The Latta Family

This past week, Alexa was at Girl Scout Camp from 8:00- 5:30 everyday.  Doug was in Raleigh for several days, so Andrew and I got lots of time together.  I don't get as much one on one time with him.  He's busy and wants to follow along with Doug because as I am told often, "Dad is lit.. . . you are too Mom, just in a different way."  It doesn't hurt my feelings.  I want him to like Doug and follow him around.  Sometimes I want this because Doug's a fairly good role model.  Sometimes I want this because Andrew is a 12 year old male.  Enough said. But- it was just me and Andrew this week.  We do totally different things than Alexa and I.  He and I went to the Aquatic Center (which is like a YMCA).  I swam laps, and he played basketball.  We attempted racquetball. In case you weren't sure- we weren't all that good, but we had a super fun time. We went out to eat a LOT.  I love going out to eat with Andrew.  He's the m...

Sweet Alexa.  Sweet, sweet Alexa.  She about broke my heart on Monday.  Like in a million pieces. She is going to Girl Scout Camp this week.  She and a friend from her troop.  This is a really big deal- and she doesn't even realize it.  This is the first thing she has done completely without Doug, me, or Andrew.  When she went to daycare . . . Andrew paved the way for her.  Her teachers and directors KNEW us.  When she went to dance, I sat in the lobby on the other side of the door.  She had a friend in her class.  The owner of the studio had volunteered at my school, and her children went through my school, a friend taught lessons there, other friends had children dance at that studio. I KNEW it.   When she played t-ball- she played because that's what Andrew did.  Doug coached her team.  I was the dugout mom.  When she went to kindergarten, Andrew was at school with her, and he had again paved the way for her...

I recently made it possible for Alexa to use the text messaging option on her ipad.  She's a texting maniac.  "Where are you?"  "I love you!" "I miss you"  She sends my mother and a long time family friend texts.  (No worries . . . I monitor this and Andrew's texts- and she can't initiate contact with people that I have not set up for her). Keep this in mind.  Alexa, a young student.  She just completed first grade and yet, is a FAR better texter than her brother.  Andrew texts me as though he's a male.  Oh. Wait.  He is.  In every possible way, Andrew is male.  I get the most aggravating texts from him.  The other day he went to Carowinds with friends. I was trying to find out when or even if I should pick him up from the friend. This is our text exchange (in case you are unsure- I'm the blue boxes, and Andrew is the grey): How is a person supposed to determine what the heck I was supposed to do?  Alexa was with...

I won't lie, I am totally spoiled during the school year.  I rarely take both of my kids with me- at the same time- to a store; unless Doug is with me.  I typically run errands after school and either pick up Alexa and go, or take Andrew with me, and Doug will pick up Alexa and go home.  When I need to go to the grocery store, I go before they get up Saturday morning, make Doug go, or shop on-line.  I forget what it's like to take them to the store together, without my parenting partner.  It's like childbirth: it's equally as painful, and I won't remember by tomorrow how horrible it is. Today we went to Target and the grocery store.  I needed 5 things at Target and like 3 things at the grocery store.  It SHOULD have been the type of errand that didn't take us long, or reduce me to the mom I have seen and think, "Lady- I feel ya- and thankfully I only have one kid with me right now!" And yet . . .  as we're walking up the main aisle on the way OU...