The Latta Family

I got some gift cards for Christmas and decided I was going to take advantage of them, and go out- ALL BY MYSELF- this morning and use them.  Before I go, I sort of have a mental list of what I would like to buy: sleep pants, shirts, and a dress.  Really, a dress?  Not a dressy one.  One that is casual enough that if I felt like "snazzing" it up and really surprising my students, I could wear it to school.  I am really liking these sweater ones out right now.  I am a cold natured person- and surely in a sweater dress, I won't feel that cold.  Right? I really live it up and  I go to Target.  Whoa!!!!  I hardly ever go there . . . except for at least once a week. It's different this time, because . . . it just is.  What exciting things did I buy?  A sports bra.  However, in my defense it is one that I really like.  Plus I bought some razors, a new appointment calendar, and anti frizz gel.  If ...

Poor Andrew.  He has a hard lot in life with Alexa.  She's a little sister, need I say more? We were participating in our Christmas Eve tradition, which is to watch a movie (usually a Christmas one, however tonight it's Kung Fu Panda 2), and eat appetizers (veggies & dip, cheese & crackers, mini pizzas, and cookies).  Unfortunately the dvd player in the living room is not working.  So we had to conduct this Christmas tradition in our bedroom.  I spread a big sheet out, and we went to town.  I'll let the following pictures speak for the troubles Andrew had to face.  Andrew, let me give you a pillow Maybe I'l head-butt you instead Don't I look sweet, while I "hug" my brother? No maybe I'll put my bum in his face Hey, Andrew, what's this on your face?  Right HERE!

I had no idea Glo Sticks were so fun . . . until tonight.   Sure I've used them at parties or when walking around on Halloween, but it turns out that is sooooo last year!!!  There are tons of awesome things you can do with them! Several weeks ago, I saw on a friend's Facebook page about tonight's use of Glo Sticks.  A comment on her post suggested cutting them open and pouring them into the toilet.  It would make the toilet glow for a long period of time!  I thought that sounded awesome!  What first grader (and myself) wouldn't like that?!  So we tried it.  While this was a totally awesome activity, and I will definitely do this again, I perhaps should have done some research as it was a smidge messy.  First, here are some facts about Glo Sticks (that I researched after the event was overwith):   According to ehow.com, "Glow sticks glow when certain chemicals inside a flexible plastic tube mix together. When the chemic...

Alexa LOVES to help!  I have discovered this weekend that I can head off a major meltdown with these 4 or more little words, "Can you help Momma . . . ?" And then she springs up from the floor where she'd just thrown herself and is ready, willing, and able. I was telling a friend of mine that Andrew is very little help.  She said, "Oh my son is the same way, but my daughter . . . she LOVES to help!  She likes to help with dinner or whatever it is that I am doing."  I just assumed that was the nature of her child, but I was pretty Alexa was not going to be much of a help, but the thing is, she is honestly helpful!  Her teachers were telling us last week that after nap time, she walks around picking up the other children's loveys and puts them where they belong and then helps fold up their nap mats.  If Doug puts his jacket down somewhere other than where it belongs, she follows him around until he puts it in the right spot.  The other morning s...

So, we decided to venture to the mall to visit ol' Santa tonight.  It was sort of a last minute decision, so . . . unfortunately I forgot the stroller.  Imagine how this trip to the mall on a Friday night- dangerously close to bed time was going to go.  Surprisingly, it went pretty doggone well.  It turns out 27 pounds of wiggling toddler body gets heavy and FAST!  So upon entering the Jessica Simpson display at Dillards, I released Lu-Lu from the confines of my arms . . . She raced through Dillards thrilled with her freedom!  She was squealing and running into display cases in the perfume department, smacking mannequins, and touching sweaters (she had a clear preference for the sequins variety).  The ladies who worked in the cosmetics department were clearly not all that impressed with a toddler off a leash or out of a stroller.  They are losers, because a curly headed toddler with chubby thighs and exuberance is cute.  I don't care...

I have a confession: I make fun of Doug for wearing the same 5 plaid, button down shirts and 5 khaki pants everyday.  I do.  It's not nice, but . . . it's so easy!  It's not because he doesn't have a LOT of options- he DOES!  One time to prove that he has more clothes than me- I counted all his clothes and mine.  Not only did I count them- but I classified them too.  I wanted him to know- how many more pairs of jeans he had than me.  How many more pairs of shirts, pants, and sweat shirts he had than me.  It got a little tricky in the skirts (I obviously had more of those than he did) and suits (he beat me on that one too) ; -)  The thing is- he had WAY more clothes than me!!!! Way more!  So why does he insist on wearing the same 5 articles of clothing- week after week after week?!  I've tried to thwart him.  I hid his 5 shirts one week- he insisted on finding them. I sometimes don't iron- he'll get...

The boys are outside blowing leaves, well Andrew just came in and decided he needed hot chocolate.  I agree.  It's 35 degrees!!!  So Lu Lu and I are inside playing with Weebles and making tu-tu's.  Suddenly her little face just looked so beautiful, I knew I needed to capture it forever.  Quiet, peaceful, calm . . . Isn't she angelic? Ahhh, this is unfortunately one of the many faces of Lu-Lu. But as quickly as it starts, it's over. This really does make it all better.

One of mine and Andrew's favorite Christmas traditions is to go for walks around our neighborhood to look at Christmas lights.  The first year we started it, we only did it once.  Doug and I bundled him and strapped him in the stroller and walked around looking at lights.  The second year we did it more.   I'd bundle him up and we'd walk through the neighborhood.  He'd hold my hand.  It was one of my most favorite Christmas activities.  I knew when it was happening that I'd remember the feel of his little hand in mine as we walked along and he talked and talked and talked to me- forever.  I knew to appreciate those walks.  The third year we didn't hold hands- he carried a flashlight.  But I still loved the walks.  They were something just he and I did without Alexa around.  It was something special for just he and I. This year, the first walk I was going to go on with him- he didn't want to go because he didn't have ni...

This is our third year with the Elf on the Shelf.  Andrew is afraid of the Elf.  Every year I assume that he won't be this year- he's older.  He's not psychotically afraid of it, I don't believe the Elf is going to be the cause of future therapy sessions.  But it creeps him out, for sure.  I think it's the idea that the Elf is there to watch him.  With those weird shifty eyes and cheeky smile.  I can see it; I understand where he's coming from.  So the Elf stays in the living room, kitchen, or bathroom.  No where near Andrew's room.  Who wants to think they're being watched while they sleep?  That can be unsettling. The Elf showed back up yesterday.  I decided this year (thanks to the influences of Pinterest) that our Elf was going to be a little mischievous this year.  In years past, the Elf has been very well behaved, coquettishly sitting in well behaved areas.  This year . . . he's gone r...

Yesterday I was sitting in my classroom with my kids and just had to laugh, what else can you do? After lunch yesterday, my class was working on a sorting page.  There's a list of 12-15 words that we were supposed to sort into 3 different grocery departments.  So I am showing one of my girls that if she would cross out the words as she sorts them . . . it would get easier as she goes along.  So I get her started and turn to the girl on my left to get her focused and when I turn back, I realize the girl on my right has erased the words I crossed out, and recrossed them out- because the way I did it was . . .  not according to her standards?  Who knows.  So I watch her for a minute, really absorbing the fact that she is that particular about crossing out words in a list.  Meanwhile, I notice that the girl on the left has started sniffing me.  That's a new one.  My kids don't usually sniff me.  So I look...

1.  Why can't Andrew get it through his thick skull that Alexa does NOT want him to invade her space?!!!!  I attempted to have a rational discussion with him about it.  It went like this, "Andrew, why can't you understand that Alexa does NOT want you in her space?  Everytime you get within a foot of her- she literally screams at you."  Do you know what he said, "Well, I want her in my space."  Poor Andrew, he's just like his dad- a toucher.  And Alexa is just like me, she doesn't want anyone near her.  (which is why we're still struggling with biting- 3 months later.  The kids in her room just can't get it through their thick skulls- she doesn't want anyone in her space!!!!)  2.  This one is a real mystery.  Why did Andrew want to put the breading from his Chick Fil A nugget- in his shoe?!  Just try and come up with a logical explanation for that one. 

While many of you are probably getting your Christmas music fix on, I went old school and busted out my cd's from college.  For some reason the last several days I have been in the mood for Big Head Todd and the Monsters and Blues Traveler.  As I was blasting Big Head Todd's, "Sister Sweetly"  I started thinking back on my freshman year of college.  Then I started thinking how random to think of such a LONG time ago.  Then I started thinking how there are just some songs that you associate with certain people, events, or moments.  You will now realize I am a) even more random and weird then you originally realized and b) I clearly have a very bizarre range of music tastes.  1.  Michael Jackson's Thriller album.  Whenever I hear any song from that album I think of the girl who lived down the street from me when I lived in New Jersey.  I have no idea what her name is.  She wasn't part of my usual crew, she was sort of random. ...

I think I could get Alexa to eat just about anything: bugs, dirt, slugs, if I'm eating it, she wants it. Tonight, we went to Panera at Andrew's request.  I ordered her a grilled cheese and strawberry yogurt.  I should have ordered her a French Onion Soup and Roast Beef on Asiago because that's what she ate.  Andrew ate her grilled cheese and his.  What 16 month old eats French Onion Soup?  The same one that dips her nuggets in my caesar dressing, eats black beans like their going out of style,  and loves steamed broccoli.  The thing is, I don't really like to share my food, unless it's been predetermined and you order something that you intend to share with me as well.  Then by all means . . . I'll happily share, but only under those circumstances. I have a student that remembers things about myself and the classroom assistants and will randomly come up to you and repeat the thing he remembers- often.  So for one of the assistants he re...

I have a student that has a personality characteristic that is not generally accepted among . . . well any society, but particularly polite society.  However, whenever we try to . . . correct/change/reprimand his tendency he responds rather forcefully, "I'm a redneck and that's just the way it is!" The second part of that response, "That's Just The Way It Is" has become a bit of a catch phrase to my class.  It perfectly describes my stubborn self and . . . my stubborn son.  Today we enountered Andrew's stubborness yet again.  There is one situation and one situation only in which he is a total blockhead.  And when I say blockhead, I mean you might as well bash your head against a cement wall, because that's exactly what you're doing when Andrew has dug his heals in.  Clothes.  Since he was close to 3 he's been a complete blockhead about clothes.  When he was 3 all his classmates were wearing long sleeve shirts because it was cold.  No...

A friend of mine posted something on facebook this week about her crazy neighbor.  I bet you're thinking, "Wait, did I post something about . . .?" because we all have crazy neighbors.  Her post started me thinking about my other friends and their crazy neighbors and then I thought about my neighborhood and realized . . . I might be the crazy neighbor.  You would assume our crazy neighbor would be the dude who has shot at students doing burn outs in front of our house (they were excited that they figured out where we lived, and being stupid- as teenagers can be) and our dogs when I accidentally left the backyard gate open and they went for a romp around the neighborhood.  One might think it would be the dude who wears green, plaid, flannel pajama pants . . . all the time.  Or maybe it was the lady down the street who kept goats- in the city limits (I am pretty sure even Monroe doesn't allow farm animals within t...

Andrew's Nana and Poppy (that's Doug's parents) gave him a book called The Troublesome Cub .  It's such a cute book.  It's all about how this little bear cub slips away from his napping mama and finds a world of trouble.  I often find myself thinking how Alexa is . . . a bit troublesome.  The trouble is . . . she's a disaster waiting to happen!!!!!!!!!!! I thought Andrew was a disaster waiting to happen.  Yet again I realize, I had no idea how good I had it with him!  Yes, he played rowdy and jumped and climbed and slipped and fell, but . . . he had no one to show him daring feats that were not intended for his lack of age or development.  Alexa, who doesn't need anyone to show her daring feats, as she comes up with plenty on her own, has someone that does just that. Yesterday we discovered that she is able to climb up the playset ladder- all by herself!!!  That's almost 6 feet off the ground!  There are 3 openings in which she cou...

This weekend I am running my first half marathon (that's 13.1 miles).  I hope it's not my last.  I am clearly running the gamut on emotions.  Sunday I was so excited I could hardly stand it.  It was like Christmas, birthdays, and night before you went for your driver's license excited.  I can't wait to see if I can actually do this.  Monday I got nervous.  What if I had clocked my neighborhood wrong (and believe me- I've clocked it several times just to be sure.  I come up with the same number: 4.1 every time)?  What if the times I've thought I've run 7, 9, or even 10, I actually ran 3 or 4 miles less?!  So the most I've actually run is 6 miles?!  Today I am reflective.  See, I decided to do this on a whim.  Way back in June I started back really running.  When I signed up to do this Half Marathon, I was only able to run 2 miles, but my friend who signed up had another friend say the race course was flat.  No ...

I don't want to appall you, but this is the first year Andrew has gone legitimately trick or treating.  I know, I know.  He's 6 years old!  Seriously!!  He's gone out every year to trunk or treat events at churches, and last year we went to the fire department.  We've gone to fall festivals.  We've always had a reason to dress up in a costume.  However, last year I realized he was missing out on a vital Halloween experience: walking through dark streets, going to houses, and saying "Trick or Treat!!"  Tonight he got both experiences.  We hit up the Sun Valley HS Student Council Trunk or Treat, where Alexa shocked me by not only wearing her costume- with the head part on her head- but walked around and let people get close enough to her to put candy in her bag.  Then we came home, ate dinner, did homework, put Alexa to bed, and Andrew and I set out for some "serious" trick or treating!  What a disappointment.  We went to ...

In the last issue of my Parents magazine, there was an article about milestones you might forget to notice.  We've had 2 today. A last milestone: Alexa probably sat in her high chair for the last time today.  She's been gradually moving towards this for the last 2 weeks, but I just feel like this was it.  She ate some of her breakfast in her high chair and then demanded to get out and proceeded to finish her breakfast sitting in a regular chair at the table with Doug and I.  She did the same thing to me last night.  As she sat there with her little face barely higher than the table, swinging her legs, and content that she was doing what she wanted, Doug said, "Girl, you're too independent for you're own good!"  Ain't it the truth though?! A first milestone: Andrew and Lu-Lu are playing together.  Have been for the last 45 minutes.  They interacted a lot, but it's mostly Andrew chasing her or doing something t...

Remember way back in June, I posted a story about Doug and his FFA Alumnia Chapter sending a "basket" to the North Carolina State FFA Convention to compete, and they won, and were going on to compete in Indianapolis to compete on the National level?  Well- if you didn't there was that story in a nutshell. So they finally went to Indianapolis this past week and came home this evening bearing gifts for all (John Deere farm equipment toys for Andrew, a stuffed horsie for Alexa, and a very cool Vera tote for me).  We're so happy to have him home, I wonder if he's as happy to be home, as we are to have him?!  ;-)  Andrew- told me (although I think he was dillusional or something) on Wednesday that he couldn't wait for Dad to be home, because he's more fun than me.  I seriously cannot see how Doug could possibly be more fun than me.  I am a LOT of fun.  Just ask me- I'll tell you! Anyway- so he went.  And . . . the basket go...

We went to the park for an hour or so this afternoon with a friend of Andrew's.  The boys had a great time playing and Lu-Lu had a great time watching all the action.  And boy, was there a LOT of action!  The park was PACKED!  So we played for awhile and then attempted to feed the very aggressive geese, but . . . well you see how the boys reacted to that. running from the geese hanging . . . upside down scoping out the dog right before the geese began chasing us and Lu-Lu decided she needed to be up- and away from those geese! Only a mother knows, but at the beginning of this, when she's "peeking" around the pole- she's saying, "Heh-whoa!"  ("hello" in Lu-Lu talk)

I should tell you that I love Andrew playing t-ball.  Really any sport.  This morning on the way to the game, I was thinking how the weather was simply perfect for sitting on the t-ball field watching some cutie 4-6 year olds play ball.  It was cool, crisp, and the sky was the perfect shade of blue.  The only thing missing  . . . was the coach!  (Doug is returning from the FFA Convention in Indianapolis- that's in the next post).  Poor Doug he was so bummed to miss the last 3 games.  He even considered paying for the ipad to have it's Verizon connection- just to have the Skype set up and see the game in action.  (If you know Doug- you know he's pretty doggone cheap and that's a pretty desperate act for him.) As far as how Andrew did this season?  I think his spring 2011 season is the season where I saw the most growth in him as a player.  He figured out the game that season.  Don't get me wrong- this season was a go...

A friend recently posted that phrase describing her son's mood for the day.  When I read that, the heaven's opened and rays of sunshine cast down on me as I finally had a . . . term to describe Alexa!  And the security that I do not have the only child who does this . . . a lot. I generally am not too worried with what my neighbors think, but I wonder if they feel sorry for us, think we're totally crazy, or wish we'd move so that they wouldn't have to hear all her "Random, Intense Bouts of Screaming."  A few weekends ago we brought out the toddler sized riding vehicles for her.  They were handy-me-downs from Andrew.  He LOVED them.  Particularly the little John Deere gator.  I video taped him once riding it and pressing the same button over and over and over and over and over- and sent the video to my in laws so they could "enjoy" the sounds we kept hearing- since they were the ones who gave it to us.  But Andrew loved to sit on it a...

So I think my sweet son is trying to pull one over on me but  . . . it's so hard to tell! His school called me today at 12:30.  The secretary told me that he had a very low grade fever (99.2- which upon retrospect does NOT count), he was white as a sheet, and complained that his stomach hurt very badly.  Well, she said all the right words to me, so I told her I needed to get some things taken care of in my classroom and  I would be right there.  30 minutes later I show up to discover .  . . a boy that is definitely NOT sick, but doing a great, Oscar winning, job of looking pitiful.  I took him home because I did not want to be THAT mom that left her kid at school- only to have him puke all over the classroom 10 minutes later.  Plus, that might be a little hard on his psyche to have me show up, look him over, and send him back to class- the first time.  Next time I won't be quite as sensitive to his psyche.  So when we get hom...