Baby Tongue Jumping Jacks

Faith had all of us in stitches tonight, and I just had to share the video clip. Normally, Faith has an aversion to being spoon fed, rarely staying still for 1/3 of a jar of food. But this evening, she mowed down an entire jar of breakfast for dinner, "Apples and Bananas Mixed with Cereal".

Her reaction to the delightful sweet taste is priceless.

Running To Catch Up

It seems almost impossible to have the stamina to blog lately. And as the days pass, I feel more and more overwhelmed with all of the content I haven't blogged about. The missed vacations, more birthdays, the new milestones. It all keeps piling up! ACK!

Over the course of the next few days, I'll try to blog backwards, placing all events in the proper order. So my suggestion to you, is to scroll down, rather than up for the most recent content getting added at a snails pace.

Three Ways to Give Thanks

What a difference a day makes. The next morning was gorgeous and warm, with not a single cloud in the sky. Faith took advantage of the weather change and decided that all human beings should arise with the morning dawn while staying at the grandparents' house.


Perfect weather could only mean three things...tractors, paintball and an awesome turkey dinner.


Grandpa A. has a reputation for babying his tractor. The tractor resides in the garage - not the family cars. Grandpa's favorite hobby? Driving a tractor. The children had a wild time taking turns riding the tractor. It was enough for Grace to sit on Grandpa's lap, (too nervous to take the wheel), while Jack was in complete driver's heaven zig zagging with enthusiastic over corrections (he might have the Adams tractor gene).


Ken was invited to an on site paintball match with Uncle Jacob and his friend. This apparently is serious stuff folks. We discovered Uncle Jacob has a past time of his own...digging giant trenches. Ken wore a fresh pair of Grandpa A.'s Marine fatigues (which wigged Mom out a little). But what a beautiful father, son shot this is (post paint war).


Grandma did an unbelievable job of putting together a jaw dropping spread during the day: juicy perfect turkey, stuffing, waldorf salad, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, apple pie and pumpkin pie. It was a tasty ending to a happy day with family.

The Macy's Day Parade

It was a valiant effort. Despite continued winds and rain, most of the crew headed out in the morning to witness the one and only Macy's Day Parade. Faith had impeccable timing and decided that it would be a perfect morning to catch up on a good snooze indoors (Mom didn't put up a fight).

Meanwhile, the men buckled down and launched children on their shoulders for a better view, Grandma fended off rude Italian ladies armed with cameras and Jacob and Rachel blew bubbles to distract any child at ground level.


The crew returned back to the hotel in wet waves. Airing out in the hotel room and electing to watch the rest of the parade in front of a TV screen. Faith slept through the entire parade. Smart girl.

And so it was...home again, home again...good bye exciting and cold New York....hello peaceful and warm Asbury, New Jersey.

Planes, Ferries and Subways

This Thanksgiving, we hopped aboard a "New Jersey Plane" (as Jack would say) and headed out to the small quaint town of Asbury to visit Grandma and Grandpa A. But before we could enjoy quaint, the grandparents thought we'd hit something a little more grand. After an evening to recover from our flight into New Jersey, Grandpa A. and the Knucker Hatch clan headed toward the Big Apple in the mini van. The day was rainy, cold and overcast, but the children's excitement over their adventure kept things cheerful.

The first "new" mode of transporation to experience was the Staten Island Ferry. The children went out on the deck with Dad to endure a chill wind at the front of the boat, and snap a picture.

Meanwhile, Faith (donned in her super puffy fuzzy suit) and Mom stuck to indoors, preferring to keep an eye on the simmering melting pot.

As soon as our feet hit dry ground, we were off to ride the next new form of transportation...the delightful subway. The subway ride took us a short jaunt away from Radio City Music Hall. Miss Faith, was a complete champ, but exhausted. She slept sucking wind while wrapped on my back as we all trapsed through wind and the rain the last few blocks to arrive just in time to be entreated to The Rockette Christmas Show.


Grace loved the orchestra and Jack, to some poor soul's chagrin, couldn't seem to remove his chin off the back rest in front of him. After a cat nap, Faith had other plans, finding it more entertaining to crawl around the corridors and flirt with security.

With all the travel and entertainment, satiating an appetite was in order. We met up with Grandma A. and Aunt Rachel and Uncle Jacob for a feast at Bubba Gumps.



And since the night was still young (for the youth at least), we visited the giant Toys 'R Us near Times Square. Grace picked out a new "My Little Pony" and Jack landed his mits on his first GIJoe toy laser gun with about 25 different laser-y sounds. I can't recall if that was before or after he side swiped a lady with a stroller on the escalator and proceeded to wipe out, forcing the lady to exit the escalator over the top of him with the stroller. But I digress...

That night, every single one of the Knucker Hatches was in bed by 8:30pm.

9 Months In The Womb...Nine Months Out

Faith has strolled into a major milestone...nine months!! Don't tell the other two kids, but Ken and I both agree that she is so stinkin' cute she pretty much gets everything she wants. And I mean, everything! Aren't kids supposed to be less spoiled the further down the birth order they fall? This toothless wonder, bucks just about every trend in the book.