One Year!

It goes by faster than you could ever comprehend. One day you are holding your precious child for the first time and the next you are singing happy birthday to them for the first time. Dutton only took a couple of minutes to warm up to the idea of having this cake all to himself. Once he knew that he could just go all in, he was all about it. He doesn’t usually find himself eating a lot of sugary sweets so when he took his first big bite, he made the cutest little face as if he was saying “what in the world is this”. Moriah, his mom, said it was probably one of the sweetest things he had ever eaten. She was going to opt for an applesauce cake or something a little less sweet and more familiar to his taste buds but her and dad agreed that it was Dutton’s first birthday and he was going to get real, full of sugar cake. And boy was it great. Dutton loved the cake! He didn’t want the fun to end. 

Grandma

even flew in to celebrate Mr. Dutton’s first birthday, she was even there for his cake smash session and I was able to get a few pictures of her and the birthday boy! It speaks volumes when family goes to such great lengths for each other. Making such intentional acts of affection is going to be something the littles of the family will grow up to remember and to display once they are old enough. There is nothing like a grandma's love.  

Mr. Dutton

was nothing but smiles for his cake smash but we also did childhood portraits right before the cake. I am so happy that Moriah wanted to get those portraits in the beginning because I was able to capture Dutton in a different element and get some really neat detail photos like little toes and fingers (which may be my favorite thing to capture on littles). When I told her about the idea she was immediately on board. Who can say not to fluttery lashes, chunk rolls and dimpled fingers? 

Once Dutton’s cake smash was over, he wasn’t quite ready to say farewell to all of the fun. After all, he was living his best life with this cake and exceptionally pleased with the lack of rules surrounding the entire experience, that being said, he created a little game with Moriah, to keep the fun going just a little longer. I like to call it catch me if you can. He would dash away towards the door, faintly looking back to make sure mom was coming after him, and when she got to him, she would pick him up and dangle him upside down (I can attest to the fact that Dutton absolutely loved this part as his giggles and smiles were pure proof of his amusement) then bring him back to the cake. The moment she sat him down he would do it all over again. It was absolutely lovely. I will never tire of witnessing the special moments moms have with their kiddos during their sessions. I am so honored to create a space and time where these moments can materialize.  

Moriah,

I am so happy to have met you, Dutton and Grandma! I had the best time with you three. I know this first year is full of long days (and nights), fears, never ending changes and a lot of wondering but it is also full of so many firsts. The first real smile and giggle. The first boo-boo, rolling over for the first time, the first scoot or crawl, those first steps that come shortly after pulling himself up for the first time. The first taste of solid foods, maybe even the first (undeniably cute) sour face from someone proudly giving him a taste of something like a lemon or pickle. I know that for me one of the firsts that absolutely got my heart with my son was after nursing him, there was always a little tiny ear print on my arm because (if I'm being honest) after he was fast asleep, I would still hold and cradle him for a long time just knowing how fleeting those moments were, I wanted to savor every last one of them. But from one first to the next, motherhood and childhood will always be full of firsts. So, as hard as it may be to let go of this first year and as you serenade yourself with all of the firsts you have witnessed, remember that there are so many more coming your way and they are going to happen right when they need to. I am so honored to be a part of capturing what one looks like for Dutton. You will always have a return ticket to this age and all of the memories that were made during his cake smash.  

With love, 

Desiree 

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