Kathryn's Cake Smash!

Kathryn is 13.5 months old, and we finally got to do her cake smash photo shoot this past weekend.  Every single weekend for the past 6 weeks, one (or more) of us has been sick with something or another.  So even though I intended to do it at 12 months, it just didn't happen!

It was pretty entertaining to let her play with the cake, but she didn't get into it as much as we thought she would.  Lately her appetite has been insatiable, so we thought she might inhale the cake faster than I could take pictures of it.  But she was pretty dainty about it, and even when we helped her along with a few smears and handfuls of cake, she wasn't a huge fan.  Oh well.   

Lollipop Girls

My girls.  I love them.  I'm trying to practice my studio photography work, and it's really quite funny trying to teach myself from youtube videos and various websites.  I wish I had the time for a real class.  So much more efficient.

This photo is definitely not going to win any studio photography awards.  The lighting is pretty blah and I'm sure it breaks some rules in terms of angles of light and reflectors and white balance.  

But I love it.  It shows my girls' funny personalities.  I love Kathryn's tongue coming out at the exact moment that Alex goes to swipe a lick from her GIGANTIC lollipop.  I love Alex's hand that is about to jump off her lap-- I can just feel the excitement in her very core, and I can hear what must be going through her brain...."CANNNNNDDDDYYY!!!!"

Photo time with Alex

Alex has definitely been needing some one-on-one time with me lately.  Kathryn has been going through a very needy stage, and she is attached to my hip almost constantly, so Alex is starting to feel a little left out.

When we got home from work tonight, Alex said, "I want you to take photos of me, Mommy."  That has NEVER happened! She hates the camera, or at the very least, barely tolerates it, and only with candy bribes coming every few seconds.  So I immediately said yes, and she ran to her dress-up drawers, pulling out a tutu and pearls.  I couldn't help but giggle.

I love my girl.  She is growing up.

Kathryn's 1st BEE Day!

Well, it's official.  I have a one-year old.  We celebrated the busy little bee with a BEE themed birthday party.  I love my party themes, that's for sure!

And it was a fun excuse for a themed photo-shoot too. I dressed Kathryn in a cute little bumble bee tutu that her Aunt Katie found and took some pics to use for her invitations.  Here was the finished product (minus our personal details, because HEY, I'm sure all of you readers--all 3 of you-- are nice, but we don't need to share our home address with the whole world! :)

I had a little onesie personalized with Kathryn's name on it from Christi Creations. 

I got the party printables (other than the invitation) from Dimple Prints.  

My friend Laura made the beautiful cake.  Thanks Laura!! 

The Menu:  sandwiches ("HIVE yourself a sandwich!"), a vegetable platter ("BEE Healthy!!"),  BEE-BEE-que chips (ha!), Honeycomb pasta salad, yellow & black licorice, honeycomb cereal snacks, Brownie & Pudding Push Pops, and Yellow Creme Oreos.Who knew they even made those things?! I am clearly not up-to-date on my Oreos; they had all kinds of those little cookies!  

Photo credit: Sarah Crank Photography

Happy Birthday Baby KAT! It was a fun party, and I think Kathryn had a blast! She almost fell asleep in her cake, which, if you ask me, is a sure sign of a good party!

Stay tuned for her one-year summary another day! 

Happy Easter

We had a nice Easter celebration at the house with family.  Alex actually got into it this year--she was ALL about the candy.  Kathryn liked the plastic easter eggs and the noise they made when she shook them (full of jelly beans).  Altogether a fun day of memories. :) 

(almost) ONE!

Kathryn turns ONE (!!!) next weekend.  Please pass the tissues. :(

AliKat Photography

An Easter Tea Party

I did a little Easter photo session for a friend this past weekend, and since I already had all the props set up, I decided to let my girls join in after she was done.  We took photos in my mom's back yard to take advantage of her beautiful wildflowers.  She is such an amazing gardener, and I have always enjoyed spending time in her garden, especially since I have a true BLACK thumb myself.  Bonus: it makes for an awesome photo backdrop!

The theme for the photo shoot was an Easter Bunny Tea Party.  It was an imaginary tea party for my cute little client, (no tea involved) but once she was gone, my mom said that just wasn't any fun at all.  So she made some mint tea (caffeine-free) and sweetened it with agave nectar.  She poured it into the tea pot and let the girls have at it.  It was the funniest thing ever.  Alex was very serious at first.  She carefully poured the tea into the dainty cups, trying not to spill.  And she shared with her sister too.  Kathryn isn't exactly a pro at drinking out of cups without a sippy lid, so I was curious to see what she would do.  Well, she tipped the cup to her lips and guzzled away!!! Of course, half of it ran down her neck, but she had no complaints.  They had so much fun, they were completely oblivious to me taking photos or to my mom and I hysterically laughing in the background.

When Alex finished the last of several cups, she peered deep into the tea pot to see what was left.  Then, with no hesitation, she lifted the pot to her lips and drained it! We couldn't stop laughing because it was such a dainty little set up and she was absolutely not dainty at all!!!! When she finished the pot, she reached for the saucer where she had spilled a bit earlier and licked that clean too.  Let's just say that we need to work on our tea etiquette before we visit the Queen. ;-)  And that must have been some TASTY tea! I didn't get a sip, but I'm fairly suspicious that it was light on tea and heavy on the agave nectar! ha!