Celebrating 8 months! |Scottsdale Family Photographer

It's hard to believe, 5 months ago I met sweet Scarlett and her parents. I remember when I first spoke to her mom...shortly after hello was exchanged, the tears began. And before I knew it, we were both crying.

Her mother had shared with me the story on meeting the love of her life, their engagement, wedding, the blissful discovery that they were expecting and then 3 months after delivering their sweet baby girl....devastation came.

After a series of tests....exactly what they didn't want to hear DID come. The news that their daughter was being diagnosed with the leading genetic killer in infants....Spinal Muscular Astrophy Type 1.

My heart is still breaking.

Along with this news...they were told that they had maybe a few weeks but to go home and enjoy the last few days with their daughter as the SMA was rapidly progressing. They were also told that she most likely wouldn't make it to 8 months and if she made it to 2 years old, than she was beating ALL the odds.

Well, guess what....Scarlett just celebrated her 8 month birthday. I LOVE IT! And her celebration came with balloons and a very frilly, girly tutu!

While all parents look at their child with pride...their looks of pride are filled with thankfulness.

They're proud that she's beaten odds and celebrating her 8 month birthday. Proud that they can hear the doctor say she's in the 95th percentile for her age in height. They're proud of her strength. And, they are thankful for each day they have to kiss, hug, and laugh with her.

I love this little warning label! Although, the germaphobe in me thinks it should be a bit larger.

Scarlett's family has been blessed with many helping hearts through donations in helping to care for Scarlett. Through the help of others, Scarlett has a new stroller that is designed specifically for babies with neuromuscular diseases. This stroller has made life MUCH easier for her. And the best part, she can use this stroller until she's 3 and it doubles as a car seat.

That's right...Little Miss Scarlett is geared out!

Happy birthday sweet Scarlett!
Scarlett's family created a website...but before I provide you with the link, I want to post a little background about her.

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Newlyweds, Annie and Ryan Landefeld, were delighted to discover they were expecting a baby just weeks after sharing their marriage vows in September. On June 20, 2009, they welcomed a healthy, beautiful baby girl, Scarlett Rose, into the world. Scarlett passed all newborn screenings with flying colors. Beginning around 10 weeks of age, they noticed that Scarlett wasn’t moving her legs, arms and head as much. She appeared to be floppy. They knew that something wasn’t right so they decided to seek the help of a Neurologist. On September 11th, after extensive medical testing, they were given a devastating diagnosis of SMA Type 1 (www.fsma.org), which stands for Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

SMA is the leading genetic killer of infants. It is a rare, genetic disease affecting part of the nervous system that controls voluntary muscle movement due to the loss of nerves in the spinal cord. One in 6,000 babies is born with SMA, and 1 in 40 people are carriers. Ryan and Annie are both carriers and unknowingly passed their copies on to Scarlett.

Scarlett will never be able to walk, stand, sit, eat, breathe and even swallow without assistance. All of her muscles are extremely weak, with the weakest muscles being the legs, upper arms and neck. Her mind and spirit are no different from that of a healthy baby. She has a bright, expressive face and eyes.

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Each time I'm with Scarlett's family, I'm speechless from the overflowing happiness that fills them. However, things have changed since the last time I photographed Scarlett. While there are many changes, the biggest was seeing how she can't swallow...leaving her to easily choke on her saliva. Her mother had shared that they have to suction her every 3-5 minutes. The machine you see in the background is one of the biggest helpers in her day to day life.

The other biggest helper in her day to day life is the donations that have been made to Scarlett. Her mother strongly believes it's from this help that they've been able to give Scarlett the medical care required to help her live, celebrate each milestone and to be one day closer to receiving a cure.

And from these donations, Scarlett has grown to be a very happy baby as she's receiving the care needed to live with this disease.

Now, while this session was to celebrate her 8 month birthday...I plan to photograph her on her 2nd birthday celebration. AND I WILL!

AND...is a celebration not a celebration without a GIVEAWAY! Yep...the first give away of the year!

Here's the prize...a mini session valued at $350.

And, what this prize includes:

one 30 minute session (location disclosed at the time of scheduling)

a minimum of 10-15 digital files, with copyright release

one 11x14 print, mounted on styrene

And....what is needed to win this prize you ask!

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Here are the details for entering:

Make a donation to Scarlett (funds used for uncovered medical expenses)

1. Click HERE to make the donation.

2. After making the donation, leave a comment on my blog with your name.

If you'd prefer to be anonymous, that's fine...still leave a comment but them email me at tamiproffit{at}yahoo.com with your contact information, name and reference with the comment you left so I know who to contact.

*side note: all donations are tax deductible

*******This contest will run until Monday, March 1st! I'll contact the winner on March 2rd.*******

I have one time slot left for the March mini session, so you could get your mini session as early as March or you can save it for another mini session in the months following.

Thank you and help Scarlett's parents continue to help there daughter. I'm loving being able to help Scarlett's family. And just a quick note, Scarlett's mother had shared how thankful they are that Scarlett still has the muscle control to smile. I'm praying she'll have this smile for the many months to come.