The Trouble With Cursive

William is playing baseball this year.
It was a big surprise.
Previously he was adamant in his refusal to play baseball.
"I don't like everyone looking at me," he said.
Not like we were trying to force him to play or anything.
We just asked if he wanted to.
And the answer was a big fat no.


That's why I was surprised when William came home with Aaron and James after James' tryouts.
"I'm playing baseball!" William happily declared.  "Daddy signed me up."
Uhh, OK.
I guess that's how my boys like to decide to play baseball.
It's a last minute decision.
But it turns quickly into full blown obsession.


I wasn't surprised then, at William's excitement when he finally got his uniform.
He put his hat on immediately.
And he pulled on his jersey while we were walking to the car.
He's on the White Sox this year.

 As we drove home from baseball practice, William sat in the back examining his uniform.
"Why is everything black if my team is called the "White Sox?  It should be called the Black Sox."
"Coach said I have to wear black socks.  Shouldn't I have white socks?"
"Mom, what does S-E-X spell?"

"What?!?!" I exclaimed, my voice suddenly turning high and strangled and my wandering attention snapped back to him in an instant.
"What did you say?"
"What does S-E-X spell?"
"Why are you saying that?  What are you talking about?  Where did you hear that?"  
My voice rising an octave with each question.
I tried to keep the car on the road, in my lane.


The funny thing is, we've had the talk.
Two pregnancies have brought about questions.
James knows more than William, but he's kept William in the loop.
But we've never called it that.
It's been more clinical, medical, more, "how babies get in Mommy's tummy" kind of language.
Even though I have vowed to stay calm, I was freaking out.


"Mooom, it says it on my hat.  I thought I was the White Sox."
"E doesn't say ahhhh.  So why does it say S-E-X on my hat?"
Hey, at least my boy knows his vowel sounds.

James spoke up before I could.
"It's just because it's cursive, William.  Sometimes the letters look different.  Cursive is tricky."
Yes, that cursive.
It's so tricky.


William slept in his full uniform that night.
Pants, socks, jersey and black hat peeking out from under the covers.
His White Sox hat.
I will never look at his hat the same way.
You gotta love baseball.


Love from,
Greta