Las Vegas 51s Minor League Baseball: Family Friendly Fun

Sebastian attended his first baseball game over the 4th of July holiday weekend, and of course we document the adventure on our Vegas blog! He was such a good baby boy. But it was his sister really had a great time! Although she enjoyed a vegas 51’s game last year, as you can see on this Vegas blog post adventure, this experience was filled with more memorable moments than ever before.

Alina in summer of 2011 (left) and 2012 (right). What a difference a year makes!

If you are in Las Vegas, and looking for Vegas family fun, look no further than a good ‘ol fashioned baseball game at the Cashman Center. And on 4th of July weekend? You might as well throw in some apple pie and call it a day! It doesn’t get more American than this!

Did you know Cubans are crazy about baseball? Actually, the three B’s are fascinations of the Cuban culture: baseball, boxing and ballet. So its no surprise that baseball, although not a sport I ever played, was a prominent past time of my childhood, and my brother’s, who was the baseball player of the family.

I look forward to exposing Alina and Sebastian to the culture of baseball, including all the nuances of being fans of the sport….

I know a certain Tio that wants Sebastian to be much more than just a spectator of the sport, though. Daddy D can’t wait to get a basketball in Sebastian’s hands, while his Tio is already planning trips to the batting cages. Sebastian is a lucky boy to have so many men in his life who are excited to expose him to their passions. Baseball may very well be in his future, too, because that is the only Cuban “B” all of us agree on. Momma says NO to boxing {I love his pretty, perfect face way too much and its just way too violent for my liking} and, while I wouldn’t mind at all, Daddy D has put the axe on his son doing ballet.

Although he doesn’t mind Alina dancing ballet…. hmph.

We were lucky to have such a kind woman as our usher while at the game; she was so increibly sweet with Alina and truly made our experience one we will remember always. Her name was Oscar and she was a sweetheart! {Thanks for being so wonderful to our babies, Oscar!}

During the 7th inning stretch, Oscar took Alina down to the center aisle and taught her to dance the chicken dance and YMCA. All of us sung Take Me Out to the Ballgame together, which Alina thought was so funny. With hundreds eyes on her, Alina danced and sung, with constant smiles on her face. This kid has not one stitch of shyness in her…

When the performance was over, Oscar went upstairs and got Alina a souvenir: a MiLB baseball! Alina was beside herself!

And it got better!! Alina was on the JUMBO-TRON! Dancing and clapping with the giant video camera in her face. I attempted to get some photos, but the image on the jumbo tron just came out as a bunch of over-exposed lights. Boo.

The rest of the game Alina spent clapping and rooting on our local team. At only two and a half, Alina has proven to be a really cool kid. There is truly nothing better, as a parent, than watching your child enjoy an experience you have made an effort to give them. Packing up a family and heading out on a hot summer night is NOT easy. But it is so worth it. You are creating memories, traditions and developing an identity in which your children will rely on for the rest of their lives. Whether my kids identify as Cubans, American, African American or a mixture of it all, I hope they remember their experiences with the sport of baseball fondly.

Family friendly fun in Vegas is so very possible!

We’ll be back Las Vegas 51s!