Another awesome day... today it was just Jaiden and I and we hit the Rockies game... not just any game, a game in which I scoped out tickets on StubHub and splurged for front row seats slightly behind 1st base! It also turned out to be a Sunday game in which if you get there early enough you can stand in line and get players signatures on balls, bats, shirts, hats, whatever you bring to have them sign. Jaiden wanted special baseballs so we went to the sporting goods store and picked up some new beautiful white baseballs.
The line for getting autographs was deceiving. There were 3 sections marked off and then you lined up in the seats like Disneyland and they wove around and around. I was really nervous. I knew this meant a lot to him so I told him we would split up and he take a line and I take a line. This made me even more nervous so we waited until the players came out. My line looked long but surprisingly it moved very quickly, before I knew it, I was at the front getting an autograph from Chad Bettis. I can't remember what exactly he said to me because I was excited that I managed to get an autograph for Jaiden, but I said something like "oh no, this is for my son, not me." He said "that was really nice of you to stand in line for him" which I thought was kind of funny but I was too happy to say anything else but thank you!
As I went up the bleachers, I noticed I had about 10 minutes more and I couldn't find Jaiden in his line anywhere. I didn't know what to do. They don't exactly let you wander through looking for your kid and I crossed my fingers and got in the 3rd line, which seemed quite short given there was still a fair amount of time left. I kept nervously looking for him so I could try and get his attention ... maybe but nothing. I kept weaving through the line and I was getting so much closer and time was ticking. Then all of sudden, I see Jaiden's line break apart as the player gets up to walk back to the dugout. Times up, but what I didn't know is the line I was in, the player had come out about 5 minutes late and there I was in the front row almost ready to walk down and that's when I saw Jaiden. Luckily he saw me and just before I was sent down, I asked the usher if my son could switch places with me. He gave me a look and asked "you mean he will go in your place?" and I said "yes please. He really wanted to do this and it looks like he didn't get to in the line he was in." The usher said "as long as you wait here, then yes."
I was so excited to be able to step aside and have Jaiden take his ball down to Eddie Butler. He was beaming when he walked back up the steps!
Next we went to sit in our seats. We were told that coaches and sometimes players would walk down the line and sign balls or whatever you had. Jaiden received one more signature from a coach. It was awesome.
Being in the front row was such an incredible experience. The best part was this game was against the Cincinnati Reds and this was noted to be a so-so game. That was not the case! It was intense and the plays were unreal. There was some of the strangest things that happened, 10 runs in the 3rd inning, players missing easy balls, double plays, steals and home runs that seriously rocked!
I can't wait to do this again with him next summer!
And while we were at the ball game, I got this hilarious text from Dennis - they finished packing up camp (Jaiden and I left early), got home, got pizza and made it to the pool before it had even opened!
I think I can safely say they had a good time as well!
