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Unemployed Family Takes Infant to All 30 MLB Ballparks
If you have to spend the summer unemployed, you could have it a lot worse: a couple of former federal employees who were laid off in January have spent the summer on the road with their six-month-old. They’re at number twenty-two on a trip to hit all thirty Major League Baseball ballparks.
I can’t decide whether to be insanely jealous or glad that I’m not the one on the road with a six-month-old.
They told the Chicago Tribune they’ve got some good tips for parents out of it: PNC Park in Pittsburgh has the best baby-changing facilities; San Francisco’s AT&T Park offers the most distractions for children weary of baseball; and Sluggerrr, the mascot of the Kansas City Royals, can be a little grabby (the hulking, cartoonish lion took Sofia out of her mother’s arms to pose for a photo, though the baby didn’t seem to mind).
And before you start feeling bad for them that they’re unemployed (especially with a baby), they apparently are OK. After all, have you priced a vacation from Washington D.C. to Toronto, Chicago, San Francisco, Milwaukee, Tampa Bay, New York, Boston, Phoenix, Seattle . . . keep going on until you hit thirty?
They’ve been staying mostly with friends and family along the way (note to self, scout out friends based on their proximity to MLB parks), although they have been hitting up hotels along the way as well.
If you’re waiting for the book that always seems to come out of these things, don’t hold your breath. A Google search for Roberto Coquis comes up not with a blog detailing his travels or even a Twitter account of the trip (his is locked) but his latest donations to the Republican National Committee (hey, if you can make political donations AFTER you’re laid off, you’re OK). So I guess the words “insanely jealous” are still OK, right?
I just learned on Facebook (where else?) that my most recently born second cousin (he hit the world in July) has already been to his first game. I’m forgiving his father for making it a Mets game on the basis that at least he’s indocrinating him into a good sport. It tempted me to finally pony up and take my daughter to her first game – she’s made it to four without stepping inside a Major League Ballpark. A travesty, I know.
What do you think is the best age for the baseball trek?
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GP commented on Aug 24 09 at 2:17 pmBefore crawling…or after 3. My husband really wants to go to a game, but I refuse to wrestle and chase an active 2-year old around for three hours and disturb everyone else.
PlumbLucky commented on Aug 24 09 at 3:52 pmAgree with GP. My son went to his first (hockey, not baseball, but similar logistics, except that Joe Louis’ only baby changing facilities are directly across from the reeking smoking deck) when he was 3 months old, his first NFL game (Daddy got tix at work) when he was 6 weeks old. Did smashingly well both times. Went to another hockey game at 8 months, decided he was scared of the horn and the noise. He and I boogied to saner location. Right now at just shy of a year? HAHAHAHAHA. No way. No how.
30 ballparks and a baby MOM commented on Sep 15 09 at 11:42 pmI came across your blog by chance and have truly enjoyed your entry on our journey of all 30 MLB ballparks with our baby, Sofia. Our story is unconventional, I know. 24/7, cross-country road trip to visit MLB ballparks with a baby! Crazy? Maybe, but as a new mother I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to spend the first months and every waking moment with my baby girl. My husband’s childhood dream was always to visit all MLB ballparks and to share it as a family has been very special to us. We advocate that every family spend time TOGETHER doing whatever they enjoy. For us it’s baseball. We are lucky to be able to do this after being unemployed and I will also say this has been a great opportunity to network and figure out where we will end up next. Maybe out west, or back in the east coast? Time will tell. We have been journaling our experience at every ballpark since we began our journey which we have dubbed “30 ballparks and a baby”. You will find pictures, our experience at each park, and media coverage of our journey at http://www.30ballparksandababy.com. My husband also manages our Facebook and twitter account for 30 ballparks and a baby. We also want to make sure that every mile we have traveled counts towards making a difference in the lives of other girls. During our trip we have been collecting autographed items from each MLB team to be auctioned off for charity that benefits girls’ sports and education during the World Series beginning Oct. 28. People can also make donations for charity on our website. I also wanted to say that the moms on the blog are correct about the age factor. Although she is a great baseball baby and gets through 9 innings like a champ, our baby Sofia is becoming more mobile and I don’t know if this would have been possible a year from now. I know many blessings will come from our journey. We already feel lucky to have met so many wonderful Americans who appreciate us for what we are doing and are living vicariously through us! So please don’t be insanely jealous, just wish us luck on our journey and be happy for our new family.
jeannesager commented on Sep 16 09 at 9:24 amThanks for writing in – and for giving us the link to the site (my Google skills must have been off that week). I’m still jealous in a very good way, but living vicariously through you!
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