If you don't turn in the assignments regularly and on time you aren't keeping up with the course. Doing several overdue assignments late at night one weekend doesn't keep you involved in the course and isn't usually a good way to learn. The solutions to assignments will be made available at the time they are due. Therefore you can't be graded on an assignment submitted after that time. I expect you to keep up with your work, but I can be convinced that you had justifiable reasons not to be able to finish an assignment on time.
Alternates are never easier than the original assignment.
Because you haven't had the practice of doing the work, and because many assignments assume mastery of previous assignments, you will find the next assignment harder if you haven't done the previous one. I expect to give about 10 graded assignments and will drop your three or four lowest grades. Those numbers are estimates based on previous experience. I vary my instruction as the course goes along in response to what is happening, what I'm learning about you and new ideas that I have. Sometimes I choose to give easier but more frequent assignments, sometimes I offer a really challenging assignment.