The Beginning....

Hello Everyone!!


My name is Alisha Endrea. My fiance Damani and I were blessed with our babygirl Sianna Alani on December 7th, 2011. For some of my family and friends, this may be your first time reading about Sianna's diagnosis and honestly, it's so much easier for me to share this way. At least for now.


Here is our story:


My pregnancy wasn't too hard, I gained relatively no weight until the last two months and all my diagnostic testing and ultrasounds came back 'normal' every time. But by month 9, week 1 I was BEYOND ready to have my little princess OUT of my body. :) She was a tad bit late and didn't want to come out even when I was sent into the hospital to induce my labor. Labor was intense, painful and scary - I can't lie - but Sianna was finally delivered by cesarean at 11:19 PM (coincidentally, 11/19 is the date of both her father and his mother's birthdays).  She was BEAUTIFUL. Bright eyed, strong lungs, clear skin; beautiful. I saw absolute perfection when I looked at my princess.


I was wheeled out of the operating room with my baby in my arms and our new little family slept the night away - exhausted and happy.


The next morning, to my surprise,  a doctor who we had never met before came into my room asking "Mom, have you noticed anything STRANGE about your baby?" What the heck could she possibly mean? Was this a routine question? I mean, do they ask all new moms this question after they get to spend a full night with their new bundle? 


I was confused and immediately alarmed. Something in the pit of my stomach told me this was NOT protocol. I, of course, answered simply: No. Damani, had been asleep in the chair/bed next to me but began to wake up when the doctor asked if I noticed anything wrong. I think his gut began to feel the way mine did.


The cold doctor (I will give her the benefit of the doubt and assume that she is obligated be this way in her line of work) proceeded to sigh (as if it was shameful that I hadn't noticed) and reply:


"Well Sianna's bone structure and measurements are characteristics of Achondroplasia..." (Achondro -what?)
"...a form of dwarfism." (Wait - dwarfs? Like little people? Like the little couple? please, go back to Achondro - whatever you said)
"Most likely Sianna will never grow beyond 4 feet tall...." (Hold on, her dad and I are short, so what. But what is this Achondro thing? MY Sianna? Is this woman lost? At this point, I had my fingers ready to hit the Emergency nurse button, this woman was clearly nuts. ALL my ultrasounds were "normal", remember?)

"We will need to do some X-rays and genetics will be in to do some blood work later on." 


And with that... she was gone.


I try not to exaggerate (a lot); at least not in this instance: Immediately, I mean as quickly as she had come in, she left. This small framedm harmless looking woman, had single handedly delivered the most devastating blow I had ever received and get this:

it was a HIT and RUN. 

cruel.

I immediately picked up my phone (thank God for phones that are smarter than people) and googled "dwarfism Achon".... and began educating myself and Damani as well as examining our little bundle of joy for 'evidence'.


Anyway, to fast forward through weeks of  diagnosis, doctors, crying, TONS of denial, anger, embarrassment and the such, Sianna is now 6 months. Our baby girl is beautiful - and not just in a proud mom and dad kind of way- but truly beautiful in spirit and pretty cute to boot :)


I must admit, I am still learning to accept her condition as a permanent truth. This IS a part of who she is and she, nor we can change it. I love my baby girl very much and I am learning everyday to understand Achon and what it will mean to her life as well as ours. I'm hoping that by blogging and connecting with LPA (Little People of America) I can gain some perspective on what this means for us.



What I DO know and what I want our friends and loved ones to understand is that Achondroplasia in no way affects Sianna mentally or intellectually, or her ability to live a full, beautiful, healthy life. She just might develop a little slower physically: learn to hold her head up, crawl, or walk a little later than most.  And of course she will be of small stature - although a few of you who already knew about her Achon have joked about how you didn't expect two shorties to make a very tall baby anyway ;-)~ To all of you who HAVE met Sianna, you know how sweet, happy, and charismatic of a baby she is and I'm glad she has so many people around her who truly care for her and will love her regardless.




Damani and I appreciate you.


I can't type anymore, fingers hurt, so I'll just post some pics of her for now :)




Sianna being silly @ 5 months old:

In her "church lady" hat

Smiling in her sunshades, so cool.

Watching "Your Baby Can Read" in her Bumbo Seat. She LOVES those dvds!

Finally here she is today, watching mommy type and playing with Pinkie, her toy bear. She is 6 months old.

XOXO from Sianna & Alisha