The Latta Family

Alexa. Alexa. Alexa.  I tell you that girl is one independent thing.  At the beginning of the summer I was feeling quite frustrated with her because I hadn't figured out her "currency." I couldn't figure out how to get her to do what I wanted her to do!  I mean- I just give Andrew a look, throw a little guilt at him, and he's putty in my hands.  Alexa is a whole other ball of wax.  But I got her number now too.  I have to talk to her, explain my frustration or concern, ask how we can come to some sort of solution and then walk away.  And wait.  She almost always comes to me the following day or a few days later, and is willing to work out a solution- and usually has one.  I just have to be patient and appear  to let the whole thing be her idea.  For example I really needed her to stop sucking her fingers.  She's sucked them since she was a teeny baby.  When she was a baby I was so thankful for those fingers because sh...

I love to ride my bike.  I haven't ridden it in like 2 years.  Andrew and I used to ride our bikes around the neighborhood, at our old house.  Currently, we live in a small, two street, neighborhood. I do NOT want to leave my street and go ride on other nearby roads, as that feels like I'm just asking to get hit by a car.  Alas, I have not ridden much.  Plus, Andrew doesn't want to go ride bikes with his mom anymore.  He's too cool for that.  Alexa- up until 2 weeks ago- did not know how to ride a 2 wheeler.  GASP!!!!!  She hadn't really seemed all that interested in it, and if Alexa's not interested in something, it's not worth forcing it.  However- she decided she wanted a bike for her birthday.  I was kind of surprised, but if it was something she'd do outside, then sign her up!  The first lesson didn't go great.  It wasn't bad.  No trauma.  No falling.  But she didn't "get it" immediately, and wasn't su...