Things to Do in a Rain Storm

Hearing test

Bridger had his hearing tested again today since he failed the newborn screening. Results: both ears tested normal with no hearing loss - yay! He needed to sleep for the whole test which is what he does best. He looked like a little Genie with the funky earrings and electrodes everywhere.

Bridger isn't a fan of tummy time, so he found a way out of it...

Back to School

Things at the Wangsgard's will never be normal again, in part because we've decided there is no such thing as 'normal.' We try to be more accurate when we talk about Bridger's challenges, for example. We've caught ourselves saying, "with Bridger it will be like this, unlike with normal kids." What is normal, afterall? Sure, there might be lots of 'averages' that he won't fit into, but he'll certainly be his own brand of "normal." Aren't we all?


Conner is back in school and attends the district's "Stretch" program on Thursday's. We got his Terranova test results from a test he took at the end of 2nd grad last spring. He scored in the 99th percentile! Of course, it wasn't his parents' fault, that's for sure. He's having fun learning PowerPoint and other practical business skills. 3rd grade sure has changed since I was there. He's also enjoying BMX racing and his roller blades again, now that his arm has healed. Let's just keep it that way, shall we? Conner sports a new spacer in the roof of his mouth that gradually breaks his jaw open - literally! This allows his teeth to fit better and to prepare his mouth for braces. As his lucky parents, we get to turn the screw in his mouth every night with a nifty little key.

Dawson and Jayci have begun pre-school -- third year for Dawson, first for Jayci. They love their classmates and teachers. They are quite the little buddies on their home days, playing make-believe together, and such.








Bridger is gaining weight! We couldn't be happier with his progress. He even started rolling over today, September 6th, right on his one month anniversary. Rolling over!!! That is way ahead of all his siblings. We did, however, learn at his first pediatric cardiac specialist visit that he has two "holes" inside his heart that will require surgery in the next several months. This defect is common in children with Down syndrome. The septum between his ventricles and the septum betwen his atria didn't completely fill in, so blood doesn't flow as efficiently as it should through and out of his little heart. Fortunately, the surgery is common, usually quite successful and almost always permanent. And yes, the belly button you'll see in the video below is quite the "Outie."



Thanks to everyone for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. The outpouring from everyone, including the Kansas City Down Syndrome Guild, has been tremendous. Jana has been studying lots of books and videos on DS. We are educating ourselves and enjoying every new day with Bridger as we learn to be better parents.

We missed the Austrian Reunion Party on August 23rd, so we dressed the kids in their lederhosen and dirndel that day and made them pose for the camera. Pictures were printed at the Layton, Utah Wal-Mart and displayed at the party. I guess if they couldn't be there in person, that pictures were the next best thing. Conner has threatened to call Child Protective Services if we make him strap on the 'Hosen one more time. Afterall, they are a bit small and tight. I can't blame him, but he looks so gescheidt! We're looking forward to another Utah road trip over Conference weekend in early October to bless little Bridge at my mom's on the 5th. It will be nice to see everyone.

Surprise! It's Another Boy!

Bridger Evan Wangsgard was born on August 6th (three weeks early) at 10:19 am at Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence, Missouri. He was 19 inches long and 6 pounds 9 ounces. Perfect in every way. We had decided not to find out his gender. But that wasn't the only surprise. Bridger came with the additional blessing of Down syndrome.

To learn more about this developmental disability, you can go to the National Down Syndrome Congress website. http://www.ndsccenter.org/

They even have a really cool story that helps put this surprise into perspective. Here's the exact link: http://www.ndsccenter.org/resources/package1.php

Mom is doing very well.

Imagine my surprise, when I touched down at LaGuardia Tuesday night, only to pick up Jana's voice message, telling me that her water had broken and she was heading to the hospital. I was supposed to work the 6th and 7th with a client in Brooklyn. But they graciously accepted my proposed change to return on the 21st for Day 2 of the program. I still didn't make it back in time for Bridger's delivery, but did get to see him on his birthday.

His name was somewhat of a surprise, too. We had several others in mind. When we got the news of his condition, picking the right name seemed even more important. Let's see, I was in Brooklyn when he was born, so we thought a New York connection might be fun: Brooks? Bronx? Little Manhattan? LaGuardia? Seriously though, I was staying in the financial district, just across the East River from where I was teaching in Brooklyn - just over the Brooklyn Bridge.

Aha! Bridge! Bridger! Bridger Evan, our bridge to heaven. Evan is his late Grandpa Memmott's name. And so it was decided. Bridger Evan Wangsgard. (Jana had already suggested Bridger, so we had a name she liked, too.)

Thanks to all the members of our church who helped with babysitting, meals and especially to Melissa Stracener for being there with Jana through it all. Thanks to Mom Taylor for rearranging her 8/20 trip to be here on Tuesday, even before I was.

We appreciate all the phone calls and e-mails of support that friends and family have sent our way. We'd love to hear from the rest of you, when you get a chance!

Love,

Todd & Family