First off, we are disappointed in all of you. You didn't bug us for an update! We had to remember to do it on our own, and thankfully we are dependable people! No, seriously, we can't be mad at you, as I am sure if this went on much longer, we would have been flooded with emails asking for the all important update. Just to warn you, this is a long 12 page document today, so sit down, relax, get a pillow, whatever, for you will be here awhile.
Well many of you know that we at the Wilkin household no longer have cable (and haven't had it for a long while). We really didn't watch cable much, so it just didn't seem necessary to be paying the money for maybe 5-7 hours of watching. So we decided to use Netflix Streaming (we did have the DVDs and Streaming when it was both for 12 dollars).
At the beginning of March, Netflix removed Sesame Street from their Instant Streaming, then they brought it back, then removed it, and back, and off, etc. We got annoyed. Sesame Street was Brianne's all time favorite show, until VeggieTales. While Netflix was trying to make up its' mind, we gave VeggieTales a try again with Brianne and she is now hooked. We like to think of it as a blessing in disguise, as VeggieTales is definitely a great show (not that Sesame Street isn't). So we now happily employ a Sesame Street and a VeggieTales viewing in the Wilkin household which caters to Education and Biblical learning all for the low cost of 7.99 a month. We love it (Thank you Netflix)!
We have only been watching VeggieTales for a week or so, and Brianne is already singing the theme song (or at least trying). It is the cutest thing. Everything ends in "smile" though, albeit, that is correct once, the second time though it is technically "aisle", but who cares?! Smile is just as good as anything.
Speaking of her singing, her vocabulary is expanding too. Lately she is on the kick of saying "This is delicious" after eating a food she enjoyed (sometime imaginary ones too!). It's quite funny to see her put a plastic spoon in her mouth (with nothing on it) and then go "mmm... this is delicious!" Where she comes up with these things, I haven't a clue. But this only confirms that the best reality TV show is here in the Wilkin home, so come over CBS, ABC, NBC, we are ready to sign a multi-million dollar deal any day now (okay, okay, half a million?).
Along with her new vocabulary, she has learned Mommy and Daddy's real names. Yes, I know what you are thinking, Mommy and Daddy must have gotten in trouble this past month a lot! Of course, you are correct, why else would our real names come to light? Erm Hrm... Elijah, now it's time for you to step forward and confess of your sin! Okay, Okay, I'll do it for you, after all, I'm an Angel. :) It all started when Elijah asked if he could spend the weekend in our tiny abode (seriously, our apartment is tiny), but over the weekend he must have talked to us non-stop because it didn't take long for Brianne to catch on that he was getting our attention by calling us Kami and Matt and thus she started to as well.
Now let me tell you how difficult it is to not laugh when Kami is calling for me across the apartment, and then you hear a sweet voice yelling "Matt, Matt, Wheeere arre youuu". How you are supposed to correct that without laughing is still unknown to me, especially when you are getting ready to leave for church.
Finding a church that we could get plugged in to so quickly has been such a blessing (they even have a Moms Bible Study that meets twice a year for 10 weeks). However, Brianne was struggling. She did not like her classroom at church, until we started attending on Saturdays. It seems Saturday nights are 100% Brianne approved. She now happily walks, no struts, into her classroom on her own. Last week when we went to pick her up, she was sitting against the wall with three other girls just chatting away, it was SO CUTE!
At a prior Saturday night service, the class made prayer chain bands (paper bands that have what you want to pray for on them). She asked to pray for Mommy and Daddy (aww; how sweet, right? or is she saying we need it...hmm).
Following the Saturday night service, we start to get Brianne ready for bed (as we get home a little after 7:15). Now at bedtime we have a routine down to a science. We read 3 books (a bible story, and then 2 other books), say a prayer, and then usually we give her kisses and leave, coming back to her crying or asking for us. Lately however, she has taken to bedtime like a champ. After the 3 books one night, she decided she was going to say the prayer. To this day, Kami nor I have any idea what she said, but God does, and that is all that matters to us. Then after her prayer, she gave us hugs and kisses (she initiated it!) and then said "bye, bye" shooing out us the door. That made our night and to say the least, I was stunned for a good half hour (Kami can verify that). Of course, 5 minutes later we hear, "Mommy, pee pee".
Now, we have been trying to potty train Brianne for the past 2 months without any success. For a while, including that night, she was telling us after the fact (which is at least something), but now we are back to no notification at all. If you have any potty training tips, send them our way! We desperately want her out of diapers before the baby is born, but that doesn't look like it will happen unfortunately.
As another month goes by we begin to wonder what Brianne still thinks of the upcoming addition to our family. She still loves him! She will occasionally tug on Mommy's shirt so she can see and kiss her tummy followed by saying "I love you!" Now, whether or not that continues after the baby is born, is yet to be seen.
With the mild winter we have been having (temperatures barely touching freezing), Brianne created several drawings and paintings. Mommy has been very creative and has started to cut the large paintings and drawings into cards that we can send as Thank You's and so forth. The response to them has been great and we are constantly receiving compliments on them. Kudos to Mommy and Brianne, such an artistic duo!
Although the winter has been rather mild, Brianne did end up contracting a double ear infection, with the one ear never healing (finally got that taken care of about two weeks ago), and now hand-foot-mouth disease, which will last 3-7 days. Unfortunately, since it is a viral disease, no antibiotic can treat it (which wouldn't matter anyway, since Brianne is allergic to all of the antibiotics they use to treat typical ailments for infants).
Then the winter weather quickly turned warm and we have been enjoying the 50's, 60's, and 70 degree weather. Last weekend we decided to take Brianne to one of the many parks. Let's just say, Brianne loves the slides! She did not want to go home after playing for over an hour. We can't wait till we get to do that again.
Along with loving the outdoors, Brianne loves to mimic whatever Mommy and Daddy are doing. From how we sit, to the fact that Daddy works on the computer, etc. Brianne likes to sit in Daddy's computer chair and tap on the keys on the keyboard (thankfully Daddy is good at locking his computer, otherwise, who knows what kind of damage she could do).
We also want to inform everyone that Brianne's egg allergy is back with a vengeance. We were doing quite well in that she could occasionally eat something made with egg and have no reaction, but now the slightest indication of egg causes an outbreak (and maybe peanuts/tree nuts -- still trying to figure that one out). From the doctor, a peanut allergy is the worst you can have, and eggs are a close second place. There is a good chance, Brianne is allergic to both as we have tried a few chocolate covered marshmellows on her recently that state they were made in a plant that also uses tree nuts and peanuts, and she broke out (so if you buy food related items for Brianne, make sure it does not have any egg or nuts in the ingredients and does not potentially contain traces of egg or nuts).
Well, next time we will likely have a new addition to our family so I might be a bit late on the update, but I think you will all understand. Then again, I did give you a hard time earlier about that (except you all probably forgot that by now :-P).
Love,
Matt, Kami, Brianne, and Baby Wilkin