First birthday cake smash with Dotty

I first met Dotty at her newborn photoshoot with me a year ago (see the photos here).

I then got to see her again along with her two cousins, Artie and Rose, when they visited the studio to star in some photos that were a gift for their grandparents (see the photos here).

You might notice the soft lamb toy appears in both these photoshoots, and it made another appearance at Dotty’s first birthday photoshoot, too.

That’s because this little lamb is super special: it was bought as a gift for parents Rhys and Sarah-Jane by Rhys’ mum. 

She knew they were trying for a baby and couldn’t resist buying the lamb when she saw it while out shopping one day.

Rhys and Sarah-Jane went round in person to accept the gift, using the opportunity to announce that they were expecting already, which led to lots of emotions and excitement!

Now Dotty is one year old already, and developing a unique personality all of her own.

She currently loves peekaboo and nursery rhymes (current top hits include The Grand Old Duke of York and This is the Way the Ladies Ride).

She also finds it hilarious when her mum or dad advance towards her with a teasing ‘ahhhhhhh!!!’ and then tickle her!

One of the outfits she wore for her first birthday photoshoot was originally intended as a flower girl dress for cousin Rose at Rhys and Sarah-Jane’s Italian wedding, planned for a couple of years ago.

Unfortunately, Covid meant things couldn’t go ahead as planned for that date or the rearranged one, so a beautiful overseas wedding is still very much on the list of things to plan and look forward to.

The couple decided not to let the wedding delays put their plans for parenthood on hold for any longer, so now Dotty is the perfect model for this incredible outfit – and a first birthday is the perfect occasion to show it off! 🙂

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If you’d like to book your child’s first birthday cake smash photoshoot, or if you have any questions about family photography with me, please get in contact.

Sarah Plater LMPA is an award-winning qualified, certified professional newborn and family portrait photographer based in Bicester, Oxfordshire. She is the Master Photographers Association Young Families Portrait Photographer of the Year 2022 and Newborn Photographer of the Year 2019 for the Central Region (covering Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire).