Capture 1st Birthday Memories for the Future

A 1st birthday is like no other, which makes it important to record those memories and look back on them in fifteen or twenty years. To capture all of those special moments, prepare for that 1st birthday ahead of time.

Begin by making sure you have plenty of camera power. It is a good idea to have two different photographers and someone to take a video of the day, as well. This way, if something goes wrong with the equipment or one of the photographers misses a shot of the baby blowing out that first candle, there is a backup set of images to choose from.

Next, plan on having two cakes. The first cake is for baby to use for those special scenes like blowing out the candles and getting frosting all over his or her hands. The second cake is for guests to enjoy. After all, as adorable as that icing-covered baby looks, the thought of eating crumpled and well handled cake doesn't fill most adults with joy.

Finally, don't overwhelm the baby with too much attention and too many gifts. Young children really do better with just a few gifts and a short party. Take the shots for the scrapbook and let the baby return to a normal routine—and being a baby!