When did you celebrate LO's first year?

2Momtoo

We had 26 weekers last May, and my DH were just talking about when to celebrate their first "birthday."  Neither of us is too excited to celebrate thier first birthday with a huge party since they're really only 9 months old.  We talked about doing it in August when they were due but that feels weird too.  Our families are huge and can't get a way doing something small...when would you do a birthday or did you just skip it all together? TIA

MommynTeacher

You should celebrate the birthday on the day they were born. Really, once their due date comes and goes for the first time it doesn't mean anything anymore. They will be a year old when they are a year old...adjusted age isn't supposed to delay a birthday! We had a "zeroith" party on her due date that was basically DH and I having cake and wearing hats. We only did that to mark her offical due date and celebrating how far she had come before she was "supposed" to be born.

Irishsapphire

We actually celebrated his birthday the Saturday before his actual birthday (his birthday is close to Memorial Day).  It was so wonderful just having family and friends there.  And it was just a beautiful day-it was his special day.  We had a chocolate cake for the adults and mini vanilla cupcakeds for the kids.  My son really did not know what to do with the cupcake.  That came a couple of months later when he was better at eating finger food--and now he is just a pro.  I gave baby food and other easy to eat baby snacks as party favors to the other babies that came to the party.  And I made sure that we had puffs there--my son threw them on the floor--he is a party animal.  I feel like with my preemie son that I have to just let him be who he is --this is his birthday, this is when he was born, and at that time, he just was not the best with some finger food. 

And actually May turned out to be a better month to have his birthday.  It just felt like other people had more conflicts with some of the events that were scheduled during the summer time--people were either out of town or had some other conflict. 

graciousmeg82

I agree with the first post.  We are having DD's birthday on the day she was born 7/27.  Being as though it was a scary day for us I think celebrating her life and how far she has come will be a reassuring feeling for DH and I and our family as well.  We are also celebrating the day she came home from the NICU.  Nothing big but just a little "yay...this is the day you came home for the first time from the hospital"

sassafras007

March 12... the day she was born

urbanflowerpot

This is the time to turn their birthday into a day of joy - because for the rest of their lives the day they arrived is going to be their birthday and they're going to want it happy. Those other things are the details we, as parents, need to deal with and sort out. KWIM? DS's bday was the scariest day of my life, but I'm not going to tell him that and make his bday a date that has zero significance for him.

I'm sorry - I know it's hard. Those months aren't going to be a big deal later in life - my mom was born 3 mo early but she doesn't tell people she's 58 and 9 mo. My attempt at some humor/perspective with that last part.

mt1927

we will celebrate on his b-day on his b-day but we will be away. however i plan to dress him up, get a small cake etc. 

when we get home we have the MOD walk.

we have a big party planned for a few weeks later mostly because we have a busy month before his bday and i want time to plan and do some nice touches for his party so we pushed it ahead a few weeks.  

GeauxTigers82

MommynTeacher:

You should celebrate the birthday on the day they were born. Really, once their due date comes and goes for the first time it doesn't mean anything anymore. They will be a year old when they are a year old...adjusted age isn't supposed to delay a birthday! We had a "zeroith" party on her due date that was basically DH and I having cake and wearing hats. We only did that to mark her offical due date and celebrating how far she had come before she was "supposed" to be born.

Agree with above. Adjusted age doesn't delay a birthday. In my mind, that's just a way to mark milestones/progess, etc.

Celebrate on the day they were born...their "birthday." If not the exact day (depending on what day of the week it is), then sometime close to it.

kloc2006

Wow!  I'm in the minority. I did not celebrate my daughter's first birthday on her actual birthday. It was just too hard for me emotionally. I had her party closer to the anniversary of the day she came home. I also think you can consider adjusted age that first year. A nine month old is different than a 12 month old. As they get older, the adjusted age becomes less important. 

Frankly, my daughter didn't realize that we celebrated her birthday on a different day. With time it has gotten easier, and her second birthday was celebrated on her actual birthdate.

I think you should celebrate on whatever day feels right to you.   

2Momtoo

I'm sure we'll end up doing it on their actual birthday.  But there will be a part of me saying this isn't right too.  I just feel like they should be doing the things a 1 year old does and be able to eat the cake!  I know that by their seond brithday this won't even be an issue, so we'll just grin and bear it for the first.  Probably do something just the four of us on their adjusted birthday.  Thanks for your thoughts!

sdtchica13

Corri was 10 weeks early, and we celebrated her first birthday on her actual first birthday...March 5, 2011. For those who say they couldn't eat the cake and stuff, sure they can! Our pedi gave the go ahead to feed her cake and whatnot on her first birthday, and she was only 9.5 months old adjusted. She did just fine, and had a blast making a gigantic mess as evidenced by the below:

Bottom line, they are one for all intents and purposes on their first birthday, and by their second, adjusted age doesn't even matter, so there is no reason to confuse matters.