It’s been almost two months now, but my sweet baby turned one year old on May 10th. ONE YEAR. What a year it has been…so full of wonder and joy and discovery. We were looking back over photos from her birth and first weeks a few nights ago and could hardly believe that there was that day when she was tiny enough to lay on our chests or fit in the sink for a bath. Now she is toddling all over the house and jabbing all day in her own little language and walking up to us with a book in her hands so we will sit and read with her (which is the sweetest thing ever to me). We love watching her grow up and develop her personality…she’s turning out sweet and spicy, just saying, hehe.

A local photographer was offering short mini-sessions at a pop-up shop event in East Nashville back in April, and I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and get some one-year shots of me and my little sweetie. The event took place in a gorgeous backyard with a lot of pretty foliage and an old fence and even a willow tree, and made for the prettiest backdrop for these photos. These are some of my favorites!

Photos by:: The Joy Creative

One year ago today, the sweetest little newborn baby girl was laid on my chest and my heart exploded with a kind of love that I’ve never known before.

It’s amazing how such a small little thing can change everything about your life and change everything about your heart in such a short amount of time. Ayla June has brought such a joy and a light to our world, and we love everything about her sweet little existence. It seems almost unbelievable that it’s been an entire year since she came into our family, and it’s cliche to say but so very true (i guess there’s a reason for cliches, hehe), but goodness time does fly by and they grow so fast.

We did a little birthday party celebration for her last week while we were vacationing at the beach with my family, and it was the funnest little thing! She dug right into the cake and didn’t mind at all getting her fingers and face all messy and filled her little cheeks as full as she could. It was the cutest thing! She had a few gifts to open after the cake eating, and she was more interested in the frilly gift decor pieces than in the actual opening of the gifts. But she seemed to love the new fun things once we helped her open up the packages.

Happy birthday, Ayla June! We celebrate you today and every day and we love to watch you grow and see you become all you are made to be. You are a treasure.