The Latta Family

Kids.  They're a total mystery.  You think you have a handle on them, everything is going just like it should, when out of a nowhere  . . . BAM!  Crisis!!!!! I assumed Alexa would be the difficult one.  The hard one.  The one that required more parenting. And she's certainly had her moments, but frankly when it comes to discipline. . . she's not all that hard.  I just have to tell her I'm disappointed and make a sad face at her and . . . "BLAHHHHHH"  it's tears, and throwing herself down on the nearest object (or floor) and then we kiss and hug and it's over- (I am fully prepared for this to change).  Not Andrew.  His has to build and build and build and then suddenly it all has to come to a ginormous head, and I have to be Psycho Mom, with my guns blazing, handing out over- the- top, harsh punishments. Here's the situation.  For the past year we've been dealing with Andrew not applying himself like he should and could in school...

I took Alexa with me on a walk.  I had originally planned for this to be a calorie burning walk, but I hadn't spent much time with her tonight, and so I brought her with me and the dog.  If listening to Alexa talk, burned calories, I could easily eat a guilt free ice cream sundae. Here are some of her reflections, in no particular order. 1. Gracie took care of her business pretty quickly into the walk.  Alexa exclaims, "Ewwww, Gracie's poop stinks!!!"  I said, "Well, Alexa- yours does too.  So does mine."  She says, "Yeah, Dad's and Andrew's does too.  You know, everybody (big gesture to the nearby houses) in our neighborhood has poop that stinks!" 2.  "Oh no!  This rock is away from it's family!"  So she picks up the rogue rock that has gotten away from "its family" and puts it back in the drive.  A few steps further and she says, "Oh!  This rock has gotten away from its family too!"  A few steps furt...

I think I've told you this before, but when I was younger (heck- she still does it, when my siblings are being particularly annoying- not me though- I am never  annoying) my mother used to say, "I hate kids!"  Now that I am a mother, I know what she really meant, "Doggone, aggravating, pain in my rear end- KIDS!!!!!" Alexa, Doug, and I finished off some cookies in secret- while poor, deprived Andrew slaved over his vocabulary sentences one evening not too long ago, I figured I owed him a treat (in fairness- he has no idea he missed out on the cookies- as it was done in secret).  So, when I ran to the grocery store for the 50th time that week, I picked him up a treat of his choice: a Hershey bar. Since I told him I hoped rats wouldn't eat his face off for leaving trash around his room recently, he's been doing a great job getting all his wrappers and trash up in his room.  Except tonight- instead of getting the Hershey bar wrapper in the trashcan- he ...

Hello.  My name is Kate.  I am a control freak.  Rigid, drill sergeant, unrelenting, uncompromising control freak. Only about the things I care about though.  Don't bother me with things I don't care about, because then I become overwhelmed, flustered, and irritated. Good luck figuring out what I care about and what I don't. The things I do care about, look out because it's my way or the highway. It's starting to be a problem though.  Thank God I can laugh at myself.  It doesn't stop me from being rigidly controlling, but I can laugh at myself about it- sort of. Here are some examples: 1. Last year at Christmas we were packing up and putting away the Christmas decorations.  We use a fake tree that sheds it's needles.  It's like having a real tree, without all the good smells.  Doug decided he was going to "help" me vacuum.  I, unfortunately, had a cruddy vacuum and there was a very specific way one must go about vacuuming.  First...

I'll share Doug's parenting wobble first.  That's just the kind of wife I am.  ;-) In case you are not aware- Doug is coaching Alexa's t-ball team this season.  Little anecdote about Alexa's t-ball prowess:  Her t-ball field is directly next to the softball field.  The softball teams have decided they need music to warm up.  The other night they were warming up, while Alexa's team was playing.  I looked over and she was dancing and singing so intently, she didn't notice the ball go right past her.  She didn't notice one of the other out fielders run up near her, get the ball, and throw it in. She had a game today.  Our association allows 2 coaches to be in the outfield with the players, to help keep them focused and "offer helpful suggestions, about how to handle a play."  Doug was in the outfield next to Alexa.  Around the 3rd inning, when it was our turn to go into the outfield, she says, "Mom- can't you come out there with me...

I discovered coffee a few weeks ago.  My dad and grandparents have always drunk it. My mom was a later on in life drinker (hahaha!! . . . that could be many things, but in this case, just coffee).  My brother and sister drink it.  I've always liked the smell of it.  I've always thought the idea of a toasty hot beverage was lovely, but then I tasted it, and P U K E!!!!!!  It was awful and gross and disgusting!  Oh sure, I could have done a cappuccino, frappuccino, or some other coffee confection- but if I was going to have a glorified milkshake, I might as well just have, well, a milkshake because I know I like those! People have suggested that I should drink coffee because I am NOT a morning person.  At all.  I can get up, get moving, and be productive- but do NOT try to interact with me.  I co-taught with a lady for a couple of years.  After 4 semesters of working together, we finally co-taught in the afternoon.  At the end of th...

Four years ago, I brought this baby to a t-ball field. I brought a stroller, a carrier, a diaper bag full of diapers, wipes, bottles, and formula.  I held her a lot.  I remember standing and rocking and holding her.  I also remember changing a lot of diapers.  Seven months later and a new t-ball season, I brought this cutie pie to the t-ball field: I think I brought a blanket, a diaper bag full of toys, puffs, diapers, and wipes.  I think I held her a lot and bounced.  Six months later, I brought this funny girl:  Time passed and I brought this girl, that would head butt the concrete, until her head bled, when she didn't get her way.  I brought a wagon full of toys, snacks, and entertainment, in addition to the diaper bag and all that gear.   Even more time passed, and we moved to a new field where her brother cried and struck out and said he'd never play again.  She thankfully had stopped head banging the concret...