First birthday

northport6 · September 2014

Is anybody not really doing much for LO's first birthday?

...or, like my mother-in-law is implying, is it just us?

sleepymonkey · September 2014

DH would like to do a party but I really don't want to. I think we will probably just do a little family dinner and cake, just our immediate family. Because DD's birthday is on NYE, DH keeps envisioning a kiddie party for her earlier in the day and an adult party at night. I don't know know what he thinks we're going to do with her while we're "partying" at night.....

northport6 · September 2014

B's birthday is the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and we live 150 miles + lots of traffic away from friends and family. So we agreed to see everyone the weekend before, but I still think it's just a littl bit silly to go to all the trouble of like, having a real party. Ugh, I don't know.

canicksmom · September 2014

We'll be flying to visit my side of the family, but they live several hours away from each other. So, we'll do small, probably family-only cake and presents with the two groups. My sister is pretty excited, though, so there's a chance she may do something theme-y. I just can't wait for everyone back home to see him again, as they haven't since Jan/Feb. They can honestly wrap empty boxes for all I care, if it means time together and photos.

katebusse · September 2014

We aren't having a themed party, but will just host a Sunday family dinner and have cake for dessert.

thesportsgal · September 2014

We're just having immediate family over - which still is like, 20 people. I go back and forth on whether or not to do a theme. I know the date will sneak up on me and I don't need to feel guilty that my tablecloths aren't made of burlap or whatever. And really, it will be a lot to even have tablecloths....

Don't get me wrong, I think the birthday themes are fabulous and I loved reading the birthday thread, but I just can't bring myself to do a lot for a one year old's party.

Pinterest just gives me one big anxiety attack.

notkateanymore · September 2014

sleepymonkey said:

DH would like to do a party but I really don't want to. I think we will probably just do a little family dinner and cake, just our immediate family. Because DD's birthday is on NYE, DH keeps envisioning a kiddie party for her earlier in the day and an adult party at night. I don't know know what he thinks we're going to do with her while we're "partying" at night.....

That's really cute.

notkateanymore · September 2014

Honestly, I think it's really odd not to celebrate a child's birthday in some way that is festive.

notkateanymore · September 2014

northport6 said:

B's birthday is the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and we live 150 miles + lots of traffic away from friends and family. So we agreed to see everyone the weekend before, but I still think it's just a littl bit silly to go to all the trouble of like, having a real party. Ugh, I don't know.

I truly don't get this. And no, not everybody has to throw huge parties, but it's your baby's first year of life and your first year of being a parent...don't you want to celebrate those things?

margaerytyrell · September 2014

I'm trying to plan something. And the more I read the birthday thread the more I want to go all out. Lol
But DS's birthday is on a Tuesday. Should I do the Saturday before thanksgiving or the Saturday after thanksgiving. So conflicted.

Ltpugs · September 2014

We live in a condo that is not at all set up for entertaining

. We would love to have a big party but don't want to ask my mom or my sister to let us host at their houses. I'm hoping one of them will let us host a small party with just immediate family. His birthday is a couple days before thanksgiving to we'll be seeing the extended family for the holiday.

JRT512 · September 2014

We are celebrating, but I'm not going all out with party planning. Cake, food, family and friends. No Pinterest board or theme. If we had more friends with kids or if she had older siblings, I would make a bigger deal of it. It's fun to see everyone's ideas though!

juliagulia38 · September 2014

I will probably just invite some close friends and the inlaws. We don't know any children here so it will just be adults and my 2 nieces. I will do a cake I just don't know what theme yet. DS's birthday is Nov 14th so after that I'll plan LO's party. So nothing huge but probably 20 adults or so.

BoothBaby · September 2014

Very low-key over here. We will have close friends/family over for a little get-together, like 10 people, maybe? No theme or anything, and probably just an evite.

bty19 · September 2014

Just local immediate family (I think my Mom and Sis might make the drive over, but through a mountain pass in December is not always easy nor safe) and some of LO's baby friends (and their Mom's) for an afternoon of playing on the carpet and chewing on toys. The adults will have some appies and drinks, but that's it. No themes or anything. Pretty low key. No gifts.

I figured, I can't regret doing SOMETHING but I might regret doing NOTHING!

OH, and I'm making LO a cake, and we will sing to her etc.

tattooedtragedy · September 2014

Nothing big for us. Just immediate family and some cake. I'm not even sure we will do a theme.

#secondbabyproblems

tyedyeme12 · October 2014

No big thing. People will be around because Christmas. No, I will not usually combine Christmas and his birthday, but this time, yes.

playball13 · October 2014

No big party for us. We will probably just invite a couple of friends over for some pizza and wine.

ETA - Both sets of families live 1/2 across the country. One set is visiting around Thanksgiving so we will do a little party with them and the other set is visiting in December so we will do another little party with them.

katebusse · October 2014

An addendum: our little family will have a wonderful celebration with just the 4 of us later on 2015 when my husband comes home. He missed R's birth and will miss his 1st birthday:(

northport6 · October 2014

notkateanymore said:

Honestly, I think it's really odd not to celebrate a child's birthday in some way that is festive.

Well, let's take a look at my reasons.

1) I live 150 miles from my family, 100 miles from my nearest friends. I have literally one girlfriend who has a baby born two days after B, so she'll be celebrating the same weekend.

2) Because I'm far from family and friends, that means either everyone will have to travel the three hours to me where I will have no space to host them, and virtually no good options to host outside of the house, because I live in a small-business dominated "city" that is in a rural county.

3) The other option is to travel the three hours to Long Island. Our parents don't really have a close relationship, so although I know my MIL would fall all over herself to host, my own mother would immediately come up with 50 excuses not to come. She has a fairly severe social anxiety problem, and the way I insulate myself from getting hurt is not to put her in these situations in the first place where she has the opportunity to completely let me down. My friends are all childless and probably wouldn't come out to Long Island two days after Thanksgiving for a first birthday party anyway.

I suppose bringing my question here was opening myself up to judgment for it, although if you look at the question I posed, it was to see if there was anyone else who was not choosing to celebrate in this way. I already know the majority are planning something; it was obvious from the other birthday thread.

Kate, we know each other fairly well at this point, and I have repeatedly expressed admiration and encouragement for the parties you throw. My own feelings about how I celebrate my child's birthday aren't in any way a judgment of how you choose to celebrate yours.

notkateanymore · October 2014

As I said...I feel it's odd not to celebrate your child's birthday in a festive way. There are all different definitions of festive. BUT, if you want to take it as a personal judgement, I guess so be it. It wasn't, you know I love you. It was my opinion as a STM mostly. I think you will look back and regret not having those memories. I am not suggesting everybody throw a carnival or a party with all the carnies in town...but the memories are really important and it's a big milestone for you and your child AND your marriage! Surviving this year is a reason for cake and cocktails if there has ever been one!

Plus I think you need to have a #ramblingbaby themed party...HOW cute would that be?

northport6 · October 2014

No, no, I get it and I don't necessarily think you're wrong. I just don't see how to make it work without adding a whole lot of stress to a family that is already so stressful. And that part does make me really sad, actually.

canicksmom · October 2014

@northport6‌ I agree; if it's more stress than the potential enjoyment of the day, don't do it. I think starting a little family tradition is a great way to make memories. We have YEARS to make a big deal out of celebrations if we choose.
3‌

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