What's With The Name?

When I found out we were having a girl, I was over the moon. I really, really wanted a little girl. My mom and I immediately began shopping like fiends. We couldn't resist all of the precious clothes and hair bows and frilly things that you could buy for a little girl.

Even though Ella spent a considerable amount of time in the hospital as a baby, we didn't let that stop us from dolling her up. Every day we were excited to pick out a new outfit and take pictures of her. It quickly became the thing that helped us retain some sense of normalcy in a very abnormal, and often scary, situation.

It wasn't long before the hospital staff took notice of our obsession with decking Ella out. Her nurses were often excited to join in the fun, and people began stopping by daily to see her and check out her outfit for the day. Because of her extreme medical issues, she has always been hospitalized in an ICU (NICU, PICU, TICU) and at some point, she became known as "the best dressed baby in the ICU".

I believe one of the great things about having a special child is that it allows you to have a different perspective and maybe not take for granted the little things that others sometimes might. When we learned that Ella was going to be born "different", we had to readjust a lot of our expectations, but that did not include how we could dress her! It is something "normal" we can continue to do for her when most days are far from typical.

At almost 5, I'm glad to say that Ella still upholds her reputation at the hospital. People still come by to see what she is wearing and what color bow she has in. I think it makes them happy too since they spend their days around children who are sick and injured and not getting to just be children. It adds a little bit of balance and fun to a sometimes gloomy environment.

Our little fashionista in the ICU at six months old.