Little Yankees Fan

Last night was game four of the Yankees/Red Sox series in the Bronx. After Brian got home he put on the pregame and we were all playing in the den. Wyatt was watching the "Plays of the Week" on TV with Daddy and kept pointing and saying "Whoa, whoa." We sometimes refer to him as our little Keanu because this kid is all about some "whoa." Anyway, Joba Chamberlain was making his first start against the Red Sox last night, so I went upstairs and got my "Joba Rules" t-shirt and put it on Wyatt. The look was complete with Brian's Yankees hat and Wyatt's Yankees bat. Then Bam Bam ran around the house with bat in hand trying to hit things. He actually ran into the Yankee Room (yes, we are obsessed) and started trying to hit one of Brian's autographed baseball's off the shelf (Ron Guidry). We had to remove him from the room before he did too much damage, but he ran back in the den to watch the game and scream "whoa" some more!

Hi, I'm cute, I know it

Welcome to my Yankee room (with some baby gear mixed in)

Trying to beat the Ron Guidry ball (at least he knew to hit a baseball with a bat)

See, this is how you get to Yankee Stadium

Beating the dog bed with the bat

Running somewhere else

Cuddling with Noelle

Brian doesn't realize it when he looks at this picture, but this is EXACTLY what he looks like when he watches the game (arm up, look on his face, everything but the legs 'cause Brian's can touch the floor :))

Watching the pregame

You Think You Know Somebody!

I think the heat is getting to Brian because he shocked me the other day. After almost eight years together (almost two of them married), I didn't think he could really surprise me. Well...he did.

On Monday he had a meeting at work. He left the house in dress pants and a shirt and tie. When he came home, he had on a sport coat too. Like, a real, new navy blue sport coat. I was astonished. My husband doesn't wear sport coats (and honestly, I prefer it that way). In the summer time he leaves the house in khaki shorts, a white tshirt, a Yankees hat and flip flops or sneakers...with a dog in tow. Needless to say, I thought a stranger had walked into my house.

Later that night, we were watching the Red Sox game on TV. The following phrase came out of my husband's mouth "Come on Jacoby, I need some hits, some runs, some stolen bases." Jacoby Ellsbury is a player for the Red Sox and he's on Brian's fantasy baseball team. I was a little surprised to hear him rooting for one of the Red Sox players though, so I jokingly asked him if he was a Red Sox fan now...and I think he took it too far. The following phrases came out of my husband's mouth (my husband who I always thought was a Yankees fan - you may have to know a little about baseball to get these)....

1."My favorite Dimaggio was Dom!"
2. "The only Red Sox player I hate is JD Drew."
3. "Curt Schilling was bleeding from the ankle. It wasn't a ketchup packet."
4. "And the Sox would have gone to the World Series in '03 if it hadn't been for Aaron F'n Boone!"
5. "Honey, have you seen my Ted Williams McFarland figure?"
6. "I think we should name the baby Varitek. And call her 'C.C' short. You know, 'cause he's the catcher and the captain."
7. "There's nothing wrong with Manny Ramirez, he has cool dreadlocks."
8. "Honey, when I call you could you please be more like Papelbon and answer the call?"

He also made some favorable comments regarding Terry Francona and Mike Lowell as well, but it's hurting my heart a little to keep typing them. Brian says he was just kidding, but he's been banned from the Yankee Room until further notice...and I think he might be disowned of he doesn't stop.

Yankee Stadium - Day 2

Friday night was a blast at Yankee Stadium and we had a great time, but by the time we got back to the hotel we were wiped out - it had been a long day! We were able to get some rest and get ready early because we had to get going around 10:30 to be back at Yankee Stadium two hours before game time again.

This time there was a bit of a glitch in the subway travel. We got on the A train and they said it was an express making all the stops, so we stayed on instead of getting off to catch the D train. So, we got off at what we thought was the right stop...and ended up in Harlem! We walked a few blocks because we weren't sure exactly where we were, but then ended up hopping back on the A to catch the D and ended up back at Yankee Stadium. We did a little shopping outside of the stadium and got Wyatt a new, bigger sized Jeter shirt and the baby girl a pink "My First Yankee's T shirt." I got a "Joba Rules" T shirt that I wanted (although I did almost get a pink Jeter shirt - but I already have one). The lady kept trying to tell me that the shirts were kid sizes when I asked for a medium. So I finally had to say "Look, I'm usually not this big! The medium will fit me fine after I have her!" It was kind of like that Yoplait commercial where the lady wants her stuff taken in, but the tailor keeps thinking she wants it let out...but the opposite.

We made our way over to the stadium, a little later than we wanted to because of the shopping and the Harlem excursion. Our seats were farther down the first base line on Saturday, but they were still great. We were right in front of the players while they warmed up and stretched, and then Johnny Damon came and signed autographs in our section. Brian is an "autograph professional" thanks to his many trips to Spring Training, so he was able to get Damon's autograph, which was awesome! We were pleased to see that both and and Robinson Cano were in the line up for the game.

Mike Mussina was the starting pitcher on Saturday and he pitched a really good game. He's had a few ups and downs, but he was great on Saturday. The team also did well offensively, with a final score of 6-1. Jeter, Cabrera and Damon all hit doubles, with Damon hitting doubles twice. Damon hit a 2 run home run as well, which was the first (and last) home run that we saw at Yankee Stadium. It was a little sunny out, which was good. We got lucky because it was chilly both days, but the forecast called for rain as well, and we never got any.

I'm not going to lie to you, the three most annoying women on the planet were sitting behind us during the game. There were about a dozen times that I almost turned around to tell them to shut up. One lady in particular kept saying "Why are there 2 retired number 8's?" (Because they didn't retire it immediately after Bill Dickey wore it and then Yogi Berra wore it...it was retired twice in 1972), or "This guy's batting average is .153, I bet he's the pitcher" (No you dope, it's the American League, pitchers don't bat. They have a Designated Hitter). And then they kept talking about their personal lives...seriously, not the place. Go out to lunch, not the ballgame. And what irritated me the most was that one of those ladies knew the answers, but she just kept letting the other one talk and talk and talk and talk! I was jealous because Brian can block anything out, so they didn't bother him! They didn't ruin the game, I just wanted to punch them in the face.  (Sorry, crazy pregnancy hormones).

After the game we made our way back to hotel and got on the road and drove home. It was late when we got back, so Brian and I didn't get to pick Wyatt up until Sunday. My parents had gone to church and taken Wyatt with them, so we didn't get him until 1 and it felt like forever until we saw him! We took him to the zoo and out for ice cream, so look for those pictures soon!

Brian and I

The back of Brian's head and Johnny Damon...getting his autograph

Jeter, Damon and Giambi

Moooooooose!

The Stadium!

Damon rounding third after his home run!

Damon and Cabrera after Damon's home run

Jeter avoiding getting picked off. 

The team after the game

US!

Yankee Stadium - Day 1

This weekend Brian and I took a major step on the path of parenthood...and left our baby for two whole days. He was left in the completely capable hands of my parents for the weekend so we could get out of dodge, and he actually seemed to have a great time.

We have always wanted to go to a Yankees game at Yankee Stadium, but we've never been able to go. Not even Brian, who has gone to more Spring Training games than I can count, has ever been to a game at Yankee Stadium. He's seen them play at Legends Field in Tampa for Spring Training and he's seen them play the Orioles at Camden Yards, but not on their real home turf. Since it's their last season at the Stadium before the new one opens next year, we knew we had to go now.

On Friday morning I dropped my little fella off, and then we hit the road with Brian's parents to go the game. We got to New York around 3:30, but wanted to be at the stadium by 5 when they opened the gates for fans to come in. So we dropped of the bags and got subway directions to the game. So we took the A to the D to the B (I know, I'm so cool with my subway lingo) and ended up at 161st Street - the Yankee Stadium stop!

We went to the first gate we could find and went in the stadium, and immediately got ushered into Monument Park. It was actually a lucky break because we would have had to look for it, but we stumbled right on top of it. So we made our way through Monument Park and saw all the retired numbers and the monuments of the Yankee Greats. The part of Monument Park with the retired numbers is below the Visitors' bull pen and while we were down there Mel Stottlemyre, the former Yankees pitching coach walked in with his pitching staff for the Mariners, which was pretty neat.

Then we went to the gift shop and got Brian a sweatshirt (someone forgot to pack it for him), and went to our sits behind the Yankees dugout. Brian was able to get us GREAT seats for the game, it was a blast! We were a little concerned going in because A-Rod and Jorge Posada are both on the Disabled List, and then we saw that Robinson Cano and Johnny Damon were not in the line up once we got there. Nevertheless, it was an awesome game and the Yankees won! Chien Ming Wang pitched a great game, and after a shockingly good inning of pitching by Karl Farnsworth (let's just he's typically not...good), we got to see Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera close the game.

The coolest part of Yankee Stadium is being in the stadium where Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe Dimaggio, Mickey Mantle, etc. all played. There's so much history there and it's a shame that they won't be playing there after this season. I've personally only been to Turner Field before, and while it's nice and relatively new and beautiful, it just doesn't even compare! Anyway, here's a few pictures from the game on Friday.

Monument Park

Me at Monument Park

Brian with Mickey Mantle:)

Brian and I at Yankee Stadium

The view from our seats!

Joba rules!

Derek!

Ichiro stealing a base (Boo!)

Rivera closing the game!

Brian and I at our seats!

New Yankees Hat

Wyatt got his very first Yankees hat this week! Now he looks just like his Daddy (and Grandpa and cousin) all the time. It also came in the mail just in time for the series against Boston at Yankee Stadium this week. While Wyatt was NOT allowed to stay up for the 4 hour and 9 minute game last night (which the Yankees won!), he did wear his hat for the first time. His Yankees hat is one of a few hats that he will actually keep on his head and not pull off, probably because a love of the pinstripes is in his genes!

"At last, my own Yankees hat!"

With Daddy

"Hey, we have on the same hat!"

Rocking the backwards baseball cap!