Cardinals Charm

 My little Cardinals fans; they totally know who they're cheering for. 

I could NOT skip mentioning the Cardinals and their MAGICAL season (TEN GAMES BEHIND to even MAKE the playoffs in a Wild Card position.  TEN. GAMES. IN.  SEPTEMBER.)  and how (maybe just a little) I feel like NK is their good luck charm and how this season has reminded me of EVERYTHING I love about baseball and how I can't wait for my children to watch with me (and, clearly, become Cardinals fans!).  

It's an unbelievable story.   (Both mine and the Cardinals, right?  That's what you were thinking too, RIGHT?) 

Let's revisit: 

Sept 28: My friend John promised me I'd have a baby when the Cards won the Wild Card race.  In return, I promised to name my unborn child after the player that made that happen (Good thing she is a girl?).  I became a Phillies fan FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY (It's hard to even type that.) and watched Hunter Pence tap out an INFIELD single to score a run and SQUASH the Braves dreams of the playoffs and allow the Cards IN.  

Oct 1 - 7: Both, me, miserably pregnant and trying to avoid EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE and only taking solace in watching the Cards take out the Phillies in five games. NK was born on a day that they lost (10-4 good buddy; also the Cards manager Tony LaRussa's bday) but we won't hold the loss against her.  She knew we couldn't focus.  Both my parents and my sister were here for that final win Friday night.  We were all sitting in our darkened living room, baby on my chest, Nate asleep in the VERY NEAR OTHER ROOM, silently dancing around and (yes) high fiving while Chris Carpenter pitched an INCREDIBLE game. 

Oct 9-16: The NLDS Cards Brewers series was almost as satisfying as a World Series. My sister lives in Milwaukee and there was MUCH texting as she silently cheered in bars amongst hostile Brewers fans and Karl warned me I wouldn't be allowed to hold the baby during games if I didn't STOP SCREAMING and Nate correcting a choice word that flew out of my mouth when I thought he was out of hearing range.  ("We don't say DAMMIT MOMMY!") 

Oct 19-28:  Bi-polar games with the Rangers culminating in last night's absolutely amazing Game 6 comeback in the 11th inning... game ended with a walk-off homer at almost midnight by David Freese, who is a hometown STL boy who played high school baseball there.   The Cardinals just KEPT COMING BACK.  

Tonight is game 7.  

I AM FREAKING OUT.  

Would I be happy if the Cardinals won their 11th World Series title in 2011? 11 in 11!

Let's just say I'm willing to consider changing Nora Kate's legal name to the player who can do it for me! 

(For my non-baseball loving friends, I understand (I mean, sort of.  I guess.) if you just scanned this post!)  

(BUT BASEBALL!!!!)

(It starts at 7:05.)