Dilemma of the dress

I actually wrote the following blog for work as part of a story I was
writing on children's ceremonies in different churches. However, since it
has been something on my mind that is also very much baby related, I thought
I should post it here.

Originally published July 17, 2009 titled Babies, blessings ... and the dress? on www.thespectrum.com

As I write this I am just weeks away (hopefully) from delivering our first baby. Naturally all my emotions -- excitement, nervousness, joy and fear -- are in a heightened state and it seems there is an endless list of tasks in need of my immediate attention. After all, we're on a deadline here.
We've bought the crib and changing table. They're set up and looking all-too real in our nursery. The glider chair is ready and waiting for hours of baby feeding and cuddling and the adorable little outfits and other baby supplies are pouring in from wonderfully generous family members and friends.
But even with my husband's and my near-heroic attempts to be prepared for the miracle that will soon bless our lives it seems I have been remiss in my worries in one particular area: A baby blessing dress.
That's right. A dress.
As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the baby blessing is something I am looking forward to as a special time where our daughter will receive a blessing in our church, given by her dad. And it turns out, this is just one of several ways that different religions welcome children into the world -- a topic I've recently learned about while researching a story on children's rituals in the Baptist, Catholic, LDS and Methodist faiths. You can read that story in Saturday's edition of Southern Utah Life or online starting Saturday at http://www.thespectrum.com
Because of this assignment at work, baby blessings -- and christenings and baptisms etc. -- have been on my mind this week, but the dress? To be honest, it's a subject I hadn't considered yet, and frankly still wonder why I have to worry about it before the baby is even here. Luckily I have loving and well-intending family members to add one more item to my list of things in need of my attention and worry, reminding me that this important event in our child's life will be happening within just a few weeks of her birth and so, apparently, outfit selection must be made right now.
After analyzing the situation, there seem to be three options: One, have a dress custom made by a woman our family knows. She's a good friend of my sister's and actually made the blessing dress for my niece, which was beautiful. Here is the reason for immediate attention as this kind of an order does take some time to fill. Second, purchase a little white dress from the store -- I think there's a place in the mall that specializes in these kinds of gowns. Or third, have my daughter wear the dress I was blessed in many years ago.
All appear to be good options and it pretty much comes down to whatever I desire -- at least that's what my husband says. The problem is, decision making of any kind has been a challenge for me during this pregnancy (I've blamed very few things on hormones during this time, refusing to offer that as a copout for any of my behavior, but I have to think my inability to make
even simple decisions lately has to be somehow related to pregnancy. Surely I'm not just losing my mind!)
As my thoughts whirl around this -- dare I say, frivolous? -- topic, I have come realize that it is all too easy to get caught up in logistics that simply don't matter. In a religious sense, the outfit makes very little difference. No matter which faith you follow it is the ceremony that is the most important, not the dress. And so while I invite any advice you might give regarding my current dilemma (even if it's not as important, the child must wear something), I also invite you to reflect, as I am, on which things matter most.