For those of you who don’t know, I used work for the LA Dodgers Baseball team. It was a pretty cool job as far as jobs go. I mean, I worked at a baseball stadium for the team my entire family grew up rooting for. I got to go on the field, meet players and legends, and I received oodles of free tickets. Not too shabby.
Anyway, one of my awesome friends who still works for the team offered Mike and me tickets to the Dodgers/Giants game last Friday, so we snatched them up (thanks Dave!). We decided to bring Annabel along for her first baseball game. It was the perfect situation since, in eight years, she has a big decision to make.
I probably wouldn’t have brought a three month old to a game if it wasn’t at Dodger Stadium – I know the ins and outs of that place, and I am so comfortable there. Plus we had box seats to ourselves, so there weren’t people all up in our space.
One of my mom’s best friends made a onesie for Maddie that she never wore when I was employed by the Dodgers. But I figured that this was the perfect game for it to make its debut:
The Dodger half is for me, the Giants half is for Mike, who I’ve mentioned before is a rabid Giants fan.
Annie was perfect at the game. The noise didn’t freak her out at all. Maddie was the same way, it’s so crazy that both girls were unfazed by crowds.
Mike and I took turns snuggling Annie. I explained to her what a grand slam is, and Mike explained to her what strike outs and ground outs are.
The game didn’t hold her interest for long:
The Dodgers won! Clearly this is a sign that Annie will choose Dodgers over Giants.
We brought Madeline to her first game when she was five months old. When we got home from the game with Annie, I went through my pictures from Maddie’s first game:
As I looked over these pictures, something caught my eye. Madeline’s first game was exactly two years to the day prior to Annabel’s first game. I was shocked, I had no idea. It’s another tiny way the sisters are connected.
Miss says:
LOVE! Especially explaining who’s team is better at what. That’s what you meant right?
(Also, good thing it was that game and not the next. Annie is GOOD LUCK for us! Sorry dad!)
.-= Miss´s last blog ..Indeed =-.
Kelly says:
I’m a friend of Matt L’s and he turned me onto your site. I’m 24 and yours is the only “mommy blog” that I read. You have such a talent as a writer, to switch from the funny to the sad and back again. I try to strike the same balance in my own work and oftentimes people ask me how I can write funny when I’m so sick. It’s an instant reflex to write and it seems to be that way for you. I never comment on these things but I just wanted to commend you for this site. It’s sad, funny, entertaining and a wonderful testament to your husband and children. Plus that video with Annie was fucking hilarious. Thanks for sharing and maybe we can booze in NYC or LA one time.
Veronika says:
Annie totally rocked her half and half onesie. What a wonderful way for your girls to be connected too. They both looked beautiful at their first game.
Kate @ UpsideBackwards says:
They are both so gorgeous. I love the onesie – and yes, perfect first outing for it!
.-= Kate @ UpsideBackwards´s last blog ..Fainjin’s heavenly day =-.
Twenty-Something says:
I LOVE the caption under the photo of her and Mike. It’s the middle of the night and I’m alone with the dogs, and it had me cracking up laughing out loud.
Also love the photo of Madeline and her big blue eyes. Her features, so delicate. Love.
Jenn says:
2 baby girls….both as equally stunning/beautiful. One with the eyes of the bluest sky….the other, the eyes of the darkest blue seas. One mourned…the loss…to profound to even comprehend. The other celebrated….just like her sister before her. Both cherished beyound belief with their BIG, WONDERFUL, SMILES!!!
Their parents love and joy! One held so carefully and gently in their heart, souls and memories…. the other in their arms….always on alert…..like her sister NEVER, EVER for taken for granted..each day a gift only God could give. Parents who opened their home, only to be surprised how many have opened their hearts and have fallen as equally in love with them.
2 baby girls…both alike yet very different at the same time. Both a blessing for the world, neither is forgetable and both are loved beyound measure even by many, MANY strangers…..just like me.
Glenda says:
Wow Jenn… Beautifully said! I second this! 2 beautiful girls… loved… gorgeous…and beautiful parents Heather and Mike! XX
Krissa says:
What an amazing coincidence. Wow. And the onesie is adorable!!! I wonder…maybe Annie will end up a fan of both teams. It could happen. And although I guess it goes without saying, I am so sad that Maddie didn’t get to wear that cute onesie, but Annie sure does look great in it. I’m glad you guys got to go to the game. Looks like it was a pretty good time.
Meghan says:
I don’t know if it is weird or not…but I always think of you when I hear about the Dodgers! Anywho, the onesie is so cute. And the pictures are adorable like always! But the onesie pic is funny (ironic?) because my Mom and I were just talking about how having a (A’s/Giants) two team shirt would be awesome!
.-= Meghan´s last blog ..weird =-.
Cinthia says:
Awww!!
Adventures In Babywearing says:
Wow. I love “coincidences” like this. So serendipitous, and both of your girls are crazy adorable cute.
Steph
Lynn from For Love or Funny says:
That’s a neat coincidence!
.-= Lynn from For Love or Funny´s last blog ..Stump the Geologist =-.
AmazingGreis says:
So, what if she decides she wants to be an Astros fan?!?!? LOL, I’m just askin’!!!! I love baseball season!!
.-= AmazingGreis´s last blog ..Weekly Winners, April 4-10 =-.
charlane says:
Such a sweet baseball baby! The girls must have loved all of the action the stadium had to offer when they went to their first games. Watch out though, she may turn out to surprise you both and be a Yankee fan.
.-= charlane´s last blog ..Cake at Rest & Play =-.
Jenny says:
I love the “house divided” onesie. What an awesome gift!
Sharing the same “first ballgame” date is an awesome discovery. Very cool!
.-= Jenny´s last blog ..The Prince and Princess of Teeth Turn Six and Go to the Ronald McDonald House =-.
Erica says:
Hi Heather,
What fantastic photos of Maddie and Annie attending their first baseball games, your girls are so very beautiful and look so very content to be with their Mum and Dad at the games. I’m so pleased to read about the great time you all had.
Sending you all lots of love from afar
Erica
Mary @ Holy Mackerel says:
It’s really amazing how many similarities there are between Annie and Maddie!
What wonderful photos! And such great memories.
.-= Mary @ Holy Mackerel´s last blog ..Excitement Abounds =-.
Kelly says:
Love the onesie. We need to come up with a similar jersey, or cheer leader dress for Mea. Our older daughter is going to go to the “rival” school, to her Dad’s favorite team…causing a rift between them in the dressing of the small girl.
.-= Kelly´s last blog ..The Owl has Landed. =-.
java says:
Ohhh how adorable!! What a great evening you must have had! Glad to see you both smiling and happy!! Looovvee the adorable pics of Maddie & Annie!
.-= java´s last blog ..Happy Birthday Short!! =-.
Laurie says:
The way these sisters are connected will continue to accumulate and add up forever and ever, I’m sure!!!
.-= Laurie´s last blog ..Lydia’s Breakfast =-.
Jen at Cabin Fever says:
Goodness, in the photo of her “big blue eyes” she looks just like her sister! How beautiful.
.-= Jen at Cabin Fever´s last blog .. =-.
mel says:
gosh I love your girls. Annie is really filling out. she is just too cute.
.-= mel´s last blog ..icook =-.
Lisa says:
Wow, that is such a cool coincidence! Both girls are irresistibly adorable in their little Dodgers hats
.-= Lisa´s last blog ..We’re Going on a Picnic =-.
Jen L. says:
That’s so cool that it was the same date. I don’t think things like that are ever just a coincidence.
That outfit rocks. Glad you guys had fun!
.-= Jen L.´s last blog ..Comfort Food Saturday: Kat’s Hoppin’ John Salad =-.
Cathy says:
You make beautiful babies. Just beautiful.
dawn says:
uh.. I’m pretty sure Madeline was drunk and maybe a bit belligerent yelling at the ump
Candice says:
Cute pic. Annie is just a chubbier version of Maddie, isn’t she? I guess she is destined to be the cutest baby ever…
.-= Candice´s last blog ..Happiness is… =-.
~Michelle~ says:
Two little dolls, that’s what you have … know matter WHAT team they root for!
J+1 says:
Great pictures… and what a fantastic coincidence, date-wise.
Also, no matter which team she chooses, at least she won’t end up being a Cubs fan. Lucky girl.
.-= J+1´s last blog ..Back to school =-.
Mary P (Barnmaven) says:
As long as neither you or Mike are Yankee’s fans I can still read your blog.
I havent’ taken either of my kids to a baseball game yet and they are 5 and 8. I’m such a slacker! One of these days I’ll get them to a Mariners game if I can only find someone willing to come over and take care of my zoo for a night.
.-= Mary P (Barnmaven)´s last blog ..A sandwich I really didn’t want to eat. Either day. =-.
amanda says:
Love it!
.-= amanda´s last blog ..I used to be good at this blogging thing…. =-.
Just Jiff says:
So cute. Both girls are precious.
.-= Just Jiff´s last blog ..Five Question Friday. =-.
Mandy says:
How neat!! So glad they both enjoyed the crowds… I LOVE their pink LA hats. They are both so strikingly beautiful
.-= Mandy´s last blog ..An Old Photo. =-.
Michelle Pixie says:
I just got goose bumps! That really is incredible. Beautiful pictures! I loved Annie’s onsie, too cute!!
.-= Michelle Pixie´s last blog ..Spotto The Lady Bug =-.
Susan (woo222) says:
The onesie is GENIUS!!!!!! The pics are fantastic, you always do such a great job!! I’m so glad you went to the game!! What fun! I was stunned too when I read about the date coincidence; my eyes immediately filled with tears. The others who’ve commented are right, there will be many more. Sending you, Mike, Maddie, and Annabel all my love. ~Susan
c.c. says:
i dig the caption under the picture of mike and annie. the giant’s side of that onesie would’ve been showing, but you covered it up. it’s like you knew…
.-= c.c.´s last blog ..the world spins madly on =-.
Lindsay from Florida says:
Woke up today to a sad anniversary for my family (an unbelievable 14 years since my amazing and fun grandpa passed away). But seeing your beautiful girls enjoying their baseball (I’m a big fan too) really made me smile. Thanks, Heather.
Katie C. says:
Love the half and half onesie! And how neat that the girls’ first ballgame was two years apart exactly! Amazing!
Allyson says:
I would say the onesie is cute, but as a Dodger fan with no SF ties, I’m not sure I can put those words in writing.
Sorry, Mike.
.-= Allyson´s last blog ..Forward =-.
Amanda says:
Your stepping stones just pressed on my heart.
.-= Amanda´s last blog ..Love Letters =-.
Sarah says:
LOVE LOVE LOVE the onesie
Morgan says:
Amazing that their first games fell on the same day. Lovely. We just took our six month old to her first Dodger game – but she is a pure bred Dodger girl, thankfully, no evil Giants love snuck in, despite her Uncle’s best efforts to turn her.
Katie says:
Such adorable girls! I have such fond memories of going to baseball games as a kid. Love the onesie!
Meg...CT says:
Love so much about this post
-we too are HUGE bball fans..my husband and I had our first date at Yankee stadium over 20 years ago
-the outfit is CLASSIC…that girl should have been on the jumbo-vision.
-LOVE LOVE LOVE that your girls went to the stadium on the same day…
Looks like it was a good day.
Be well, be happy.
Katrina says:
I’m glad that Annie enjoyed her first of many Dodger games! She’ll be a fan, for sure. It’s a well-known fact that a person chooses their favorite team based on the first baseball game they attend…. so sorry, Mike – ya shoulda thought of that before dragging her off to a Dodger game!
.-= Katrina´s last blog ..Happy Birthdays =-.
Kerri says:
That is so awesome!! I grew up in Pismo Beach (I’ve been to many of Dodger game’s). Now, I live in Sacramento surrounded only by Giants fans!
Love the onsie…Annie is so adorable!
.-= Kerri´s last blog ..My Daughters Eye’s =-.
Chrisie says:
Adoreable!!
I am sure you will find they are connected in many many many more ways!
I can’t wait to see!
(((HUGS)))
Heather@Triple Blessing says:
Aw! Both so sweet! I love that onesie idea! I need to do that for my daughter when football season rolls around. We are Eagle and Charger fans in this house.
.-= Heather@Triple Blessing´s last blog ..a little perspective =-.
Lynzi says:
So cute!! I love the onsie!
I’ve never commented your blog before but I thought I’d let you know that I’ve read it ever since my friend told me about it on what would have been Maddie’s second birthday. I look forward to reading your blog every day and thought I’d let you know that I seen a little girl who looks strikingly like Maddie today with the big blue eyes, button nose and sweet curls.
Aunt Becky says:
Bwahahaha! They’re so fucking funny, my nieces. I love the expressions they’re giving you.
.-= Aunt Becky´s last blog ..If Living My Life On The Internet Wasn’t Bad Enough, This HAS To Be On My Permanent Record =-.
Erin says:
You mentioned Mike’s being a Giants fan- has he seen Big Fan, with Patton Oswalt? We watched it last night and I think Mike would find it interesting…
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1228953/
.-= Erin´s last blog ..Gosh, I Kinda Like Taxes =-.
Trisha Vargas says:
I love how you snuck in that you taught her about grand slams and Mike taught her about strike outs and ground outs! Very clever dig!!
((((HUGS)))) from Florida
Gale @ Ten Dollar Thoughts says:
Heather, I’m on your side. Go Dodgers! Even without Barry Bonds I still think the Giants are obnoxious. Glad to see that Annie was so at home in the ballpark. She’s already a natural.
.-= Gale @ Ten Dollar Thoughts´s last blog ..The Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human =-.
MamaCas says:
When our oldest son was about 2 months old, we got tickets for a Mets game. It never occurred to us to get a babysitter. I strapped him to my chest with the Baby Bjorn and we were off. He slept through most of it cuz he was snuggled in my arms.
EmmieJ says:
Love. I’m not that big of a baseball fan, but when I go to games they’re at the park on the Bay. Sorry, lady.
That’s so sweet about the Annabel-Maddie connection.
See you in four days! Squeeee!!!
.-= EmmieJ´s last blog ..Twitter Friends, Could You Do Me A Favor? =-.
Alison says:
Fantastic! The date connection is so amazing. And… What a wonderful onesie! The cute, it’s out of control.
xoxo
.-= Alison´s last blog ..IQ =-.
Ray says:
I LOVE how you’re experiencing things with Annie that you once experienced with Maddie, so early on in her life. And how you have similar photos to look back on of your other magnificent daughter. That two-years-to-the-day-thing is AMAZING! They are so very much SISTERS! And I’m loving the resemblance between them in that second photo with Annie and that first photo of Maddie. So precious your girls are.
Also: I'm loving the half giants/half dodgers onesie. Annie sports it well! And Maddie would have too.
Assertagirl Amy says:
It almost looks like they were there together. Sweet.
.-= Assertagirl Amy´s last blog ..A blowout to remember. =-.
Hockeymandad says:
I love the onesie. It’s actually made up of my favorite teams colors. The New York Mets! Honest story, the Mets colors are Dodger Blue and Giant Orange in honor of your teams heritage in New York.
Let’s Go Mets! (hahahaha, I know)
.-= Hockeymandad´s last blog ..The Next Generation =-.
Jenny @ http://motherlawyercrazywoman.blogspot.com/ says:
Love the photos and the game story and those blue blue eyes! So glad you had a great time.
.-= Jenny @ http://motherlawyercrazywoman.blogspot.com/´s last blog ..Now Who Is Going To Unpack? =-.
Karen says:
That is the best onesie ever! Both Maddie and Annie look so similar in their pictures, and I love that they have that baseball connection.
I also LOVE baseball, but I’m a Dbacks fan.
.-= Karen´s last blog ..Mondays with Maylyn. =-.
Danielle says:
Maddie is making sure that they connect! I think it is great!
.-= Danielle´s last blog ..Lover, you don’t treat me no good no more! =-.
Rebecca says:
You make some beautiful babies. I really LOVE the onsie. You have a talented family.
.-= Rebecca´s last blog ..Whtcha Eatin’ =-.
Jamie says:
No coincidence that Maddie and Annie share a first baseball game date.
Casey says:
Oh my goodnes, OH MY GOODNESS what gorgeous girls. All three of you (okay, let’s include Mike in there, too…All four of you.) Thanks for sharing these photos and memories. XOXO
Nikki says:
Maddie is winking at all of us right now, with a giant beautiful grin on her face.
XOXO from GA,
Nikki
Bridget says:
Annie is totally leaning to the Dodgers side in that first picture, yet another sign of her future allegiance! We too are rabid baseball fans so I understand the importance. Lucky for me my husband and I both grew up cheering for the same team. I don’t think he would have made it to a second date if he were a Cub fan… Go Cards!
PS – I just had to up my fundraising goal for our March this weekend. The donations have surpassed my optimistic initial goal.
Jennie says:
Great story and I love the connection! My brother, who passed away in 2002, was a huge Dodger fan. The team was so supportive of him during his illness and he had the privelege of spending time with his hero, Orel Hersheiser, on numerous occasions. The picture of his memorial message on Diamond Vision hangs on my parents’ refrigerator. Although I live in Giants country, I will make sure my kids know where our loyalties lie
.-= Jennie´s last blog ..How does she do it? =-.
Tina says:
Great photos, great story, great parents.
I can’t wait to read the book
Maddie had some great blue eyes. Anna looked as happy as she could be with mommy and daddy. She is adorable. They both are
Marti from Michigan says:
You look fantastic Heather! So does Mike. Glad you could get out and go do something fun. We have a semi-pro baseball team right here in Grand Rapids, Michigan and I go out to the games as often as possible – The West Michigan Whitecaps.
I have brought my grandkids with me over the years, and we sure have a lot of fun. They have a mascot named Crash, who is a Beaver character, and he is a lot of fun. They have other things at the park for the kids as well. We have lots of fun when we go out there as well.
Annie AND Maddie look adorable at their first games! And oh yes, they are conencted!
Alicia @bethsix says:
Sleeping Annie makes me want to NOM.
.-= Alicia @bethsix´s last blog ..To Archer Gene, 11 Months =-.
Dawn says:
Lovin’ the outfit!!
What a neat coincidence! Def. something special to remember!
.-= Dawn´s last blog ..As the world turns… =-.
Kayla says:
That’s incredible about the same day thing. Really, really incredible.
Also, I officially cannot stand the cuteness that is Annabel Spohr any longer! Those CHEEKS, just, GAH – nom nom NOM! =DDD
Amy says:
Maybe she won’t choose either and she’ll go all East coast on you and root for the Phillies… you know, a team that wins.
Robin says:
Heather,
I believe it wasn’t a coincidence………it was sweet baby Maddie busy at work having Dave give you the tickets because she knows her mommy loves the Dodgers….she wanted Mommy to have a remembrance day yes and to kick off the summertime with lots of love and to say……mommy take my baby sis to see her first game and have fun and smile alot mommy!
Mary says:
You’ll definitely have to frame pix from each of the girls’ 1st ballgames! So precious.
.-= Mary´s last blog ..An Apple a Day =-.
Kristin says:
Can she root for the Sox? The Red Sox of course. The Nation always accepts adorable babies!
I don’t believe in coincidences. It was Maddie all the way!
.-= Kristin´s last blog ..It’s all in your head =-.
Rebecca says:
She’s getting so big and looks just like her big sister!
Amy says:
Can she root for the Sox? The Red Sox of course. The Nation always accepts adorable babies!
I don’t believe in coincidences. It was Maddie all the way!
.-= Kristin´s last blog ..It’s all in your head =-.
Lisa says:
I’m not someone who believes in coincidences. I’m sure Maddy was with you all.
Al_Pal says:
Wow, the two years thing is trippy, and special.
Glad you got to take Annie to her first game!