if she could "sit on" Uncle. She immediately proceeded to fall asleep, giving us some hilarious pictures. After a little bit, he decided to retreat to the shade under the Coke bottle in left field to let her cool off.

The boys and I went out to meet her and they found the Lego Buster Posey sculpture and wanted to pose for a picture with it. Caroline wanted to get in, but the sun was really bright and making it hard for her to pose (and keep her eyes open). The photographer on duty offered her a batting helmet in hopes the brim would protect her eyes, but she didn't seem much happier and the photographer actually told me she didn't see much point in checking out her professional pictures. I kind of agreed.

The Giants led 2-0 for most of the game and then the ninth inning happened. After giving Jeremy Affeldt a curtain call and bringing a couple of other pitchers in for their final appearance of the season, the top of the ninth saw the Rockies churn through most of the Giants bullpen and pull ahead for a 7-3 win. We choose just to ignore the ninth inning and be happy that the Giants won 2-0 in a surprising 8-inning game.

We staggered out to the car and drove home, then took naps and lay around the house for a while waiting for Jill and Thomas to come over and go to dinner with us. We went to the "fancy" Chinese restaurant at the corner and Caroline pitched a fit because she thought we were going to the OTHER Chinese restaurant down the block (these are situations that arise when you live in our neighborhood - which Chinese restaurant right by the house did you mean?). While Max and Daniel played with Tomas, she pouted for what seemed like FOREVER that she didn't want to get Chinese noodles here, she wanted to get the OTHER Chinese noodles. Until she remembered the last time we'd come here with Thomas and she and his friend Nick had gotten pork buns. Then she cheered RIGHT up.