Stagecoach Days!

The City of Wyoming Stagecoach Days was tons of fun! The Engstroms on East Viking walked down the street about two blocks and ate fair food, rode some rides, drank some beer, listened to music, but we didn't have to use the "port-a-potties" - we just walked the two blocks back home!

Other highlights: gunfight at the empty lot 3 doors down, historic exhibit at the library (the swamp behind us has always been a swamp, and we reside in what used to be Wahlgren's Woods), and trying out Minnesota's new apple variety, the Zestar - supposedly the sweetest apple in existence.

The day ended with a fireworks display at Goodview Park, where Matt, Carolyn, CC, Andy, Shurene, and Kaylee piled into the back of Matt's pickup with blankets, popcorn and pop and watched the fireworks from only about 100 yards away. The truck thrummed with every boom, and the grand finale was something to see, hear and feel so close. CC didn't really like the noise, but managed to clap her hands inbetween whines.

After the show we came back to Matt's house and had a bonfire. It was a great day.

Cecilia's Homecoming Anniversary/B-Day Party

We had a great time on Saturday celebrating Cecilia's 1st Homecoming Anniversary. Cecilia was great - she had lots of fun with everyone and didn't cry for Daddy once! (well, she did when I was getting her bottle ready, but that was more of a "c'mon Dad, where are you going now, can't you see I'm hungry" cry) When she finally remembered that she needed to take a nap, she even slept on shoulders she had never seen/smelled/touched before. She was pretty tired by the end of the day, but even then she still had to be reminded that it was sleepy-time. She's a go-getter, that's for sure!

Hope everyone had a good time.

One Year Pics

Like the last round, click here to get to the website where you can purchase photos if you'd like. Sitting Number: 589005425, Sitting Code: AAD335B. We did get quite a few prints this time and plan to send them/give them to family and friends.

Hopefully I'll have some time to post CC's birthday and 1st Easter pics soon.

Cranio-Cap Scan and Valentine's Day

We had CC's surgery follow-up appointment on Feb. 12 - everything is looking good! The stitches are starting to fall out, and it looks like the swelling is gone - you can see the plates beneath the skin at her temples now!

After the quick follow-up appointment, we had CC's head scanned so they can fit her for a Cranio-Cap - the helmet will help her head grow into a normal shape - specifically there is a spot on the back of her skull that is flat and wasn't able to grow right due to her craniosynotosis. Dr. Wood usually did not encourage a decision either way for the helment, but because she had surgery, the cap makes sure everything works out right. Given the fact that this all started with an appointment to see if she needed a helmet in December, we were ready and waiting for this!

Here are some pics of CC getting scanned - she looked like a little albino monkey!

Playing with Mommy's ID Badge

"Yes yes yes, it's so funny I look like a monkey!"

"Don't tell me she's sneaking up behind me!"

"Stay on target! Stay on target!"

"Frodo, get down! The Eye sees you!"

Two days later, Daddy sent Mommy a message on her cell phone. CC says, "Happy Valentine's Day!"

Pre-op Photos!

Recently we got our pictures from CC's sitting at Babies R Us two days before her surgery - CC was just the best little kid in the world (in Daddy's humble opinion) and the photographers all gathered around to look at the pictures and select the best one to enter in the contest - they had a hard time choosing!

Here are the pics:





We would love to be able to send pictures to all our family and friends that have been so supportive during this time, but with my current job as Mr. Mom, that just really isn't financially feasible. Fortunately, you can order photos if you'd like here. It's very reasonable.

The sitting number is 589004882 and the sitting code is W2AX274. You'll have to create an account in the next step, and then you can manipulate the photos, crop, zoom in, etc. and create your own favorite photo of CC.

It was great to have such a fun sitting, with CC so smiley, to document how CC looked before the surgery, because she'll never look like this again! I guess we could say that these photos are CC version 1.0 and now she's version 1.1 or something.

Cecilia's doing great!

This is a new blog, for family-only updates and things of that nature. I didn't want to mix and match family updates and pictures with the controversial ideas of my other blog located here.

Cecilia is recovering very well, and is basically back to the happy kid she was before the surgery. Thank you all for all your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time (actually difficult year now). Cecilia's Caringbridge website has some pictures and details the story, if you're interested.

Here's the most recent pics of CC:

Carolyn passed her second of two tests! Woo-hoo! Promotion is on the way!

Matt is still doing the Mr. Mom thing, and has a book idea in the works.

Matt and Andy went to the Republican Caucus last night and voted in the meaningless straw poll. We, along with Carolyn, are also going to be delegates at the Chisago County BPOU meeting. Matt is currently boning up on some basics of parliamentary procedure so that the good old boys don't control the meeting like last time. Power to the people!