You’re definitely going to want to make it to the end of this post, because that’s where I put the best photos (hashtag, strategy). I would assume a cake smash would be the most interesting part of almost any blog post, and I’m sure you agree!

I get together with my brother and his beautiful family about once a year to do some photos for them. Last year, it was actually twice: once for maternity photos, and then a few months later in their home when baby Josie arrived. My nieces are two of the most beautiful little girls on the planet. I would not miss a chance to photograph them for anything!

So we got together this year as well, despite a pandemic and the fact that I was ready to pop (sooooo, so pregnant in August). And we took some family photos.

Arbor Hills is a great location because there is so much variety there. My actual favorite place to shoot there is a little bit hidden. (It’s not a complete secret; I’ve definitely seen other photographers there. But you don’t have to walk miles to get to it, which is a bonus to me for sure. Especially when I was less than a month away from giving birth!)

Here is my niece Josie in all her glory. Isn’t it funny how a year after a baby is born you can already not imagine your life without them? That is how we feel about our Josie. Please observe in these photographs her complete unwillingness to put up with the bow my sister-in-law so lovingly placed in her hair. She dropped it like a mic, not a single eff given. So spunky.

Since Josie’s birthday had been a few weeks earlier, and she didn’t get to have a normal party, we did a little Arbor Hills cake smash instead! I made the smash cake and we covered it in edible glitter and pink frosting. Sadly, Josie got to eat almost none of it, as tragedy ensued moments into the smash. I love this progression of photos. You can really see the moment she realizes what has gone horrible horrible wrong!