Ink for Isla!

Before Isla was born, I had been thinking about getting a tattoo with her and Emma’s birthdates on it along with mine and Todd’s as well in a circle on my back because a circle is a symbol of forever. I was planning it as a tribute to demonstrate my adoration for my happy little family. In all honesty, I had never really been a big “tattoo person”! However, the thought of a tasteful and discreet tattoo appealed to me and I liked the idea of branding myself with my love for my family permanently!!

After Isla died, I knew for sure that I was going to get a tattoo, but I struggled with exactly what it was I wanted. I didn’t want to go ahead with the circle, because that is for my entire family and Isla’s death left that chapter open for us. We were no longer “done” with having children. So I started researching a design that would incorporate her, Emma and the possibility of a third child. But I liked my original idea for that with the circle of dates. Todd and I visited the tattoo shop while I was on maternity leave to see some examples and talk to a tattoo artist about ideas. The advice he gave was to think about what my family and/or Isla means to me and what type of artwork would be appropriate to symbolize that. I researched many designs on the internet that would include Emma and leave room for the next, but I decided to hold off and do that one at a later date. Due to her circumstances, Isla was worthy of getting her very own ink! I definitely wanted her name on it. I loved the unique name I had picked out for her and was sad that she wasn’t going to be able to bring the name to life. My other thought was that even though she had died, she was going to be part of us forever and I came upon the infinity sign….the perfect symbol of my infinite love for Isla. I found plenty of ideas for the design on the internet and my sister had even mentioned the idea of her name being part of the infinity sign. I thought about getting scrolls or floral “stuff” around it…but I really just wanted it simple. So I drew it out and wrote her name with a little heart dotting the “i” and made my decision to have it inked on the inside of my right wrist.

It didn’t hurt nearly as much as I feared it was going to!!! And it makes me smile to look down at her name, in my handwriting, permanently etched on the inside of my right wrist, along with the Tiffany Infinity bracelet Todd gave me for Christmas. I know I don’t need a tattoo to remember Isla but having it is my meaningful little tribute to the tremendous and infinite love I will always have in my heart for her. 

Getting "inked"! 

In process....

Finished...

Healed...