Cake smashes are some of my favorite sessions, because they are a celebration of life, of a little human life’s first trip around the sun. What joy has this little life brought to all of the other lives they have touched in their first 365 days, what parts of other lives has this little sunshine lit up?
Victoria, I can tell by the light in your mamma’s eyes when she looks at you, that you have brought so much joy to your family.
We documented Victoria’s first birthday on the afternoon of her birthday, November 10th, with an in home cake smash session at their home in Arnold, Maryland. Victoria had just woken up from a nap, and after a few snacks of cheese (who doesn’t need a little nourishment when they wake up!), she was instantly all smiles for me and for the camera.
I believe that Victoria’s mama, Tatiana, must be her favorite person in the whole world. And the feeling is clearly mutual, as Tatiana went into much detail to create a beautiful, intricate set as a backdrop for these sweet in home first birthday photos. Victoria was all snuggles and smiles and sweetness while mom sat with her, played with her and talked to her, and it was easy to see that the two share a very special bond.
Grandparents, Daddy’s parents, were also visiting to celebrate the occasion and of course we had to include them in documenting the day. Victoria was clearly adored by everyone, and it was truly special to be able to capture a few moments with her doting grandparents.
When 7-year-old brother, Max, got in front of my camera, I could see where Victoria got her love of the spotlight from! Max showed me the many faces of his personality, being an adorable little goof and model for me and I enjoyed each one of his expressions.
Max and Victoria together were absolutely beautiful. I think Max may have let little sister torture him a little in hopes that she would share some of her cake later on . . .
While celebrating such a wonderful occasion, I learned that Tatiana and Stephen were also celebrating their anniversary! We took a few moments for just the two of them, and it was wonderful to see how they adore one another and the playfulness between them.
It was finally time for some cake, and what a beautiful, delicate cake it was. It was perfect for Tatiana and Stephen’s little princess, and she, herself, was perfection as she examined the delicate, delicious icing on the cake.
Victoria may have needed a little encouragement, so we broke out the spoon so that she had a good tool to dig in with!
And eventually we moved to the high chair, where she did indeed share a few bites with Max! I do believe that Max and Victoria have many adventures ahead of them as brother and sister and would love to watch this sibling relationship continue to bloom.
After cleaning up from our tasty birthday treat, we headed upstairs to Victoria’s room to document a few moments in there. My favorite part of any session is stepping back and letting kids be kids and just capturing a few of those moments. I loved watching as Victoria examined her dresses and explored her shelves for books and cards. And catching a few last quiet moments with mama was such a pleasure too.
Thank you, Tatiana, Stephen, Max and Victoria for welcoming me into your home and giving me the honor of documenting this occasion for you. It was a joy watching Victoria, capturing her personality and the love that your whole family shares. My wish for you is that the joy I witnessed on her first birthday continues to shine in all of your lives.