She Threw with Me First | Softball is For Girls

She Threw with me First!

A baby pink blanket and a onesie with flowers,
a girl was born you beamed for hours. 

Then it hit you one day that you didn’t know much,
about barbies and makeup and dresses and such. 

The years flew by the love grew strong, she painted your nails
you played with her dolls

But now she was growing up, you wondered what you would do,
to keep the bound strong all the years through. 

Then one day at 5 you tossed her a pink ball
it fell right out of her glove, her hands were so small.

The next day she said, “Can we go throw,”
and you jumped off the couch more than ready to go. 

The days turned to months of playing ball in the yard
Her begging to play catch I could not disregard.

Soon she could catch the ball right in her glove,
and softball became a pasttime bonded by love.

You spent hours teaching her how to throw and to hit,
how to catch and to chew up seeds and spit. 

She’d wait by the window for you to get home from work,
you’d see the glove on her hand and give her a smirk.

Next was the jersey, you coached her first team,
she wore your old number – and now she would dream.

When she wanted to be a pitcher, you spent hours in the yard
– teaching her how to – no matter how hard. 

“Hey dad,” she would say as soon as you’d sit down –
“Wanna go outside and hit me some balls on the ground?”

“Hey dad,” she would ask multiple times a day,
“Wanna go up to the field with the softballs and play?” 

“Hey dad,” she would she say, “Are you bored like me,
do you wanna go out and hit off the tee?” 

“Hey dad,” she would shout with her glove on her hand,
“Do you wanna see how good I’ve got at my backhand?”

Soon, our weekends became full of ball games and friends,
you had created something together you hoped would never end. 

You’d drive her to practice, picking up friends along the way,
chatting and laughing grabbing snacks before you play. 

Then travel ball began to take over our lives,
And we bonded even more during early morning drives.  

You were there on the good days, and there on the bad,
win or lose you cheered her on, that’s the love of a dad. 

Then suddenly she was grown still playing with love,
and you were still always there ready with your glove. 

She beamed with her teammates, rolled her eyes at you,
and now you’d sit back and just watch while she threw. 

She became one hell of a ballplayer, she was fierce on the field,
your pride and admiration you could not shield.

Your favorite past time became watching her play,
you and her at the ballfield was your best kinda day. 

She’s now all grown up and doing her thing,
To the memories of all those years playing catch, you cling. 

That 5-year-old girl that you taught how to throw,
has become a young woman who makes your heart glow. 

She may have new people to play catch with now,
BUT, it will always be YOU who showed her HOW. 

For the rest of your life it’ll make your heart BURST
to know you were the one who threw with her FIRST!

(Written & Copyrighted By Stephanie Daniel & Softball is For Girls,  dedicated to my husband who has lovingly been the first one to throw with all of this daughters) Please SHARE, but Please Give Credit!