I may have been looking forward to this session almost as much as Katalina’s mom was! We talked about photo session locations, outfits and props for months beforehand. She would send me outfits from Etsy and I would send her pins for party decoration ideas on Pinterest. I basically have become a self-proclaimed aunt to this sweet little girl and I have enjoyed every aunt-duty during her first year! In fact, she is the first little one I have been able to photograph for all those fun 3-month increments that moms love to do! Here’s that little collage I put together:

We split this birthday session into two days. My ideas for both outfits required two different locations, both ideally at sunset. We started at the beach for her cake smash. Aside from the humidity and a million-gazillion gnats attacking us, it was a beautiful evening! My “natural” essential oils bug spray did not work. You’d like I would have learned my lesson from a year ago when I was in that situation. Or really, how every evening is when I step outside. Poor Katalina left the beach with more bug bites than cake frosting on herself! She did not want to get messy! Which is weird because she loves getting messy in a nice pile of dirt! Maybe she just wasn’t hungry…

The second day ended up having storm clouds roll in just as we were setting up so my vision of a field lit up with golden sunlight didn’t happen. But with a little lady as cute as miss Kat, you don’t need the added beauty of sunlight! I still absolutely love these images of her in this field, and that dress! Momma found it on Etsy and I want her to find me one in my size!

And here’s a peek into her mermaid-themed birthday party, complete with delicious seafood! It was my first time eating crabs!