Is there anything cuter than newborn babies dressed up in tiny handmade costumes? (Here's the short answer: Nope.) If that's the sort of thing that's right up your alley, then have I got a story for you*.* Last week, the staff at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, dressed four of the babies in the maternity ward as teeny-tiny pickles and OMG, will it make your ovaries explode from cuteness.
It was all in support of the city's fourth annual Picklesburgh event, an award-winning food festival all about -- you guessed it -- pickles.
This was the first time babies had joined in on the celebration, which kicked off on Friday. But after the public response, I'm willing to bet it won't be the last.
Each adorable babe was swaddled in green blankets and caps knitted by a maternity ward nurse. (How sweet is that?)
According to a press release from the hospital, the babies were dressed as "their mother’s favorite pregnancy craving" on July 22 — complete with tiny onesies that read "Special Dill-ivery." (Get it?)
During the private photo shoot, which was open to select members of the media, pickle balloons also decorated the room, to top off the dill-lightful celebration. (Sorry, couldn't help myself.)
According to UPMC spokeswoman Amy Charley, this isn't the first time the hospital's dressed up their littlest patients in adorable costumes.
"UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital has a strong history of dressing our newborns up to celebrate a variety of events," she tells CafeMom. "For example, this past Christmas we had an ugly sweater party."
(Wow — and I thought it couldn't get better than tiny pickle babies.)
"Our patients and staff love the nursery events and they have become part of the culture at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital," she continues. "We have patients hoping they deliver during one of our nursery photo shoots!"
Though this was UPMC's first official Picklesburgh celebration, the staff is pleasantly surprised by what a "sensation" it's been, Charley says.
On social media, plenty of people have been ooo-ing and ahh-ing over the photos, as they've quickly gone viral. Countless people have declared them beyond adorable, and others tagged their pickle-loving pregnant friends in posts, to give them ideas for newborn photo shoots.
"You better believe I will have a baby during Picklesburgh so my baby can be dressed as a pickle," tweeted one woman.
The rest of the three-day food festival, in case you were wondering, was basically a pickle-lover's paradise.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, dill-loving fans were able to hit up 60 different pickle-themed vendors, selling everything from pickle soda to chocolate-covered pickled Oreos. (Because yes, such a thing exists.) There were even vendors selling T-shirts that read "I'm kind of a big dill."
Honestly, for pickle-lovers (or the super pregnant), the event is kind of awesome. But I think I speak for everyone when I say the pickle babies were the best part.
