After months of beaming smiles and giggles, it was finally time for parents to show off their peek-a-boo skills.

Mums and dads flocked to Cowley yesterday for the first day of the Oxford Mail’s Baby of the Year 2014 competition.

Kate Cassels, from Rose Hill, was one of the first in line to take her six-month-old son Alfie to the photo shoot.

The outpatient supervisor at the John Radcliffe Hospital said she was pleased as punch with her son’s performance in front of the lens.

Ms Cassels said: “It went really well. It was his first photography session and he managed to smile for two photos. The photographer clicked his fingers for him. Alfie did smile for a few photos, so I have my fingers crossed for the competition.”

Ms Cassels added: “Alfie is “quite a cheeky chappy and he is very nosy. He loves to see what is going on. He sleeps through the night for about nine hours at the moment, but he is teething, so fingers crossed.”

Alfie was born on September 8.

The bonny baby came dressed to impress in denim jeans and polka dot braces.

Families can enter their beautiful babies and terrific tots for the competition all this week inside the Matalan store at the John Allen centre.

Entrants are in with the chance of winning a holiday, voucher, canvas photo print and a trophy.

To enter, fill in an entry form in the Oxford Mail, or go along to a photo booth.

Photo booths will also be at the Westgate shopping centre from Monday, March 24, to Wednesday, March 26, and at Sainsbury’s Heyford Hill from Thursday, March 27, to Saturday, March 29.