Happy Valentines Day!

Valentine Pictures. Nothing says love like a family!

Happy Birthday Matty!

Matthew is turning 4! When did this happen? He was just a baby! This year went particularly fast as we prepared for a new baby. And because of that, I spent January preparing for his birthday. Lightening McQueen or as he says it "Lightening B'Queen" theme for this year! I had promised him for months that he could have a pinata (if you know Matthew, then you know that nothing makes him more happy than sports, and hitting a pinata with a bat qualifies in his book), and we had seen them in the store all last summer, but as his birthday drew near, no Lightening McQueen pinatas existed anymore. Only on the internet, and they were at least $25 dollars, and then a 10 - 20 dollar charge to ship it in time for his birthday. So we improvised as money often dictates, and we made one. A free cardboard box and then we glued on two rolls of crepe paper from the dollar store, added a paper Lightening McQueen placemat ($1) and tied a ribbon through a hole in the top - reinforced with packing tape, again $1! So for a total of three dollars, we made a pinata that was WAY better than the ones you buy! I was soooo impressed! Matty received several Buzz Lightyear toys, basketball clothes-since that is all he will wear, a playmobil pirate ship, some books, hot wheels cars, and a big boy bed! He was so funny as always, and didn't seem to mind having people pay attention to his new baby sister. Of course he enjoyed his pinata best of all! Happy, happy birthday Matthew!

Princess Avonlea

She has arrived! Born on February 3, 2010. She weighed 6 lbs and 2.8, oh, let's round it up to 3, ounces! She measures 19 inches long and looks just like our kids, with soft brown curly hair, tiny, delicate features and skinny little fingers and toes. We have chosen her name as a sort of tribute to the favorite stories of Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables. Her name is pronounced Av-un-lee with a soft "A" sound as in "at". And the lea part is like sea, tea, and pea. John insisted on giving her my middle name as hers. So it is with our greatest pleasure we present: Avonlea Marie Jenkins, our final installment in the John and Alicia Jenkins children quintology. Let the confetti fly!

This is it.

Only two days, two very short, but very far away days until we become the parents of five children. Are we ready? No. But yes. Everything is set up: bassinet is put together and waiting in our room. The little pink and fluffy clothes are washed and stacked neatly in the cupboard. Diapers, check. Binkis, check. Blankets, check. Carseat is installed in the car. The kids have counted down and can hardly wait, and I only have two more miserable nights left. But at the same time, it is bitter sweet. Never again will I feel that overwhelming sense of...being overwhelmed when I see that test stick show two lines. Never again will I feel that first bubbly sensation of a new little person stirring to life within me. This is the last time for those moments of "ouch" as a tiny person has filled up all the space I offer and is stretching for just a bit more room. No more doctor appointments and hearing that ever so reassuring sound of a heart beat that gets me through until the next visit. I'm done with worrying about "how are we going to support ANOTHER one?". And then this is the last time I will anticipate meeting that special new person. There is something so special about that, finally getting to hold that sweet little baby, and not just any baby, but one that we created. This is the last time we will make an early morning trek to the hospital when the air is cool and the darkness is peaceful. We will be nervous as we walk across the parking lot. John always holds my hand tightly and squeezes it reassuringly, hospital bag clutched tightly in his equally just as nervous other hand. The nurses will never again smile at us with that air of excited congratulations they always have as they greet us when we arrive. This is the last time I will have everyone's attention focused on me as I take center stage in such an important event as bringing a new sweet spirit to this world. The kind hospital staff standing over me as they ask questions and get everything ready for this baby. I am sad to know that this is the last time I will hold my breath for that highly anticipated moment as I wait for this precious child to take her first breath and reassure me that all is well with those irreplaceable, beautiful cries! And then that first glimpse of that squalling little one, still wet, and yet so incredibly beautiful and fall completely in love with her at that very first sight. All the staff saying "Congratulations Mom and Dad!" Oh how we waited for those words, and now this is it. Never again. It is so hard to wait to see our sweet new baby as she is wisked off to be checked and cleaned and I remain behind. Those minutes are long until I am in the recovery room and I watch for the curtain to be pulled back and the little nursery bed wheeled in with the tiny person I most want to be with in the world, pushed into the room by the person I most love in the world. This is the last time I will be greeted by the smile John always wears at that moment and he hands me our new baby and leans down to kiss me as he whispers "You did a great job. He/She's beautiful."
This is it, the last time I will give that very first feeding to my sweet little one. I so look forward to that first time, it is almost a craving, taking that baby into my arms and beginning that relationship a nursing mother has with her children that no one else can give them. And then there are the first nights. The nurses always ask if I want them to keep the baby in the nursery at night and feed her a bottle. But I never do. Those nights are some of my favorite. Sleeping quietly in the darkness and yet still somewhat alert. Listening, listening for the sound of my new baby. I will already know her cry from the other mother's babies. And then the door will slowly open, letting the light from the hall softly fill the room as she is brought in, squirming and crying and needing me. It's the last time I will sit there in that soft hospital light and feed my newborn. The last time I will snuggle her into the early morning hours and watch the sun come up and light the room with a dim soft light and I will have no where to go but just to sit there and look into those sleepy eyes and get to know her. Am I ready for it? Oh yes! And yet no. As much as I want to meet her, to have comfortable nights again, to be able to breathe again and walk without pain again, I'm still somber that it is the last time. But I have found comfort in that this is our last child. We feel complete. Olivia told us she had a sister, and now she will be here. Our family is all here now. I am at peace with it. This is it.

Our Disneyland Trip

So this was last March, but we had so much fun that I want to preserve the memories! It's one of those possible once in a lifetime things. Such a dream come true! So glad we took this trip!


Goofy's kitchen was a bit of an expensive breakfast, but so relaxing and enjoyable to sit and have the kids eating and entertained while the characters came to them. We had a great time and agree that it was worth the money. We would definitely do it again!

Spencer informed us at the start of the trip that the characters were not real. They were just people dressed up. But despite his discovery, he had a really fun time. He was just as excited about autographs as the other two, and it was so good to see him smile!! Matty literally bounced everywhere we went. He climbed through the barriers, flower beds and line queues. He wasn't being naughty, just Matthew. His curiosity pulled him and it didn't occur to him that those barricades were for him! We definitely got our work out keeping up with him!


John and I spent our 12th anniversary together by sending the kids back to the hotel early with Grandma, and enjoyed a romantic dinner by the "riverside" at the Blue Bayou restaurant, overlooking the relaxing waterway entrance to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. We had spent our honeymoon here, and it was so romantic to celebrate our anniversary in the same place. If you ask John what his favorite part of our trip was, he will tell you it was running hand in hand through the park to make our dinner reservation, and then closing out the night by watching the fantastic fireworks show snuggled in each others arms. They even gave us buttons that said "Celebrating our Anniversary" to wear. But nobody could believe we had

been married for 12 years! I guess we still look so young! Disney is incredible at creating magic, memories and romance. They are masters at what they do!

Of course there were the princesses! Olivia insisted on wearing her princess dresses everyday in case she met one. And she was in heaven as the "cast members" aka ride operators and shop keepers called her "princess" every where we went. Even Matthew who wouldn't have a thing to do with anything "girly" absolutely fell for Cinderella!

We loved the parade, the music, the shows and the atmosphere! Our favorite rides were Pirates, Buzz Lightyear-which Matthew just knew Buzz was real and talking to him! We rode this ride many, many times!, Toy Story Mania, Indiana Jones, California Screaming, and Soarin', plus a bunch of others!

We had a great time! And as they say in the song, "When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true!" Our dreams did come true! And if wishes have anything to do with it, we will be going back again someday because this is the wish our kids make more than any other!!