1st Birthday, 3rd Kid - Party?

PinkPrincessPiper · August 2016

This is my third child, and the novelty of throwing actual birthday parties wore off after my eldest's 4th birthday. Family attendance dropped each year, and after the second kid, I felt gift grabby for even thinking of a party. In fact when my middle child turned one we had just moved into our house the day before, so there was obviously no big party, as we had tons going on. He had a smash cake & gifts, but just with his immediate family. For his 5th birthday a few weeks ago we did dinner out & ordered him a paw patrol cake that we celebrated with afterwards. This year, my will be 10 year old requested to go to the Hibachi Grill with us (our usual date night place, he wants to check it out) for his birthday. That plus gifts from mom & dad, cake (and sending cupcakes to school), will be the extent of his birthday.

Fast forward to the present, and I have this amazing little princess who is about to turn one. I've seen all these adorable party decorations, cakes, etc that just weren't a common thing when my boys were younger (thanks for making me feel so inadequate, Pinterest!). Is there an etiquette for birthday parties once you have multiple kids? Would it be "tacky" to celebrate her birthday with a big family party like when my firstborn had his first birthday?

Anyone in the same boat? Thoughts?

ElleMF728 · August 2016

I don't think so at all. Birthday's aren't like showers where most people generally consider it to be for the mom. Birthdays are for that specific kid and to celebrate a big milestone in his or her life. We have had big 1st birthday parties for each of ours and will have another for the next one. I don't see why anyone would think this is tacky.

Granted, I do think its annoying when people want to have huge blow outs year after year but we plan to celebrate 1, 5, 10 years etc. (though I'm thinking by 10 they won't want family parties anyway and would prefer to have friends over).

dmbfan46835 · August 2016

Have you a party girl!!! You have this perfect little princess and there's all sorts of super fun stuff you can do for her. And for you! Celebrate and make the memories. Plus I want to see pics

PS- Pinterest is the devil. I told DH that after this party I may have to delete Pinterest, zulilly and etsy off of my phone. I have a problem. Serious FOMO going on when it comes to all these crafts and parties and ideas. I. CANT. STOP. lol

amp61470 · August 2016

I think the first birthday is a very big deal and I don't think it's tacky to have a big party. Little man is getting a party this year. When he is older and has friends he will do something with his close friends if he wants, but this year it's about celebrating his birth with all the people who love him.

mill1020 · August 2016

It's not tacky at all. It's her birthday.

Personally, I'm a huge fan of not doing all the work required to host an actual party until the kid is old enough to notice/demand one. But if you're up for it, go for it!

ElleMF728 · August 2016

I was thinking more about this and relate it to graduation parties. I wouldn't have a graduation party just for my oldest, it seems a little unfair to the others.

ForeverEverAfter · August 2016

It's a birthday, all gifts are optional and for the child. Totally acceptable for every child to get a birthday!! My first had a casual after supper party for desserts and drinks (all our friends) with family on FaceTime. This time we know children locally, so it will feel more like a party. 1 shaped cookies, decorations, finger foods, etc.

LoveLee85 · August 2016

We are having a big blow out for our LO. He's our first child and that's what people do in our families. First birthdays are pretty big. Not the other years, normally. It's not about gifts either. I am spending WAY MORE on food, drinks, desserts, decore and venue hall. Lol. I'm actually dreading the gifts part. LO needs nothing. Might donate some to local safe haven for women and children.

Wanted to add, it's not tacky, gift grabby or any other negative thing to want to celebrate your youngest daughters first birthday! Go for it. If someone has an issue with it, they won't come and don't need to be there anyway!

shelbydd · August 2016

I definitely don't think it's tacky or gift grabby. She deserves a special day just like her older siblings got. I definitely understand not doing a big party every single year but the first birthday (I think) is special and having multiple children doesn't make it less special. If you wanna have a smash cake and a few close family members that's great but if you want to throw a full blown party with decorations, balloons, and invite everyone, that's great, too!!

rjanice · August 2016

Go for it! Ronen is baby #3. His birthday will be a backyard bbq, no crazy decorations or gift bags or pinata. Gifts are optional. Food and balloons are a must! I'm not big on themed all out birthday parties.
Like pp said, it's not tacky nor gift grabby to throw a birthday party.

tviste · August 2016

My neighbours rule is: A nice 1st birthday and then nothing over the top until they are school age and want to invite their friends to thier birthday

BrittanyM1015 · August 2016

I don't think it's tacky at all. This is my second baby and we will be doing a big party or her first birthday just like we did DS. After the first birthday we just do small parties with immediate family. I consider it a pretty big milestone and figure if people want to come out and celebrate they are more than welcome to. I say have a party if you want to:)

yellow1daisy · August 2016

I agree with everyone else---definitely not tacky!

But I don't consider kid birthday parties for any age tacky. We were just invited to a 2 yr olds birthday (boy number 2 for them) and were more than happy to celebrate with them

.

vibarra27 · August 2016

Idk if its just me or if its a Hispanic thing, but i made DD a party for her 1st, 2nd, & 4th birthday. For her 3rd DH i took her to Disney for the first time. For her 5th i was in the hospital on bedrest so we had cake & presents in my hospital room(but we had a party planned but my water breaking ruined things). & this year her 6th birthday party will be with her brothers since hers is a exactly a week before(their birthdays fall on Saturdays). I will make her a party up until she says she would rather have a slumber party. or go to the movies with friends, go out for dinner etc.

I longed for birthday parties as a kid & didnt have my first actual party until i was 11 because my mom was single parent & simply couldnt afford it. & now that i can do it for DD & the boys why not? I dont ask for gifts, but family & friends do buy them & they buy her things she needs such as clothes. I get her a piñata, candy bags for the kids, jumping castle & play games with the kids to win prizes, this year i will have a face painter @ the party. People who care will go &. I celebrate their life because an extra year of life is a reason to party right? When will you have another excuse to go all out except for graduation? So if people think im tacky, oh well. But i dont think its tacky @ all. Go crazy, make your princess a party. She shouldnt be denied one because of what other people think

RobsMrs77 · August 2016

Erin, knowing how excited you are about having your dreams fulfilled by having your princess after your two darling boys, GO FOR IT! Imagine all the pink!

I don't think it's gift grabby at all either. It's your little girls first birthday! Every reason to celebrate!

Liam turns 9, 9 days after Jake, so we too had a bit of a dilemma - do we have 2 parties in less than 2 weeks apart? or do we just have one big party? but on who's date? As Jake's is first on the calendar and it'll be be his first birthday, we thought maybe have a big party then, but then would Liam feel left out when his day comes around? (we would still do something special with him, obvs) So, we asked Liam what he'd like to do. (We were at this point preparing ourselves for 2 parties.) He said he'd prefer to go to the zoo with some friends, and would rather watch Jakey enjoy his 1st birthday party as he knows how special it is. (I swear this child is way beyond his years the way he thinks about his little bro, he's so caring and thoughtful) so the problem was solved. He'll still get a cake and prezzies off us and close family.

I was lucky when I was a kid. Mum threw parties for both me and my brother until around the age of 10/11. (Our birthday's are a good few months apart) I'm so grateful to her for doing that, as I have such wonderful memories of them,
playing games, the party food; everyone singing "Happy Birthday" as I blew the candles out.

Then once I hit Noah's age, I'd prefer to go out to dinner too, or go to the cinema with friends, followed by pizza afterwards. It was just as much fun, and I got a birthday cake every year until I moved to London at 16. Haha.

I haven't followed suit. We had a party for Liam's first 2, then his next one was when he was 5, when he started school, then 7. We would always do something to celebrate obviously, but he hasn't had one every year.

I imagine it's going to be a beautiful fun filled day! Can't wait to see the pics, love!

J0C0TX · September 2016

HI!!! Sorry I'm late on this, but I haven't been on in forever

No hard & fast rule in my opinion. For our little dude (he's not so little) we're having family and CLOSE friends only. No daycare kids as we're not that close to this set compared with the other 2. After that... she's a girl - she'll want to se all the pictures of her party as she get older... trust me on that

Just enjoy!

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