Kat and Cris asked me to document their baby girl's first birthday, right in their Maryland backyard. I sometimes look back on the few photos from my own first birthday party. Everyone's wearing those cone hats, there's a cake with one flickering candle, a huge teddy bear, and everyone is staring at me with the same eyes everyone's staring at Thea with. I hope someday she looks back at these photos and feels the same love I do looking at mine.

Kat took care to hang paper flowers from every tree, linen buntings were draped between them, and a tiny play theater was definitely the main toddler attraction! Older children crafted owl masks for each other, and everyone looked sweet as can be, hooting around. Mama walked a homemade strawberry cake out to her strawberry-loving gir, tears were held back, and wishes made.