The Latta Family

In case you don't know, Doug has very rigid ideas of how things should be (I don't.  HAH!!!!).  As a result, Andrew, without fail, gets his haircut every 3.5- 4 weeks.  Today, was one of the required haircuts.  This is probably the reverse of what you would expect, but as Andrew has gotten older . . . he has gotten a tidge worse about sitting and getting his hair cut.  As a baby he was GREAT, which means he held still.  Now he's wiggly as all get out! Wait- you said as a baby?  Yes.  Doug insisted he get his hair cut at the first indication that it was anything longer than a guard setting of 2 on the clippers.  I was not ready.  He was my baby (at 13 months old- he was a baby still).  As soon as the haircut was over- Doug knew he had screwed up because on the way home- he stopped and bought me m&m's. What?  M&m's?   The way back into my good graces is to buy me chocolate.  The bigger the mistake- the bigger the bag must be.  That bag was big. This is

I think I am pretty good parent.  I don't say this in a bragging way, as though I am the BEST parent- because I assure you my impatience immediately disqualifies me from that distinguished title.  I just mean- I feel like I do a pretty good job with my kids.  Now that I have two, I have something to compare MY techniques with.  I try not to compare them, but sometimes I do (Alexa is fussier- but a way better sleeper.  Andrew's not that fussy, but he's a picky eater).  I think there are some things I have done better with Andrew and some things I have done better with Alexa.  Until recently- the things I did good with Andrew was a MUCH longer list.  I am not sure why- but I have felt much more inadequate with her.  Maybe it's because she tends to have a fussier personality and I feel as though I am not meeting her needs enough?  I don't know.  Whatever it might be, I have realized that all is not lost with her and I have actually done a few things better with her.

It has taken me 10 years plus the 3 were dating to train Doug to do . . . . absolutely nothing!  But that's ok, because I am hopeful that one day he will realize that my way is always the right way. Things I have failed at: 1. stocking the dishwasher.  He insists that the dishes must be thoroughly rinsed before you put them in the dishwasher.  I say- no, you're just wasting time and resources.  And just to prove him wrong- I leave globs of ketchup on plates to show him that it doesn't matter- the dishwasher is a high powered, cleaning machine and will clean the plates.  He says I am the reason why the plates and silverware are dirty.  I say- empty the dishwasher sometimes and you would see I am right. 2. ironing.  He- by far- creates the most ironing and yet he hardly ever does the ironing- he has, in fact, trained me to always do the ironing.  Do you know how?  By working so slow it makes me insane and I just take over.  I can't help myself.  There is no way it sh

I can't believe I did it- but I managed to get my rear end out the door and out for a run this evening, after the kids went to bed.  How I did it- I'll tell you my secret- Katy Perry.  Before you say anything- fear not.  My husband, brother, and family are always telling my taste in music SUCKS.  I don't care- I like it and that's the way it is.  So- imagine this.  I am running (trotting is a better word- as I am NOT fast!).  It's not dark- all the way.  I am pretty certain everyone is in a candy coma in front of their tv, so none of the neighbors are peeping out their windows and there are no cars- so no one can see . . . what a DORK I am!!!!! Katy Perry's "Firework" comes on my ipod and even though I am on the back half, and I am TIRED I am suddenly motivated!  In fact, I am so motivated I must start running faster (by no means am I winning a race with my "fast" pace) and then I am throwing my head back- waving my hands, whispering (with

Doug says the funniest things sometimes (to be honest- he’s a pretty funny man- although often times I find humor at his expense, not necessarily with him).   For example, the other day while we were working on the new and improved playset:   Doug and I were both holding a board and weren’t able to go and get a tool that was needed.   So, Doug says to his favorite tool retriever: “Andrew, go into my big red toolbox in the garage and get a long screwdriver and hurry.”   Andrew dashes off.   He comes sauntering back (remember- he doesn’t hurry for anything).   He says, “I don’t know if this is the right tool- it has a cross on it and I think you said you wanted a straight one.”   Doug says, “Yeah- go and get the other one.”   Then after Andrew is out of ear shot, Doug says, “He just failed tool identification.”   In my head I am thinking: “Good grief- this must be how prodigy’s feel, constantly being pressured by their parents to do better and work harder.”   Clearly- Andrew is being g

Sometimes I think Alexa forgets I am with her, even though she's sitting on my lap.  Tonight, for example, she was sitting on my lap, while we were in the booth at the Chick Fil A.  She was bored and tired of waiting for Andrew to hurry up in the play area (SEE?!  Even a 9 month old knows he's slow as molasses!) and so to entertain her I gave her the kids meal bag to rip up and a packet of honey to squish around (no fear- she did NOT eat it as the packet was still sealed).  Instead of squishing it around, she used it to wipe the wall as though she were cleaning it.  I watched her do this for several minutes, wondering- does she like the sound?  Why IS she doing this?!  Finally, I say to her, "Alexa, are you cleaning the wall?"  She about jumped clear out of her pants.  For someone so clingy to me (lately) how did she forget I was there?  While we were sitting there and she was "cleaning" the wall with the unopened honey packet, I passed the time with my fav

Tonight- while giving Andrew his bath this memory came to mind. This story happened on June 13, 2005 Andrew had been due a week ago.  I was on the way to the hospital-to be induced.  Clearly he was NOT in any hurry to make his entrance to the world.  (apparently I make a really nice, cozy womb because Alexa was induced as well, but she was only a day or so overdue- they were afraid she'd be a whopper like her brother turned out to be)  It's early in the morning- like 7am.  We're driving into Charlotte and a little nervous because our life is going to change in ways you canNOT prepare for.  When suddenly I started crying.  Doug looks at me incredulously.  Then asks- "WHY are you CRYING?!!!"  I am not exactly sobbing, but I am not just tearing up either.  I manage to say, "I . . . just . . . re-real-realized . . . this . . . kid . . . will be . . . just like . . . you. . . . . . . and . . . I'll be . . . waiting on . . . him . . . just like . . . I am . .

A few posts ago I shared that we were building a new better than ever playset.  (Let me refresh your memory- while building it I get trashy and make all kinds of very witty and entertaining sexual innuendos.  Oh yea- now you remember.) So here's some pictures of the almost finished playset.  The only thing left are a few finishing boards and some more climbing apparatus's. Plus the monkey bars.  Don't forget the monkey bars.  Hey- Dad, don't forget the monkey bars- ok?  I think there's supposed to be monkey bars right here . . . Poor Doug.  I am 99% certain that Andrew nags him way more than I do to finish a project  Here's the spot- all prepped and ready for construction to begin.  Here's construction.  Andrew's so excited . . . he can't wait to get on it. Looks like a hit! The swings are on the back  Here's the front view.  We still need to put the roof on the tower by the slide.  I hope you are thinking how this playset

Obviously I am on some sort of holiday from work- you can tell this because of 2 things- I am posting a blog (and clearly I have more time) and my grocery list.   Here are the first 5 items on the list (don’t worry- further down the list are the healthier items) * cereal * margarita mix * lunch meat * rolls/bread * beer Do you see a theme?   Imagine this perfect evening: the deck is cleaned off, new umbrella up, the weather is a lovely 76 degrees, we don’t have to get up and work tomorrow- nor did we go to work today.   Somehow this weather and lack of working calls for fajitas.   Not just regular weekday fajitas, but good fajitas.   I totally hit the jack pot when I cleaned out the fridge this morning- because I realized I already had pretty much everything in my fridge!   I got my chicken marinating and then because my fridge rocked this morning- I got my squash, green peppers, mushrooms, and onions marinating too! (separately from the chicken).   I even had sour cream- that was

As you know from the last post Doug and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary.  On our honeymoon we said that on our 10th anniversary we'd go to Hawaii.  Well, we were young (for real- I was only 25 and Doug was 27- we were babies) and innocent to the way life takes over.  Turns out- when you're overworked, underpaid, parents, with 2 kids in daycare- you don't go to Hawaii, but you do get a really  romantic gift.  Here's some background information.  Right before I had Alexa (3 days before she was born) Doug went and bought a tractor he found on Craig's List for hardly no money.  Now- all I know about this tractor is- it's old- like a 1950 Farmall tractor.  It does start- but won't go anywhere because there are 2 flat tires.  Doug was so excited about this tractor- still is.  The day after he got it- he sat in the garage and worked on it for like 6 hours- in the hot, sticky July heat.  I don't know what he was doing, maybe bonding with it?  I don't

Yep.  Doug and I have been married TEN years!!!!  Can you believe that?  Well- not quite ten years, yet.  On Thursday- April 7- it'll be TEN years!!!!  And I am pretty sure we still love each other. I know I still love Doug and quite honestly- how could he not love me?  I am never a pill and always a delight.  In honor of our almost anniversary- I am including a copy of the email I sent my mother raving about him, after our first date- with hardly no editing and only a few comments in parenthesis.  Enjoy: Mom!!!! (I loved exclamation points way back then, too)   I went out tonight with a guy from school.  He's a teacher.  (let me clarify that I was also a teacher).   He's not married (thank goodness) and he's SUPER nice.  He's an Agriculture Education teacher- think Future Farmer's of America (uhhh- ok?!!)  But, anyway, he sat with me at the football game the other night, and tonight after cheerleading practice (I was the cheerleading coach my first year te