Go Green and Black!

So....I had this nice post written with these pictures and then after I published it I realized it was on my preschool blog instead!! So here I go again.....

Although all our Saturdays are taken until March we are enjoying Upward basketball and cheerleading. There is a different "feel" with this than the rec league....nothing against the rec dept...and we haven't cheered/played basketball with them but we did do soccer. This just seems more organized? Anyway....the kids are having a fun time and learning a new skill. Well....we hope Nate picks up something! There are some really good kids on his team and thankfully he isn't the only one that looks bewildered!

Go Green and Black!

The only cheer I knew was "rah rah rah. Kick them in the knee. Rah rah rass. kick them in the a- the other knee." did you think a bad word???oooooooo:)

Look at that jump shot!! I missed his first game because I was at Red Rooster with Trudy. When i asked him about it he said it was fun. I asked if he made any baskets. he said yea. I was all excited for him. But then he mumbled something that sounded like he was dissapointed...like he wished it was more (i hate when my kids do that! why can't they just be happy with their accomplishments....) and so when I asked him to repeat his last phrase what he really said was "It was NOTHIN' BUT NET" ...in his monotone-Nate voice! Too funny that big kid....and he isn't the biggest 7 year old on his team!

He sure had a hard time getting use to the fact of actually playing basketball. He said he wanted to sign up but then when it was actually time to go for try outs he said I heard him wrong and he changed his mind. The only way i was going to let him get out of it was if he paid me the $70 which would take until May! There were sometimes where he really wanted to do that. Then I told him there was NO way he was getting out of it....he was going to play! After lots of tears and bargaining (he trying to weasel his way out of it....and I making him!) he went. Then there were the tears and anxiety of actually wearing his uniform outside the house! Poor kid.

A cool thing about this experience is that one of his coaches has a masters degree in emotional disorders of children. He use to work with emotionally disturbed kids in one of the schools. Last week at practice Nate got embarassed and started crying. I wasn't there so i didn't see this behavior(although I have seen it at home lots of times). The coach approached me later to tell me about what happened and asked me if Nate did well in school. He then told me about his background and I told him about Nate's history(adopted at 10 months and the neglect). It was nice to talk to someone who understood and he gave me some good ideas to try with him. Poor kid. Those early infant months are SO important! Makes me so sad for all the children out there who aren't held and nurtured that first year!

The armbands they are wearing helps the kids know which guy on the other team they are to cover. Isn't he just so cute in that uniform!

All the cheerleaders and players wear the same uniforms. The cheerleaders rotate through the teams. They are really cute...especially this girl right here! She must have some beautiful parents! ha! Well she really does. If she had our genes she would be even more gorgeous-ER! hardy har har!