Birthday Parties!

[carrots]

Since first birthdays are officially here, let's share plans for birthday parties! I know there are a lot STM's here so I'm curious how this celebration will differ from your first baby's party.

[carrots]

For M's birthday, we'll do a mostly family celebration (plus 3 friend families that are pretty much family) at our house. I think it adds up to inviting around 30 people. I'll keep it pretty simple with some light snacks and cupcakes. I'm going with a "sprinkles" theme but don't plan to do a ton - coordinating invitations, make a happy birthday banner, display her monthly pictures, coordinating paper products, and I need to decide on a cute favor. Here's what I've got from Pinterest right now:





Other than gathering these pictures and deciding on a time/date, I've done nothing. I'd like to have most of it done mid-December but we will see how that works out.

[carrots]

Oh and compared to DS's first birthday, the effort for a theme/decor is the same but way less guests. This is mostly a result of the time of year. For his party, we had it in our backyard and all the kids played in the kiddie pool and water table but we don't have that option for January. And my house is tiny.

[Lakes]

Guest list will be the same: 25ish family members

Theme: Alice in ONEderland! I mostly focus on themed food but will come up with a few decorations. Ideas for both will come from Pinterest.

Comparison: ds had a lumberjack themed birthday. I reused a lot of the decorations from his forest animal themed shower. As long as I follow through with my plans, they will be similiar in scale and decorations.

Changes: I've decided that after the 1st birthday, I'm done with paper invites. At least until school parties potentially change that.

Concerns: I already feel a bit burned out by the holidays and worry about short changing dd. We had Thanksgiving 1 of 3 last weekend, all the traditional Christmas stuff, my birthday is January 14 (which is usually just a small family dinner), then dd's birthday.

[Lakes]

Some inspiration

[Lakes]

I really just wanted an excuse to have tea cups and mini sandwiches...

[carrots]

Lakes I love having paper invites from a collectibles perspective and my mom love scrapbooking. This year I did Paperless Post email invites for DS's party and they have the option to order just 1 paper invitation. It was so perfect and I'll be doing that going forward (after M's first of course).

And amen to the holiday burn out! When we decided to try for baby #2 it was with the hope of it taking a few months and part of that was my desire for a spring birthday. Obviously I wouldn't change anything for the world, but I'm realizing now that it would have been nice!

[judyblume14]

Guest list - Family only. Ugh - 46 adults (extending to our (my/my H's cousins).
Theme - Um, birthday? There will be NO pintrest.
Same - will display pics of A's first 12 months. Will make Funfetti cupcakes
Changes - simplifying the menu. Ordering pizza, and having a veggie platter and fruit salad
Concerns - I thin it's fucking ridiculous to have 65 people (because beyond the 46 adults, there are 19 kids) come to a one-year-old's birthday party. But I can't trim the guest list because people get butt-hurt.

I don't want to sound bah-humbuggy. Because i was to celebrate my sweet baby! But it's just so fucking over the top.

[otepoti]

STM and for my 1st we had a party, just friends and family and kept simple. For F I guess we're having a low key affair. Days booked off work and we'll do something as a family unit BUT its my mother's 60th and I will be parting with her in the evening and who ever is not horrifically hung over on the saturday will come to the new house for a small get together/ house warming.

[pibblemom]

I'm so excited that we've decided to combine baptism and birthday. We will be doing it on her actual birthday, and the party will be pretty big because of the combining.
I haven't thought of a theme, I've started on invitations but haven't finished anything besides telling the church definitely yes and getting the venue booked.