On Memorial Day we all headed to a local minor league ball game to a ballpark we'd never been to before. And, while we had a great time overall, I left that night kinda pissed.  Here's the story.

Jacob, although very cute, is equally as loud.  I've sorta become used to it though.  You know, the high pitched screaming kinda loud?!   Yeah, that's him. Actually, that's all my boys!   There are times that they just run around screaming for no apparent reason.  Whatever.  They're kids.

Well, at the ballpark that particular evening, Jacob (20 months old) was SO darn excited about the baseball game, he would clap and scream and yell out almost every 3 minutes or so.  He was also quite excited when they played the little music blips they usually do before batters take the field.   He would bend his little knees and bounce up and down, shaking his little booty and clapping and smiling. 

So CA-UUUUTE!

Well, to the dork-o in front of us, it apparently was so not cute.  I just so happen to notice that at one point after Jacob let out a nice high-pitched scream, that the guy to the front and right of us cringed and made a face while talking to his friend.  I really didn't think anything of it because I honestly figured it was part of his conversation, not having anything to do with Jacob's screaming.  I mean, how could it?  After all, we're at a baseball game — which last time I checked was supposed to be loud and exciting!!

So, whatever.  I moved on.  Then, the next time Jacob screamed I made it a point to look over for a reaction and yep, sure enough he reaches his hand to his ear as if to plug it while making a disgusted looking face (which by the way, was not hard….I mean this guy was a HUGE dorko so not that hard to make himself look ridiculous).  AND he made a "jeez/sheesh" sort of sound while doing so.

My blood was boiling.  I didn't know if David had noticed or not.  I was pretty sure not, but I was contemplating what I should do. I am a pretty confrontational person and if my older kids hadn't been there, I can pretty well bet I would have said something to get his attention.  But, I refrained.  I was just waiting for him to look over and make some sort of reaction at me.  I would totally unload on him at that point.  But it never happened.

THEN a few minutes later, Jacob screamed with excitment (again) and I heard him say something like, "….blsrsljf…{inaudible}…..sounds like a dog!"  And that's when I just got freaking pissed!

I look over to my left at David while pointing over at the dorko and say "Can you believe this guy? He's got a f&%$#ing problem with Jacob making noise?! Says he sounds like a dog!"  David asked me something (I can't remember what exactly) and then proceeded to mad dog the guy for the rest of the game!  I think if he had dared to say anything else during the game, there would have been some words exchanged. 

I just kept thinking how ridiculous it was that this guy had a problem with a child – a small child, at that – who was screaming with excitement for his lame a$$ team!! I mean, c'mon!  Like David said, if it's a quiet sport you want to be a spectator of, head for a golf tournament, not a baseball game! 

What I find so funny is that the lady sitting a few seats over to the right of us, went up to tell one of the promotions girls that was walking around that Jacob was the biggest fan they had at the ballpark that night!  A few minutes later, the gal comes up and gives Jacob a fun little temporary tattoo and says, "we heard you have been cheering all night for the team!" 

Yes, my kids are loud, and I'm pretty proud of that.  I am from Texas — where EVERYTHING is big — and LOUD, so I couldn't be happier.  It's not like his loudness was inappropriate….we weren't in church or at a movie for goodness sakes! 

Isn't it crazy how people without kids can have such low tolerances for things like noise?  I sometimes just have to laugh and think, "Wow!  Just you wait!"  

So the next time we head out for the ball game, I can only hope for the same reactions from Jacob – his excitement and enthusiasm for sports already gets a lot of attention, and I don't intend on making him quiet down.