Mr. A’s 1 Year Celebration Donut Smash :: Andover MA
I have to be honest. This Blog post is a little special for me. Because this little man, Mr. A, his mama is my stepsister. Which makes this special and adorable little man my nephew. I had previously photographed him for his newborn photos, and had taken some pictures of his mama while he was still growing in her belly. The maternity photos were a surprise for his dad and included his football jersey. When it came time for Mr. A’s 1 year photos, his mom and I decided to take advantage of the truly delicious donuts right next door to my Andover studio from Somebody’s Place. If you’ve never tried their donuts before, run don’t walk. They’re amazing. And, they make the perfect treat for a cake smash–or donut smash in this case! Shout out to my assistant Nicole for making the yummy icing to complete the color scheme.
Incorporating Loved Ones In Your Photos
Before it was time to celebrate Little Dude A’s birthday with a donut smash, I took some family portraits. While these portraits might make it look like they’re a family of three, this is actually a loving family of four. Mr. A’s big brother, Mr. Q passed away before Mr. A was born from a rare genetic disorder. I’ve talked about Mr. Q on my blog and social media before. I even helped his mama hold a fundraiser in his honor. You can read a little bit more about that, and about Mr. Q here: Boston Children’s Hospital Fundraiser.
While Mr. Q unfortunately couldn’t be present for his baby brother’s 1 year portraits, we were still able to include him in a great way. His family called him SuperQ and for his 2 year portraits I had taken this portrait of Mr. Q in his superhero costume with his sidekick, Super Grover. We included Grover in Mr. A’s newborn photos. But for these, we had Mr. Q right there with his family by way of canvas. This is a great way to include those loved ones who can’t be here for portraits.
Mr. A’s mama, L has a blog that she writes documenting her journey as a grieving loss mama as well as her time spent as a mom to a medically fragile and rare baby boy. You can read her blog here: The Quintessential Abnormal Life. She also has an etsy account full of personalized accessories, and a portion of the proceeds go to helping other families facing uncertainty in the form of medically fragile children at Boston Children’s Hospital. Check it out here: Quality Truth Co.
Fun and Unique Cake Smash Themes
When Mom L and I started discussing ideas for Mr. A’s Andover 1 year photos and cake smash, we knew we wanted to do something extra fun. If there is one thing this family knows, it’s how to cherish and celebrate every milestone big and small. Since the whole family is full of giant fans of the amazing donuts from Somebody’s Place, a donut smash was a no brainer. Plus it was something I had always wanted to try. A Pinterest search showed cake smash sessions and first birthday parties with the phrase “Donut Grow Up” but that just didn’t feel like the right choice for Mr. A. So instead: Donut Stop Smiling! And I can tell you, this little man seldom stops smiling!
Pinterest is a great way to find inspiration for cake smash themes. But the truth is, anything can be a theme! Favorite foods, favorite books, inside jokes in your family. All of these can be a great starting point for a themed cake smash session. These are all about having fun and celebrating, so they’re the perfect time to think outside the box. And my team and I are more than willing to help you brainstorm your cake smash session.
For more ideas, check out our Cake Smash Bucket List. Even if you don’t see your exact perfect theme on the list, maybe it can inspire you to think of something even we weren’t able to dream up! Our Cake Smash Bucket List.
Are you looking for 1 year photos near Andover MA? Crabapple Photography is conveniently located near downtown Andover and serves clients from around the area including Reading, North Andover, Boxford, Haverhill and more. Kate McKenna has been photographing babies and children since 2009 and specializes in both indoor and outdoor portrait photography. Contact Kate today to book your session.
