A Little Bit About Us

My friend Toni from Market Mommies recently asked me to be a guest author on her fabulous site geared toward the promotion of mom-owned businesses. The topic...the inspiration behind my companies, Bullfrogs & Butterflies Baby Boutique, llc and Ellia C. Naturals. I realized that I had never really shared the details of that journey with you, my super fabulous readers, and so, I am sharing it now. Below is a copy of the post that I authored...enjoy!

In 2007, while pregnant with our third son, Micah, my husband and I decided that it was time for me to take a step back from my career in physical therapy to stay at home with our little ones full-time. A dream of mine from the moment we found out we were pregnant the first time, this reality was made possible in large part due to a job transfer for my husband, which necessitated my resignation. I was thrilled to finally be at home with my babies. Then, without warning, our world changed in a very meaningful way. At 6 weeks of age, Micah was diagnosed with severe eczema. At 9 months, he was diagnosed with 7 major food allergies and a host of contact environmental allergies. The picture painted for us by his pediatrician, dermatologist, and allergist was one filled with topical steroids, oral antihistamines, and a diet that was not only bland, but nutritionally unsound.

I watched as my new baby scratched and clawed at his skin until it bled. Listened to him toss and turn at night trying unsuccessfully to find a comfortable way to sleep. Listened to his cries of discomfort and looked into his big brown eyes as they searched mine to find out why he was so miserable. It literally broke my heart. I tried everything the doctors suggested, but nothing worked for him. The steroids helped take the edge off, but were only effective as long as they were being applied. I worried about the risks and potential side effects of such strong and prolonged treatments on such a little person. I turned our home upside down making it as “green” as possible and removing all possible irritants. After a lot of research and soul searching, I decided that there had to be a better, safer, healthier way.

Armed with my physical therapy-based knowledge of wound healing and scar management and my own research, I set out to find a natural way to help my son. Something without prescription medications or steroids of any kind. As I began to experiment, I found that Micah’s skin was improving and showing more lasting results. He was no longer scratching until he bled. In fact, his skin looked phenomenal. He still had a few “hot spots” here and there that needed a little more tender loving care, but his skin tone was evening out, the big blotchy patches were dissipating, the flakiness was gone, and most importantly, he was truly “comfortable in his skin” for the first time. Thus was the birth of Smooth As Buttah ™, Munchkin Meringue ™, and Udderly Creamy Goat Milk Soap.

During this time of experimentation, I also formed Bullfrogs & Butterflies Baby Boutique, llc, an online shop specializing in sweet and stylish gifts and essentials for moms and little ones. Started primarily as a creative outlet for me, this proved to be a good foundation for what would eventually become Ellia C. Naturals. While pregnant with our 4^th child, Ellia, I continued to experiment to see if I could make products that were not only naturally effective, but also fun and luxurious. The line grew from the initial items designed for Micah, to a range of products designed to provide family members across the spectrum with all-natural, luxurious skin care. In May of 2009, Ellia C. Naturals made its official debut and we have never looked back.

I am often asked why, if Micah was the inspiration, is the company named after Ellia? In all honesty, there is no rhyme or reason behind it. Most of the product design and planning occurred while I was pregnant with Ellia, so both were constantly on my mind, and her name was easier than Micah’s to work into a usable business name and logo. But rest assured, my little Micah Moo will always be my muse! Because of Ellia C. Naturals, I am blessed to be able to stay at home with my children during their foundational years and have a job that has helped not only my own son, but many more like him.