Do you know what’s pretty cool? Cake has a place in everyone’s lives always–no exceptions. We learn about cake in high school history class; even if Marie Antoinette didn’t say, “Let them eat cake,” we all still learn about how she might have. We ooh and ahh over gorgeous wedding cakes, learn to make our own cakes out of boxes or from scratch, watch TV shows about cake, find cake alternatives, or try to limit our cake intake. Regardless, cake is a big deal!

Last weekend, Connor’s journey with cake started as we celebrated his first birthday with a cake smash photo shoot! These pictures are extra special for a couple of reasons. First, Connor is my cousin Lauren’s baby, so he’s my cousin, too! And, I had the honor of taking Lauren’s maternity photos when she was pregnant with Connor at this very spot, so celebrating his first birthday here just seemed fitting.

The best part of watching Connor experience cake for the first time was how he savored each little bit. He played around in just the frosting for quite a while–I wish I had his self restraint! And, once he actually tried the cake, he couldn’t wait to share it with his dad, Sean, and brother, Liam. Connor wants everyone to know how cool cake is, which serves as a great reminder for us: share your best experiences with others. How awesome is it that sometimes, the littlest among us already know so much about what is the most important.

To Lauren and Sean, congratulations on Connor’s first birthday! You kept two babies that are just over 1 year apart alive, happy, and healthy. You two deserve your own cake smash celebration!