Our Trip to Tropicana Field

Earlier this summer, Addie and I began reading our way to Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team. We completed our 24 hour required amount and sent in our ticket form. Because one of the dates was on Ian's actual birth date, September 21, and because Brian always takes off on our birthdays, we decided to make Ian's birth date our day to go to the Rays game.

 

For Father's Day this year, I had purchased through Groupon a gift certificate for Brian to receive a sports massage (he does a lot of driving, and his back and shoulders are often in pain because of it). Because the location of the spa was in St. Pete (where Trop Field is) we scheduled his appointment for earlier in the afternoon. While he was getting his sports massage, we all went shopping at a nearby shopping center.

 

 

After picking him up, we headed to Applebees for dinner. We were given a huge corner booth. Despite all of the room we had, Addie had to sit as close to Daddy as possible! Don't know if you can tell, but she is giddy happy about the entire day!

 

 

Then we went to the Pier of St. Pete. It was beautiful just to walking and around the Pier, see the pelicans, watch the boats on the water, and just watch the many people coming in and out.

 

 

 Ian loved seeing the birds. He would point and make noise until we all acknowledged that we had the bird or plane, too.

 

 

And then we took pictures.......

 

It's not really sitting on Addie's head..... it just looks that way.

 

We went inside for ice cream and smoothies. This boy can eat! He tasted every one's smoothie and Addie's ice cream, but he loved Daddy's mango smoothie best of all..... until he finished off Addie's ice cream.

 

Then we headed to the game. Of course, you know I had to let everyone know that it was my boy's birthday and that big sister had gotten us to the game. Ian wore a nice, tall, pointy birthday hat. Sigh..... so cute! And he got lots of attention because of his hat.

 

Both Ian and Addie were given buttons that said that this was their first Rays game (in the scrapbooks already) and Ian got one that said it was his birthday. All of us received a t-shirt which was the fan giveaway that evening. 

 

One of Addie prizes for reaching one of the goals was a cow bell (a Tropicana Field tradition). We brought the cow bell, and Addie had fun ringing it when the rest of the crowd rang theirs. She was really great about ringing it at the appropriate times and not overdoing it.

 

I am so thankful for photos. Ian will probably never remember this evening down the road, but he can always look at the photos and see what big sister did to get here and that mommy totally embarrassed him with a big birthday party hat when he was one. 

 

My cousin Belinda had come to spend a few days with us and was able to join us on our day's adventure.

 

I am so exceedingly thankful for the little family that God has blessed me with.

 

Because we had been out all day, Addie hadn't gotten any rest during the day, and we were gearing up for a big birthday party the next day, we thought the better of staying until the end of the game and left early (we were winning 12-0 when we left and ultimately won 12-1). At the entrance of the stadium, there is a little floor tile field. Brian and Addie "ran the bases" there together since she would not be able to run the real bases later on.

 

The kids' first trip to the Trop was a huge success. I look forward to future adventures in Tampa Bay baseball with our little ones.