A birthday party WWYD?

jorie

My oldest DD is turning 5 on April 5th and my youngest is having her first birthday on April 27....both kind of "big deal" birthdays, IMO.  However, I also know that it's kind of annoying to be invited to 2 birthday parties just weeks apart (especially b/c most of our family lives 1-3 hours away).  How should I plaln this?  Keep in mind that Lydia wants a "dress up/makeover" type party and has lots of little preschool friends she wants to invite (she also has a few out-of-town cousins that she's close with).  Emmy won't know the difference and we'll likely just do cake and ice cream with close family for hers.

#1. Give each girl a party on her bday weekend.  Invite out of town family to both.

#2. Have a joint party on a weekend in between their birthdays. 

#3. Have Lydia's party with her preschool friends only.  Invite family/cousins to a joint party closer to Emmy's bday.

#4.  Have Lydia's party on a Friday night and Emmy's on Saturday.  Out of towners can stay the whole weekend and attend both parties.

 Other suggestions?  TIA, ladies!

j-w

That's a tough one, but I think #3 sounds like the best option.  When the family comes to town to celebrate the little one's bday, they can celebrate #1's as well. 

CBKMRB

Probably #3 or #4.

femmegem

I think 3 would be ideal.

kjr

I would do 1 party and let the preschoolers/older kids do the makeovers and all that and then have a cake for the little one, too.  That way everyone can celebrate at once and the older kids that will likely come to dd#2's party, will be entertained.

omurray

I think #3 sounds like the best option.

gibs

Have your older DD's party whenever works and call it a joint party for both.

pottershand

3, for sure. Good luck!

jorie

pottershand:

3, for sure. Good luck!

Hey Andi!  How are you?  How are those beautiful girlies?

I just ordered Emmy's birthday "attire" (lol!) so when it arrives and I can get a pic of her in it, I will be in touch with you to whip me up some invites. I'm brainstorming for Lydia's as well...but I'm thinking I'll be asking you to do those soon too.  :-)

LeoChic

I like your option #3.  With your kids birthday's being that close together, IMO the parties should be combined whenever possible.  I get that you see the 1 year birthday and the 5 year birthday as big deals but to most of your family, it's more than likely just another birthday. 

I have 2 sets of IL's who have kids who's birthday's are 1 week apart and they REFUSE to host a joint birthday party for their kids.  It drives me BONKERS!!  On top of the fact that the 4 children (2 to one set of IL's, 2 to the other) all have birthday's within a month of each other.  So we literally have 4 weekends inside of a month that we have to deal with kid's birthday parties.  Plus throw in about 4 other birthday's inside of that same month and it gets a little crazy.

Given that it seems like you have family that is already willing to travel, I'd be sure to be considerate of their time and combine the parties.

MrsHadley

#3

jlw2505

I would do #3 but #4 is not horrible either.  My sister and brother are 2 years apart but have the same birthday.  My mom used to a family party for both and for the friends party, they would be on the same day but one would be outside or in the basement and the other upstairs in the living room.  She would have some friends or family come and help adn the kids would do their thing and then she would have all the kids in the kitchen or where ever to serve cake.  They each had their own cake so it could be what ever theme they each wated.  Own ckae for family party as well.  2 of my brothers kids are 4 days apart so they do one party each weekend and one family party that is joint (well for my side of the family we do one big December birthday party since 6 of us have December birthdays so we just combine it all. 

kellilea

#2 or #3

gibs

 I can't believe so many of you are voting for #3.  The 5 year old doesn't have relatives come but watches the relatives show up for the party of a 1 year old who doesn't know the difference?  You all surprise me.  I would never do this to my older child.  Way to cause resentment.

j-w

gibs:

 I can't believe so many of you are voting for #3.  The 5 year old doesn't have relatives come but watches the relatives show up for the party of a 1 year old who doesn't know the difference?  You all surprise me.  I would never do this to my older child.  Way to cause resentment.

I think this is a little extreme.  My DD, who will be 5 later this year, has already told me that she just wants to have a friend party this year.  She has had family and friends with their parents up to this point.

kelly&paul

#3, you could always just get dd #1 her own cake so it kind of separates the 2 b-days.

hikerbeth

#3

ans1999

My brother and I have birthdays two weeks apart. We usually had joint birthday parties especially family birthday parties. I actually liked it and we weren't scarred for life for having them together. As we got older, we would have separate kids parties if we wanted but the family one was usually combined.

ttrainor

#3 a seperate for her friends and a joint for the family. My sister always does this and it works out great.

jorie

gibs:

 I can't believe so many of you are voting for #3.  The 5 year old doesn't have relatives come but watches the relatives show up for the party of a 1 year old who doesn't know the difference?  You all surprise me.  I would never do this to my older child.  Way to cause resentment.

Maybe I wasn't clear, but DD1 will have her own friend birthday.  Then later in the month, we will invite all the family and celebrate both birthdays. 

jorie

MH would agree with the 1-star rating.  Which is why I need to post it here:)

eclaires

My brother and I are two DAYS apart (and 2 years) but we always had joint family birthday parties (even milestone ones).  Then separate friend parties.

I think that's the best solution when you have out of town family.

Also, neither of us resent the other nor were we ever upset about sharing the family birthday party.  We each got to pick our own cake, and got gifts.  What's not to like? 

So that gets my vote - let your oldest have a friend birthday and then do a joint family birthday for both girls.

mauceddie

#3

gibs

PMQ:

gibs:

 I can't believe so many of you are voting for #3.  The 5 year old doesn't have relatives come but watches the relatives show up for the party of a 1 year old who doesn't know the difference?  You all surprise me.  I would never do this to my older child.  Way to cause resentment.

Dude, re-read #3. The kids will have a JOINT family party and the older DD will have a friend-only party as well.

 

DUDE!

I would plan the family party near the older kids' birthdate

mauceddie

gibs:

 I can't believe so many of you are voting for #3.  The 5 year old doesn't have relatives come but watches the relatives show up for the party of a 1 year old who doesn't know the difference?  You all surprise me.  I would never do this to my older child.  Way to cause resentment.

Nope. She gets her own party, and then they have a joint family party. In fact, the 5yo gets TWO parties, not one.

*Amy*

I think #3 definitely is the best option.

LanaM

Have 5 y.o. party with her friends and a cake at home on her bday.

Have a cake for 1 y.o.'s bday on her birthday. 

Invite family and friends for a combined bday whichever weekend is good for you.

 

That's what we did last year and it worked out great (1st and 4th bdays are 5 days apart). 

REOM

Wait a sec, is your Emmy really having a birthday?! IMPOSSIBLE!

Wow, that is just crazy

I agree with the majority- let L have a preschool party right around her birthday, then schedule a family party for both of them. L can dress up with her cousins at the family too, why not?!

AngelaSue

We just did both girls' b-day parties together. Adeline turned one Feb 25 and Amelia will be 5 on Mar 28. Most of my family is 3+ hours away, it worked out well and Amelia was fine with having their party together.