Madison Turns One: A girly birthday session in Troutville, Virginia

6/15/2017

I met the Merrill family back in December, when Madison was just 6 months old. She was sweet and smiley and way more fashionable than I am. Six months later, and nothing has changed!

When I drove up to our session location — Madison's grandparents' home in Troutville, Virginia — I was reminded just how perfect a spot this is for photos; nothing beats their sprawling backyard and neighboring apple orchard.

When I walked in, Madison's mom Megan was ready to go with all the first-birthday essentials, including a big, pink balloon and a homemade cake. I was instantly in love with all these special details!

But my favorite thing about this session was hearing Megan gush over her little girl. She is so in love with everything about Madison — her smile, her hair, the way she sits and even the back of her head. She loves being a mom and creating memories with her children.

On Madison's birthday, Megan shared on Instagram, "Last night, as I rocked her to sleep for the last time before turning 1, I told her how I had dreamed about her my whole life. I can remember being a little girl and daydreaming about what my daughter would look like. She's even more perfect than I imagined and I'm so lucky to be her mommy. I kissed her tiny hands and tiny toes and sang 'Happy Birthday' to her tonight before bed and asked her not to grow up too quickly. I hope she listens."

Hope you all enjoy looking at these photos as much as I loved taking them (and as much as Madison enjoyed her cake!).