Sweet Analise Rose's Journey with Arthrogryposis, Amyoplasia type: Happy New Year!!!

From Erik and Dawn:

"Happy New Year!!! We hope everyone had a fun and safe New Year's. It seems like many people did not like 2011 and are glad 2012 is here. And although 2011 was somewhat challenging for us, we are very happy for 2011 because it brought us our beautiful Analise!!!

It has been very difficult raising a child with special needs, especially a newborn with all of Analise's challenges. We have already been through so much, and its only been 5 months!!

2012 will be exciting for us because Analise will finally start to get over some of the challenges she had since the beginning of her life and she will show us what she can do.

Analise is spitting/throwing up much less and we were finally able to stop the Zantac. She also got over her Bronchiolitis and we hope it doesn't come back. She is ALMOST sleeping through the night, she still wakes up at 11pm and 3am every morning before starting her day at 6:30. We are working on fixing that and can't wait for a full night's sleep.

We started feeding Analise Stage 1 foods to give her mouth some different textures since she can't put her own hands in her mouth. She loves the fruits and hates the vegetables, just like her mama and siblings and ... like my Abuela says... Cubans!!

Analise enjoying her "fruit", you don't want to see her "vegetable" picture =] !!

Analise is starting to use her shoulder muscles to move her arms. There is still no movement from the shoulders down, but you can see it in her face that she wants to and she tries REALLY, REALLY hard.

Analise has learned to take the rings off her hands using her feet!!

Analise is still wearing the special shoes and brace for her club feet, and she still hates them. We do too, but her feet look good and that's what counts!

We are still trying to schedule the surgery on her tight hamstring tendons. It's looking like we will be going back to Philadelphia in March and April and hopefully into spring weather rather than the cold winter.

Dawn finally had to go back to work this week. It was very difficult for her and Analise. It will take some getting used to, but at least we both have great jobs where we are able to spend a lot of time with our family. I was lucky enough to have an extra week of vacation, so I got to stay with Analise for the week.

For all of you stay at home moms out there,
a big kiss from the rest of us!!

It's very hard to get things done with a newborn...

and with other kids in the house, "fuggeddaboutit."

And although we haven't slept well,
we have to eat and go to the bathroom only when Analise naps,
and we can't get anything done...

...we wouldn't change it for the world!!!

Analise will be staying with Dawn's mom, Annette, and my sister Monika during the work week and they are both very excited, which makes us VERY HAPPY knowing that Analise will be lovingly cared for while we are at work!!

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012 (and hopefully not the end of the world)!! =)"