7 and 5

Right, well Desmond is 7 years old now, and Emma is 5.  That's right 7 and 5.  It's hard to believe...for me at least.

There's lots of fun stuff to do when you're a little kid though.  For instance, Desmond and Emma both play on YMCA basketball teams.  Desmond played basketball when he was 4, almost 5 years old, so he's got a little experience under his belt.  He plays very well.  He hustles and works hard, and is very good at defense.  When he gets the ball, he's not always sure what he's supposed to be doing.  That's part of the learning process, I guess.  But he's got a real nice shot, and can dribble and pass well.  He seems to enjoy it, and should do great once he learns what to do when his team is on offense.

It's a complicated sport, I think, but he'll get it.

This is Emma's first time playing basketball.  She was scared when I took her to her first practice, and didn't really want to go.  Of course, I made her go.  We went early, so that she could just sit and look around a bit first, before practice started.  We watched as they kicked all of the older kids off of the court, and lowered the basketball hoops.  Once the gym quieted down a bit, and there was just a couple of little kids shooting around, she started to relax a bit.  There was another little girl there, and she decided to go play.  It took her a few tries, but as soon as she made her first basket, she was good.  In fact, she was very excited to play after that...sometimes she can't even stand still she's so excited.  When she's in line for drill at practice she just bounces and sings and dances until it's her turn.  And when it's her turn, she tries real hard, and does great.

For their birthdays, we got them a basketball hoop for our driveway.  I put up the pole the weekend before Desmond's Birthday.  I told Desmond and Emma that it was for a birdhouse, and they bought it, never even questioning why I wanted a birdhouse, or why it would require such a huge pole.

The weekend of Desmond's Birthday we threw a "combined" birthday party.  We had some guests from Nebraska come for the whole weekend, so while the kids were distracted, we finished installing the backboard and hoop.  They were excited, and it was very nice outside, so we had fun shooting hoops.

That was last weekend, and on Sunday we had their party at Pump-it-Up.  It's a place where they have several big inflatable jumpy-house-type things.  There's an obstacle course, a big giant slide, etc.  They let the kids run themselves ragged for about an hour, and then corral them together for cake, ice cream and presents.  It was fun just watching all of them run around, bouncing off the walls and each other.

Emma's Birthday was yesterday.  Jen took the day off of work, so she could hang out with Emma.  The did girl stuff, went shopping and I met them for lunch.  Late in the morning it started snowing in earnest, and by the time she was supposed to go to school, Emma's teachers declared a snow day.  Yeah, a snow day for your birthday...awesome, right?  So, the two of them got to play in the snow, and make a snowman.  That evening we had dinner, cake and ice cream, opened a couple of presents and then went to a movie.  That seems like a super duper fifth birthday.  Emma agrees.

Also, while we were in the theater, waiting for the movie to start, I got an e-mail from Desmond's school...there was to be yet another snow day!

A couple more photos of Emma...one of her and her friend, Katie, during a play date, and another of all the baby stuff that she got for her birthday.