Second birthday photoshoot with Eva

Little Eva already has everyone wrapped around her little finger, especially her paternal grandfather. She just needs to look a little sad or flutter her gorgeous eyelashes, and her grandpa will be crouching down and asking, “What do you need?”

She’s the first niece, first grandchild, first everything so it’s no surprise that the family have gone crazy over her!

Eva’s absolute favourite toy is ‘Sim’, a gift from her adoring aunty Chelsea, who loves The Lion King.

Sim goes everywhere with Eva, so Zoie has wisely procured an additional three copies of the exact same soft toy, so that life can continue without too much distress if ‘Sim’ goes AWOL.

It’s Eva’s birthday on Sunday, and she’ll be celebrating turning two years old surrounded by family. Her maternal grandmother is flying over from Bulgaria for a three-week-stay, during which she’ll be treating everyone with her made-from-scratch meals and cakes.

Zoie’s favourite is the banitsa – a baked cheese pie featuring layers of phyllo pastry and feta.

Zoie’s closest friend will also be attending the celebrations. Zoie met her at an antenatal class, where they realised that not only were they expecting children at the same time, but that they also lived opposite each other!

This has been the biggest benefit of that class, with the two new mums spending time with each other and offering companionship and support.

This friend has just had her second child, but Zoie told me she’s going for the ‘one and done’ approach personally!

While Zoie loved all the cuddles when Eva was younger – and the fact that Eva stayed where she was put until she was about six months old! – now she loves that Eva is her miniature best friend.

They particularly love trampolining together, and go every week to the nearby trampoline park.

Eva has seemingly endless energy and needs a lot of fuel to keep her going. Indeed, it’s not unusual for her to finish her dinner then take her spoon round to help mum and dad with theirs, too!

Zoie and her partner Stan first met at Bicester Village, where Zoie had worked for years.

Stan was checking ID cards on arrival, and Zoie realised she hadn’t seen him there before.

Later, she was ordering a coffee in Pret when Stan appeared next to her and offered to pay for Zoie’s drink.

They had their coffee together, chatted loads and then started going on dates: zoos, theme parks and all that fun stuff as their connection grew.

They eventually moved in together, survived the lockdowns and all of a sudden six years have past.

Stan isn’t quite ready and willing to be in any family photos, but I hope to change his mind for next time after he’s seen these ones! 🥰

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If you’re interested in child or family photography in Bicester, Oxfordshire, please get in contact.

Sarah Plater AMPA is an award-winning qualified, certified professional child 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).