Paula Strawn likes to tell people she has the happiest job in the world. For the past 13 years, the Washington artist has spent her days painting baby helmets, the stark white cranial orthotics typically sported by kids with plagiocephaly, a common disorder that causes a portion of a child's head the flatten. Out of the box, the helmets look distinctly medical, and people are prone to staring.
But when the owner of Lazardo Art gets done with them, babies are transformed into little aviators, Captain America, mini firefighters, and so much more.
"It's a conversation starter in a positive way," Strawn says. "Your baby gets smiles instead of stares in public. No baby needs looks of pity. They need smiles!"
Strawn says the best part of her happy job is knowing she can help make babies' worlds more smiley.
The Blank Canvas
Strawn starts every project with the basic white helmet given by doctors to a child's parents. She works with moms and dads to create a plan for what they want their helmet to look like, accepting invites to Pinterest boards, sitting with them in her Washington state living room, or chatting long-distance via email or phone.
Going Camping
Strawn works Monday through Saturday, and each helmet takes about a day to finish. The helmets can't be off the child's head for too long, she explains, which is why she pushes herself to get them done. And she always asks parents to send her photos of what they look like on the baby.
Out and About
Most of Strawn's clients have a child with plagiocephaly, a condition in which the baby's soft skull becomes flattened in one area. It's common — occurring in about 200,000 kids a year — but it's also easily treatable.
More from CafeMom: Why Pregnant Women Should Sing Lullabies to Their Bumps
Itty Bitty Aviator
Designing a helmet becomes like therapy for parents after they get the news that their perfect baby has something "wrong" with him or her, Strawn says. "If they're not super sad and crying on my couch, they're still not crazy about this." But as they work through colors and ideas with her, Strawn says parents become increasingly excited about seeing "their helmet" show up on their doorstep. And as you can see by the little faces, the kids have big smiles!
Harry Potter Head
Parents learn about Strawn in myriad ways — she's got flyers in doctors' offices, but there's an increasing word of mouth. She's gotten calls from around the globe, but prefers to do work for American parents simply because of customs issues that hold up the return of helmets to kids outside of the states. Unfortunately she can't just owl them out like Harry Potter!
Taking Flight
Strawn says superhero themes are especially popular with parents!
More from CafeMom: 9 Baby Sleep Tricks From Moms Who've Tried Everything
Starry, Starry Night
As an artist, Strawn said she fell into helmet painting because of one of her four children's teachers. The teacher's grandchild had a helmet, and she asked Strawn to make it prettier. Soon a business was born.
Fighting Fire
These kids will have fun photos of themselves to look back on!
Roses
Strawn loves that parents will match their helmet requests to their own personal likes or those of their baby.
More from CafeMom: 10 Ways You're Treating Your Baby's Colic All Wrong
Captain America
Little superheroes abound once Strawn gets hold of their helmets!
Twins
Sometimes Strawn gets to do double duty for a family, like she did with these sweet twins.
Just a Bit Peeking Out
Each helmet is a little bit different, depending on a baby's head and health needs. Although most of her patients have plagiocephaly, she's also painted helmets for little ones with hydrocephalus, in which there is a fluid buildup on the brain, and babies with craniosynostosis, in which parts of the skull fuse too early.
__More from CafeMom: ____No Birth Is More Natural Than Another & This Video Proves I__t
The Name's the Thing
Some parents choose to put a name across the front.
Book Cover
Others opt for a favorite book!
The Force Is Strong
Strawn has a few limits on what she won't paint on a helmet … baby hair looks strange, she says, and although Darth Vader is a popular ask, the black grill at the front of his mask doesn't translate well to helmet painting. There are still other Star Wars options, however!
More from CafeMom: 17 Stunning Images of Newborn Babies Straight Out of the Womb
Winter Is Coming
Babies may not watch much Game of Thrones, but moms and dads do!
From the Front
This little Jedi shows off the front of his helmet.
Ready for Anything
And the back!
More from CafeMom: 3 Years After This Photo, Childhood Cancer Survivors Reunite
Front and Back
Some parents choose a quote to inspire them.
Who's There?
The owl trend that's popular in baby nurseries extends to their helmets too!
Pretty Princess
Crowns and other typical head toppers translate well to baby helmets.
Check out more of Paula Strawn's helmets — and see babies' "graduation" photos after wearing them — on her Lazardo Art Facebook page!
More from CafeMom: 15 Seriously Flexible Babies Doing #Gymnurstics
