Cake Smash Photos

When I get an idea in my head, I make it my mission to make every detail come to life exactly how I picture it. I am so thankful that I was able to create most of my vision with the cake smash photo shoot. I'm posting the same pictures I posted on Facebook, but here are a few behind-the-scenes facts involved in this photo shoot:

• I moved my couch and opened the blinds in the living room so I could get as much natural light as possible. I took pictures every few hours yesterday to determine what time of day filled the room with the best light. Noon was the perfect time.
• I borrowed my father-in-law's camera (Cannon EOS Rebel from a decade ago) so I could actually focus and take multiple photos in quick succession. I love it!
• I made the pennant banner using scrapbook paper. The twine I bought to string the paper together cost three times as much as the paper did.
• Even though James' cake is essentially missing, it's because he finger painted the floor with it. He may have eaten two bites at best the entire time.
• It took sweeping, vacuuming, mopping twice, and scrubbing on my hands and knees with OxiClean to clean the Crisco covered floor. We still had an ant invasion within an hour.
• While I love the pictures, I unsuccessfully tried to remove the shadows on the wall for a good hour. I have not mastered Photoshop.
• James crawled away after five minutes. Maddie lasted a few minutes longer. Amelia was left alone daintily eating. All three were in the bath within fifteen minutes.
• James' tie was the source of hours of stress. I taught myself how to make a bowtie, then hated it once it was on him. I went to a dozen different stores to try and find ties but they all said the same thing, "We only carry them seasonally." I bought a $12 baby suit from Burlington Coat Factory. After all of that, we ended up using a clip-on tie that we've had packed away in the attic for three years. (I clipped it on to a ribbon with velcro.)
• I originally scoffed at the idea of having a cake smash photo shoot. I changed my mind when I realized the babies birthday party would be a different day than their actual birthday. Sunday's cake smash will be outside (weather permitting) in their high chairs so we don't have to clean up or worry about people cramming into our kitchen. 
• I bought the pink necklace that the girls are wearing for $5 from Claires. When I got home I was upset to discover that it was one long strand that was wrapped together to look like two necklaces in the package. The color matched the tutus perfectly so I just cut the necklace in half and twisted it to make two necklaces. You can tell in the closeup of Maddie. It drives me crazy.
• Maddie refused to keep her necklace on. For once, Amelia did not take off her bow.
• While writing this blog post, I am reminiscing about VH1's Pop-Up videos.