Second Birthday (!!!!!) Parties

krispy83

What is everyone doing for LO's second birthday?  DS will be 2 on 2/24 and DH and I are going to throw a party at home.  We did his first birthday at home as well, but probably had somewhere around 50 people here.  This one will be smaller, probably closer to 20-25, just family and a few friends.  Planning to do a Sesame Street theme.  I just can't believe it's already time to think about this!  How did our babies get so big so quickly?

[Deleted User]

I can't believe it either! I haven't started planning much. DS has a lot more interests now than he did last year, so we'll probably base a theme on something he likes. It will definitely be smaller than his 1st bday! Probably just immediate family and maybe a friend or two.
Have planning your LOs party!

cmsdouglas

DD's will definitely be smaller!  We went all out last year when I think she would have been happier with something small!  The only thing she's really interested in right now is the Magic Schoolbus so that might be our theme.  I should probably start planning that soon!

Wipz

We went small last year.. just us and him.. much to a few relatives chagrin.. oh dear... LOL We had a blast just goofin off, went to the zoo and took family pics and just had some good quality family time.  DH and I both took 3-4 days off  and we'll do similar again this year.. LO could care less about a party since he is not into the big family gatherings much anyway.  So our only concern is HIM having fun.. as it should be.

nunzchucks

Ahhhh! Two! I can't believe it.

Our party will be low key, too. Just the grandparents and us. We are thinking of getting her a slide for her birthday. I found a cool, taller one that has a fort underneath.

Ps @cmsdouglas Good luck soon! Two more weeks! Crazy!

countrygrl5533

We don't do big b-day parties. Too much work and way, way too much money. We do have a number of friends come as families are on the small side and we have a number of friends that are aunt or uncle to DD. And we make maple syrup. March is maple syrup season here. A lot of people come for the party and stay to help boil sap after.

We're doing a Curious George theme this year.

krispy83

mrscjmb9410 said:

If we don't do that, we'll do an open 'meet us at the zoo on XX for DS birthday'. If people come, great, if not, we get a fun family day.

This is a great idea!

lindslalala

Didn't they just turn1?!? We're doing a small family party with just cake, ice cream and appetizers. It's dinosaur themed. DS loves to roar like a dinosaur(especially at strangers in public places) and really likes The Land Before Time movie so it seemed fitting.

countrygrl5533

Excited30 said:

I've still got two months before Dd's bday, so I'm in the thinking/planning stage.  It will be a small party, family with a few friends.  Nothing like last year with over 30 ppl crammed into our 2 bdrm apartment.  hehehee...what a blast that was!  There was barely any room to move in here and I planned for months.  Totally worth it, and wouldn't change a thing.  This year, however, will be quiet and cozy.  There will be a theme, don't know what yet.  I'm not stressed about it, but looking forward to celebrating with her.  I love having family around, and so does she.  The 1st birthday for me was an exception and for the next several years the parties will be intimate. 

See, I have it mostly planned as of today so I have the next two months to budget, look for deals, buy little bit by little bit, etc. But I'm not going as crazy as last year either. Less decorations, cheaper decorations, etc. I still need to start thinking on what DD is going to get for a gift from us. Money is so much tighter now than ever before.

I think we will have 27 people in my small house but, like I said, it's maple syrup season for us. So I think DD will always end up with a bunch of people around for her birthday. And we have so many close, close friends that are like family to us.

cmsdouglas

Thanks @lilnunz1!  We're pretty excited!  This thread reminded me that I really do need to plan Jane's party NOW so that I don't get lost in the newborn bustle that's coming really soon!

Zimger

DS is completely over the moon about Thomas the Train. We did the same theme last year but I think we will do it again this year. Our party will be a bit bigger this year because we live closer to family. DS loves hanging out with family. I think the combination of family time and Thomas the Train will make him a happy camper. I think we will just have a potluck and some Thomas inspired games.

 

It really doesn't seem like he should be two...

nah82

We rented a hall and invited all the extended family last year.  That will not be happening.  We just had my older son's birthday in December and didn't have a party for the first time.  We went to visit my sister and BIL that live a couple hours away.  We took the boys on the Polar Express train there and we all went out to a Chuck E Cheese type place to celebrate, so he had a fun birthday weekend.  I feel like I need to keep them kind of even, so if there is a "party", it will just be my parents, MIL and probably my sister, BIL and their new baby at our house with a monster truck theme since he loves pushing monster trucks down our hallway.  I have a Living Social deal for the natural history museum, so maybe we will go to see the dinosaurs.

nunzchucks

@namcgee I wanted to let you know that I will be there and I will be bringing soup. Please plan accordingly.

nah82

@LilNunz1 LOL  I guess I better stock up on 6 oz. styrofoam "soup bowls" and plastic spoons.  I'll have to start a Soup Cousin: the next chapter thread to bring you up to date.

Vans18

OMG its around the corner!!! As much as I try to make a "small" party it just doesnt happen. We will have the same amount of people (60-80) guests but I am cuting down on a lot this year. I will not have much entertainment (this will save me $$) Only having a jumper and pinata for the kids and maybe just maybe-face painting. We are going with a Rustic Train theme. I hope it all works out. yay!

Vans18

OMG its around the corner!!! As much as I try to make a "small" party it just doesnt happen. We will have the same amount of people (60-80) guests but I am cuting down on a lot this year. I will not have much entertainment (this will save me $$) Only having a jumper and pinata for the kids and maybe just maybe-face painting. We are going with a Rustic Train theme. I hope it all works out. yay!

tantdylf

We are doing monster trucks, and this party will definitely be smaller than his first birthday!

eyenigh

I'm still trying to decide what to do-- I didn't realize it was coming up so fast. I still keep thinking it's the first week of January instead of the last. Since A's birthday is the 2nd, I really have to make some decisions! I'm thinking I might do a smaller party with just family because we were planning to take him to an indoor waterpark for his actual birthday and spend the night there (and staying in a hotel is a BIG thrill for him!). The way we're going now, there's an excellent chance that we'll have a Monsters University theme. Everything is Mike and Sully, all the time.

krispy83

@eyenigh - DS loves Monsters Inc. too!  It's hilarious to hear him try to say Mike Wazowski!  That's a great theme idea

kaleb87

I really want to do something fun. (Probably just my cabin fever talking though.) Last year we went all out. This year I'm not doing all that. I am thinking just reserving a few lanes at the bowling alley and calling it good. My DD went bowling right before Christmas and thought it was great.
Since we are at the bowling alley if people are hungry they can buy themselves something to eat. I will supply the cake.
Theme wise I am not sure. My mom thinks I should do bubble guppies since that is her favorite cartoon. I might just let her dress up like a cowgirl and call it good. She got a cowboy hat for Christmas and wears it nonstop.
@eyenigh we went to a hotel with an indoor water park for Christmas and DD loved it. That will be a great birthday for him.

nah82

@kaleb87 I'm in awe that your DD did well with bowling.  My 4 year old has been bowling on our Wii at home, so last weekend we decided to go the the real alley as a family.  We got the gutters set on our lane and they provided us with this cool plastic dinosaur ramp thing for the boys to roll their balls down.  Little brother gravitated to the ball return and kept trying to pick the balls up himself, and one time even tried to stick his arm right down the ball return when we were waiting for his ball to come back.  He did like carrying his ball up to roll down the dinosaur with my help.  By about his 3rd turn, big brother had lost interest, and the whole experience pretty much made me a nervous wreck...haha.