sweet Avonlea's blessed day

Blessing a new baby is always such a neat, nerve racking and busy experience, and preparing for Avonlea's was all of those. And perhaps more. It was our last one. I needed everything to be perfect.








Perfect dress, perfect luncheon, the kids all on their perfectly best behavior, the weather needed to be perfect. Everything. So to make it that way, I spent hours working on her dress and blanket. We carefully planned the menu for the luncheon (although it was more a dinner since our sacrament ends at 3:30 in the afternoon), we sent out the announcements, cleaned the house, the clothes were coordinated, ironed and ready.




Olivia, Avonlea and I all had matching bracelets, and matching hair bows for the girls. The boys all in their black dress pants and shoes, with white church shirts and ties. And John always looks so handsome in a suit. The food was bought and prepared and the RSVP list long - a possibility of 82 people!



So did it turn out perfect? No. Matthew and Jacob both came down with ear infections which were draining out their tear ducts, and they looked awful. Olivia had pneumonia in both lungs and ear infections, and she felt awful. I completely lost my voice. And because the kids were sick, I spent extra time taking care of them and the house no longer sparkled like I wanted it to. The gravy for the hawaiian haystacks didn't thicken. I forgot the butter for the rolls, the salt and pepper, and although we had cups to drink from, I forgot the drink and ice. But those are the minor things and our family rolls with the punches. No one seemed to care that there was no ice and we found pitchers at the civic center and served water.





The important things were perfect. The family all came. An impressive 12 honorable priesthood holders stood to give Avonlea her blessing. And it was beautiful! Avonlea was perfect, never made a sound even though she was hungry. She slept quietly as though she knew how important this day was. She was blessed to be close to her brothers and sister, to develop a close friendship with them and help each other, as there is strength in family. She was blessed to listen to her parents,, to choose the right, follow the commandments and to be obedient with a desire to do what is right. She was blessed to choose good friends and to be a good friend to which others will come to for love and strength. "Blessed to recognize the goodness, strength and beauty of your mother, whom you are named for, and to be like her in many ways". She was also told to seek education, wisdom and knowledge and to recognize the importance of these things, to strive to do her best in all things, and of course to marry a righteous "brother" in the temple. There was such a sweet spirit as that blessing was given! John made sure I saw him hold Avonlea up at the end of the blessing as is tradition, and I appreciated that. Our last baby blessed. I hope to hold that image forever as John lifted her up and smiled. So sweet!
So in the end it wasn't all perfect, but the important things were. The important things still are. Family is together, the gospel is true and we have blessings that I wouldn't trade for anything. It was a perfect day!

Easter Party with the Jenkins Family

We so enjoy the traditional Easter egg hunt at Grandma and Grandpa's house. The weather was beautiful, the eggs were plentiful, and the golden egg was well hidden. Lynette brought a parachute to play with, and it was definitely a highlight. We also met the new twins Aaron and Carly and had lots of fun with so many babies to pass around. It was a great day!
Oh, and apologies to Carly for the punches to the face. I'm sure it won't be the last fight between these two!

Avonlea at 1 month!

Avonlea is one month old! Where does the time go? Faster and faster with each child, I tell you! She is sleeping between two and four hours at a time at night and all day long except for nursings every two hours. She can hold her head up really well now, has started smiling at us, and at her two week appointment, she weighed 7 lbs 3 oz! Lost weight down to 5lbs 8 oz in the hospital, and then gained it back PLUS 1 pound by two weeks! Way to go Baby Girl! Just don't grow up TOO fast!

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.