The Latta Family

Doug's parents are very hard to buy for- as are most parents because they've gotten to that point in life, where they don't want much and what they want- they buy.  So, Doug's sister- a few years back- got a great idea for us to join together and buy them trips for Christmas.  Honestly- that was a genius plan!  It's way more fun to buy that then to fret over what to buy, is it cool enough, is it nice, do they want it, and on and on and on.  So this year we decided to send them to Charleston- since they've never been and to make it even better- we'd go with them!  Now some of you might be thinking- you gave them a trip in which you brought: a 5 year old, a 21 month old, and an 8 month old?  How's that a gift?  That sounds like the opposite of a gift.  Others of you might be thinking- oh that's nice to go and enjoy your children and grandchildren.  Whatever side you fall into- it doesn't matter- that's what we did and I think we all enjoyed our...

Before Doug and I had kids, dinner typically was eaten in the living room, in front of the tv, while I sat on the couch and Doug sat in the recliner, the only sounds came from utensils scaping on the dinner plate and the tv.  Then when Andrew started eating real food, we began to eat like a family: around the table, together, talking, eating, and enjoying one another's company.  Doesn't it sound lovely? Ah yes, a peaceful, family dinner.  hahahahaha  I can assure you they are definitely not that now. If one kid's not melting down, than the other is.  For example tonight. . . . Andrew vs. Transformers.  I should just hide this stupid toys (yep- that's right, I said stupid and I didn't even spell it) Everything seemed fine.  Doug and I were preparing dinner together and Alexa was sitting in her chair grunting and demanding more banana, puffs, whatever I would put in her mouth.  When suddenly . . . there was a high pitched scream of...

I must say, I like when my children's genius-ness is recognized by professionals- such as his teachers.  We got 2 really good notes last week!  Both were related to his reading. Last week reading started to really click with Andrew.  It's so weird how it really happened in one week.  I mean- he's been reading for awhile, but it's like all of a sudden he totally got it!  He was finding words everywhere- that he hadn't known but was now knowing.  It's so exciting!   The other thing I am totally excited about is we have moved on from picture books and now he and I can read chapter books!!!  We're currently reading the heck out of some Junie B. Jones books. 

Today's post is NOT child friendly- I repeat- NOT child friendly.  You are going to see that I am a 35 year old women with the mind of a 15 year old boy (I am my father's child, which means it is very unlikely I will ever grow up and mature- thank goodness!).  We are currently building a new, bigger, better, and more fabulous play set for Andrew and Alexa.  Well for some reason, building projects bring out my trashy side and the entire time we're working I feel compelled to make sexual innuendos.  Doug is clearly more mature than I am- and just rolls his eyes at practically all of my very witty comments. I mean honestly- it's so easy!  There are always lots of screw jokes and wood jokes.  For example- the other day I was having to use the drill (which I am not very good at) and I was supposed to be drilling quickly because Doug was holding a very heavy board.  However, I was giggling about having to screw fast.  Hahahahahahaha Well ...

I bet you have been anxiously checking the blog to see how my bribery attempts to get Andrew to eat turned out.  It hasn't been a complete bust.  At least last night he ate 7 mini ravioli's (with no sauce, of course) and a few broccoli florets.  (I mean- that's alot right?  Alexa, at 7 months old, ate 3.5 ravioli's, in addition to some strawberries, green beans, and puffs, - but I am super excited Andrew ate 7.  Really, I am just ecstatic.  Over the moon.) Since that's pretty much the most he all day- that was great.  The 4 bites of cheerios in the morning I am sure tided him over until lunch and the 1/4 of a sandwich he ate, and 1/2 of a strawberry definitely tided him over until his huge dinner.  I know kids go through stages.  I do- I promise.  This stage has gone on since this past spring.  This is a little more than a stage at this point.  This is a way of life for him- and not an entirely healthy way of life. ...

I bet you think this entry is going to be about Doug and that he sustained yet another head injury (the day after Doug proposed he hit his head and I had to take him to urgent care for staples. A year and a half later he had some clamp or something fall on his head- and I took him to the same urgent care, where we had the same nurse- and she remembered us!).  Or maybe you thought it would be about Andrew since he has come home twice in the last week with a goose egg on his forehead from where he has run into the same pole, on the same playground, in the same spot on his head?  Or maybe even Alexa- since she has also come home with 2 incident reports from school- both involving her hitting her head (perhaps if she didn't pitch herself backwards when she's throwing a fit- she wouldn't hit her head on the floor?  just a thought).  Head injuries is a Latta trademark.  However- this post is not about any of the above and it doesn't result in a head injury.  Your...

Since this is where we post all of the Latta Family News- I'll tell you we had an exciting milestone met today!  After getting up on all fours for a month- and rocking- Alexa finally took a few tentative . . . crawls today!!!!  While I am telling you about Alexa, I must tell you this. She's a strange girl!  She can play in her crib- by herself for 30 minutes- happily!  I discovered this by accident the other day.  She had gotten mad- and the only way to calm her down is to put her in her crib.  That's the only way she can calm down- that's weird too.  So I go back there about 3- 5 minutes later and she's sitting up (that's when I discovered she can get into a sitting position from laying down) and playing with her lovey and teddy bears- squealing and babbling to herself.  So I let her do that for awhile and then called my mother to ask if she was a freak.  My mother assurred me she wasn't- she just seems that way because Andrew is incapable...

So Day 1 has gone exceptionally well!!!! He ate: a strawberry at lunch!!!  And liked it.  Plus all of his cheese, ham, crackers, and applesauce.  Then he ate a snack: 1/2 an apple, cheesestick, 6 carrots, and some cheeze- its.  For dinner he ate: an entire pork chop!!!!  Some pieces of roasted potatoes, all of his broccoli, and a biscuit.  If this is because of bribery- I'll take it!!!!

There are two things in which we argue with Andrew the most.  1.  Television.  He would watch TV all day if I would let him.  Everyday it's the same question: "Can I watch . . . " and everyday it's the same answer, "No, you've already watched your show for the day."  And everyday it's the same response: "oooooh!!!!"- as he throws himself on the couch, floor, or any nearby object.  "You're the meanest parent!"  Sometimes I wonder whether if it's worth my struggles to be strict about TV.  However, I know what the research says, I know it's better for him to read, play outside, and be creative, but sometimes . . .  2.  Eating.  This is by far our biggest, longest running struggle with Andrew.  It's not only a struggle between us and Andrew, it's a struggle between Doug and I.  Looking back, I should not be surprised.  I've never had to worry about him eating things he shouldn't- he hasn't.  Alexa on...

Oh boy!!!  T-ball season starts tomorrow!  This is Andrew's third season playing.  I don't mind telling you he's definitely major league material.  Ok- perhaps I am biased- I mean I am his mother and I did provide him with all of his wordly athletic skills.  (yea right!  I played softball for my high school team and we didn't win ONE game my senior year.  And one time I was throwing the ball straight up into the air, trying to catch it- and missed catching it with my glove and caught it with my nose). Now, I love Andrew and I do think he's pretty doggone cute in his uniform:    But the real entertainment on the field ain't my son.  It's my husband.  Doug decided to help coach Andrew's team, for Andrew's second season.  Let me start out by saying- I don't feel like he's unkind or impatient with most of the kids (except for ONE particular kid- which I am sure you could guess which one that is).  And- as you...

Andrew is testing the waters with bad words, but not like you would think.  Suddenly out of nowhere he'll say, "I know a really bad word!  It starts with a ____."  So we finally convince him that it's ok to say this one word this one time and he won't get in trouble (we want to gage what he considers a bad word and then either make sure it's really a bad word or one not so bad.)  So for example the other night- "I know a really bad word!  It starts with a S H."  In my head, I'm like, "Oh sh- oops I mean, Oh great, I am going to have to be mature and not giggle when he says this word, but I can't do it.  I am an immature person and when he says this bad word at me I'll giggle.  That'll be the complete wrong reaction- then he'll think it's not such a bad word and he'll say it more- to get a similar reaction and then he'll say it to his friends and then they'll say it to their parents and the parents will want to...

So, let me begin this post by saying- I love my children- don't most mothers?  What's not to love?  They're cute, funny, loving, and in general wonderful. I made them (with a little help ;-)  However, sometimes . . . they are challenging.  Alexa particularly.  She started life colicky.  I had to take her to the doctor at 10 days old because she had goo coming out of her right eye.  I panicked- thinking "Oh My God!!! She's already got Andrew's affinity for ear infections!  She's only 10 days old!!!"  (If you don't know- Andrew's had 4 sets of tubes- in 4 years.  The first 2 sets happened within the first year of his life).  So I took her to the doctor- (just a weird tear duct thing that repaired itself) and said, "Oh yea- this kid cries a lot.  I didn't sign up for that kind of kid- can you take her back?"  Ok- no I didn't say all of that.  But I did say, "She cries a lot! What's the deal, doc?!"  Then he said . ....

Every family has rules.  They're a necessity for a smooth life.  They create a standard by which you live.  We only have 4 rules, but they must be followed or there are dire consequences to be suffered. 1. If you go to a store, for any reason, after dark, you must return home with chocolate.  No matter what.  (if you go to a store that does not have chocolate- like Lowe's- than you must stop at a store that does have chocolate) 2.  If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.  3.  No bottom smacking.  (What can I say- we like to "Good Game" each other.  I won't lie, this rule is the most inconsistently enforced.  Sometimes you just can't help yourself.  It's a compulsion.) 4.  No honking the horn at Andrew.  (sort of a random one huh?  Well, one day last spring we were frantically getting ready to go to a t-ball game and as Andrew dashed in front of Doug's truck, holding his socks and cl...

I won't lie- I am actually not the author of this post.  This post is actually penned by Andrew's teacher.  It is an email, telling me something that Andrew said today (at Doug's expense) that just makes me giggle everytime I even think about it.  I just love this kid.  Before you read it- here's a little background on it.  This week in Andrew's class, to celebrate "Read Across America," they have had mystery readers come in a couple of times a day (I am the mystery reader tomorrow- reading "Green Eggs and Ham!") usually it's parents, but today it was not- so with no further ado- here's the email: I was trying to let the kids to guess who our mystery reader was today.....it has been parents so far, so naturally they were guessing all parents. So I said I'll give you a hint...."This mystery reader loves to read"....kids continued naming parents.....I said I'll give you another hint......"this mystery reader loves ...

You were probably wondering what was up, poor Alexa has only been briefly mentioned. I mean jeez- yeah she's just the second kid and automatically has less pictures, and attention and a harder life- but to totally diss her on the blog?  That's just straight up wrong. I'll make her the star of my post today- and right the error of this way (not all of my ways- that would take too long).  Besides, as I mentioned, she is currently the cutest Latta- and deserves a bigger shout out.  Not that Andrew isn't cute- he is, but . . . he's a 5 year old and has exceptionally boney legs and frequently has crud under his finger nails.  Besides- he got his time in the sun when I admitted he manipulated me.  So here's all there is to know about Alexa.  Isn't she cute as pie?! 1. She's busy.  Her nickname is "Busy Bee."  She's practically impossible to hold because she's constantly moving, twisting, turning, and craning her n...