Our Handsome One-Year-Old

It occurred to me this week that I never shared E.J.'s professional portraits we had done for his first birthday. We had them taken the Friday before his birthday party. He was photographed by Jason Angelini Photography, who also did our wedding, shot some portraits for us in NYC, photographed both kids' baptisms and did Ellie's first birthday session. Jason and his wife Lucia have become friends since we first met them eight years ago, and we are always so glad to see them! After E.J.'s session we stuck around and had lunch with them and let our kids play together. It was a great afternoon!

As for the photos, they turned out beautifully. As you may recall, Ellie's first birthday session was a bit...tearful. She was just not feeling it. Scarred by the memories of a wailing birthday girl and the ensuing abundance of pitifully-faced portraits, I crossed all my extremities that E.J. would cooperate when his turn came. Of course, he hasn't earned the title of World's Happiest Baby by chance, here. So my worrying was for naught!

Want to see?

*** All photos by Jason Angelini Photography ***

We started with some family pictures, and got a couple of really great ones. (We're going to hang the first one above our fireplace!)

We also had Jason snap a few of the kids together.

Then, we moved inside for some portraits of E.J. alone. Naturally, we had to throw our Fourth of July baby in front of the flag backdrop!

Man, was he hamming it up.

The Angelinis had a little puppy that was a HUGE hit with both kids. Big thanks to that puppy for helping encourage E.J.'s smiles!

In honor of E.J.'s baseball-themed nursery, we also had to take a quick baseball-themed portrait. (He's also holding his baseball bat birth record, which is cut to the length he was at birth! I'm hoping to get a picture of him with it every year on his birthday.)

Unfortunately, there was a little crying in baseball, so that one didn't last long.

Then we moved on to the main event: the cake smashing!

At first, he thought it was funny.

Then he gave it a pretty thorough inspection.

He decided he had to remove the pieces of flair.

Finally, it was time to really get in there.

He wasn't necessarily sure about it...

...but he was willing to give it a try.

Things got a little messy....

...but all in all, he enjoyed himself!

And that's all, folks!