A baby’s first birthday, how exciting! Parents look forward to this day with excitement as it’s their baby’s first big day! A culmination of every sleepless night, and lots of ‘firsts’, first days at home after the hospital, first time baby rolled over, first time they sat on their own, first crawls that became steps… Its all resumed into one day when you celebrate your baby, but I celebrate you too. You made it! You see your little one transition from a baby into a toddler that can now stand on their own and reach for things, giggles at the sight of you, and can maybe call you mama or dada! Ugh, time is a thief! How did the days that seemed endless have now seemed to have gone so fast? This is why I do what I do. I freeze time for you. If for a moment, you can stop and look at your baby’s photo, your favorite one, and feel happiness, I’ve done my job well.

So when Veronica came to me, recommended by another dear client of mine and requested a cake smash session, I knew how important and an honor it was to be chosen as her photographer. Ellie’s first birthday photos. Yay!!

We planned the session well, down to the outfits and the cake. Veronica wanted a couple of sets and I wanted to make her vision happen. We went over the details and colors. I always prep my clients on what they can expect. The session typically goes like this: The sets are in place when they come in. The last thing I want is to be moving things around and spook baby. We then begin by getting baby into the outfit she will wear. This time we had chosen 2 outfits. The first was a sage dress with flowers. Her first set was very boho style, with greenery and flowers around.

Once dressed, we started by setting baby on the set and playing around, letting her explore around. After all, this is all new to her! Once she’s comfortable, she lets me know by giving me a couple smiles and I begin to shoot away but ask mom or dad to remain close to me, so Ellie still feels safe. After these awesome shots, we moved on to the next set, the one we would use for the cake. The set was gorgeous (not to toot my own horn here) but Veronica selected a beautiful backdrop that included an arch and lots of flowers and balloons! I added my own props, as well as a wicker chair for Ellie. Vero brought Ellie’s cake. How special!! We also changed her outfit into a very delicate and stunning romper with sewn flowers. At this point in the session, I make sure to get some photos of the cake alone, then of Ellie alone on the set. She was all smiles from the get-go! Mom and dad brought Ellie’s uncle with them as he is one of the best people to make her smile. He did not disappoint! Ellie laughed and clapped, as happy as she could be.

dallas Fort Worth tx first birthday photoshoot with balloons and flowers, mansfield tx first birthday photos, Arlington tx cake smash photoshoot

Time for cake! As Ellie sat on the set’s floor, I asked dad to slowly bring the cake up to her. I make sure to be prepared as some babies go right for the cake and I want to make sure to capture the first dip! Which is exactly what happened haha! Dad wasn’t even through sliding the cake towards Ellie, before she reached for the first taste! Everyone laughed and enjoyed that moment. A core memory for sure.

A series of more of those moments kept coming. Ellie enjoyed herself, the cake and the laughs with her family. I didn’t want to stop clicking my camera! Every moment was better than the one before.

But we eventually called it, we didn’t want Ellie to start to get fussy or a belly ache from all the cake, haha! As I do with all my cake smash clients, I gifted Ellie a onesie that says “I smashed my first cake”, after all, this is a birthday session and birthdays deserve gifts! She wore it proudly and I got a couple more shots.

dallas Fort Worth first birthday photos, mansfield tx, Arlington tx photographer

Ellie’s session was everything Veronica dreamed of. Her vision came to life and I couldn’t be happier to have made it happen for her and her family! I hope to continue to see Ellie every year and grow right along with her. Until next time!