Hospitalized babies dress up for Halloween costume contest

CHICAGO -- Babies at Advocate Children's Hospital in suburban Chicago dressed up Monday as part of the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Costume Contest.

The hospital hosts the annual contest to bring a bit of fun and normalcy to the parents of babies hospitalized on their first Halloween.

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The public can vote on their favorite costume until noon November 1 on the hospital's Facebook page. The winning families will receive a Target gift card.

This year, more than 40 babies joined the contest with parents transforming the preemies into pumpkins, mermaids, superheroes and even "Where's Waldo?"

The participating babies ranged in age from less than one day old to three months old.

The NICU is where critically ill infants are cared for after experiencing a premature birth or other medical complications. Sometimes they are there for months of intensive care.