Ideas for 1St Birthday

My best advice for young children's parties is to have it in the morning! That may seem like a strange time for a party- but if you think about it- that's when she's the most alert and in the best mood. Parties are overwhelming, so simple is definitely the way to go.
I had a brunch for my daughter's 2nd birthday- it was fun and she loved it. Simple food, small guest list and a short party time made it a success.
-S.

Hello K.,

My friend just attended her nieces birthday and her parents had a great idea. They did a time capsule. They had people bring 2-3 items to add to the time capsule. People brought magazine, newspapers, ticket stubs, collectibles, notes and letters to the baby and other memories. They all enjoyed seeing what others brought and they put those things away in a special decorated bin so when she is 18yrs old they can pull them out and she will learn about her past, her relatives and what life was like when she was 1yr old. I thought this was such a great idea. You can add any personal touch to it to make it special.

Good Luck,
Lainy

K.,
Here are a few different idea's I have done through out the years with my 3. Happy Birthday to your little one!
I took a picture of my daughter in her dress that she was going to wear on party day.Then I went down to 1 hour photo had them blow it up to and 8x10 { you can do it bigger if you wish}. The you can go to a cheap store ex. ($ store) Buy a 8x10 frame and put in the picture but leave the glass out. Then during the party you could create a lasting memory for you and your child by having guests sign birthday wishes on the picture matte that you can later frame. Display this on a plate rack and place photos of your child on the table with it. Offer colorful pens for the guests to use. Include photos that showcase him or her throughout their first year. {BIRTHDAY WISHES}Ask guests to write birthday wishes for your one-year-old on slips of paper that you can keep in a bottle and open on a 16th or 18th birthday.
OR
A Birthday Garden
Plant a tree or flower that will bloom or multiply each year around your little one's special day, and mark it with a little plaque or sign, if desired. Then, make a yearly tradition of photographing your child by his birthday garden.
For Winter Babies... Plant holly, flowering jasmine, or crocus.
For Spring Children...There are many flowering bulbs, such as daffodils, lilac bushes, or tree peonies.
For Summer's Wee Ones... Celebrate with roses, iris, or hydrangea.
For Autumn Tykes... Clematis, Japanese Maple, or Crape Myrtle work well.

The best thing we did, is I laid out two full 12x12 pages from her scrapbook, with photo safe journaling pens and let all her guests sign a message to her in her album. She's turning 3 now and we look back even just two years ago and love to read the messages from her grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. Imagine how much she'll love that in 20 years+?? Everyone who looks through her album loves those two pages. You could start it with your own message to her - a thought my husband and I forgot to do... and now there isn't much room to add anything! : ) Just a hint / suggestion.

For my youngest daughter's 1st birthday (she's now 6) what I did was I made invitations with pictures of her throughout the year. Inside the card I wrote a little something about my daughter and how she'll be turning one. Gave party info and asked all of the guests to bring some sort of momento for her. A poem, a song, a story about her first year. I had an edible image made up of the pictures I used on the invitation for the cake. I had made a scrapbook of my daughter's 1st year and then all of the stuff that the guests brought went into it. I then had everyone sign a page of the scrapbook. You can do this numerous was though if you aren't into scrapbooking. You could make a time capsule that you could open on say her 10th birthday or maybe her 16th. It was really nice seeing what everyone remembered about my daughter and our first year with her. And it's going to be nice to have this to give her someday. I plan on doing a similar thing for my son when he turns 1 in November. I only wish I had thought of it for my oldest daughter who just turned 9. Good luck.

For my youngest son's first birthday I sent out hand made invitations that said "Make a wish for Jaden's first birthday" they each had a birthday candle attached. We decorated with stars some that I cut out large enough for each guest to write on when they got there. They all wrote what they wished for him in his life on a star. At the end of the party I collected all the stars and put them in his life book. So, he will have all of those special wishes to look on as he gets older. The cake was also the shape of a star and said "May all your wishes come true."
I think that on their first birthday the kids aren't really "into" anything yet so you can pick a theme that fits what you like. From then on they are going to have opinions on what character or theme they want so I think you can take this chance to do something you will like. Have a great time and happy birthday to your daughter.

I made a little book out of construction paper and decorated it with stickers and such. Then I asked each person to write a little something in it for my daughter and son. THey wrote nice things and some even wrote what they wished for. It was something special that will help them remember their first birthday. It's nice to look back at and remember who was there.

How about making a time capsule to be opened on her 16th or 18th birthday? Get a large tin from a department store or reuse a popcorn container, it can be decorated with her picture and a copy of her birth certificate and and something that say "She's 1!" Good old modge podge will help to adhere anything to the canister and decoupage can be lots of fun.

Have family members and friends bring a letter or note and something to add to remember them by. If you video tape the event that too could be added to the capsule, along with the local paper to show what was happening in the world.

Place a note on the top, "To be opened on:" and seal the canister. It will be a story that you can share with her and look forward to opening with her on that special day.

I have 2 children who have both achieved that precious milestone. We always made sure to decorate with a "Baby's 1st" theme. I love giving them chocolate cake with chocolate frosting because it's so fun to see them get so messy and experiment (neither of my kids had cake or ice cream prior to that big day). Also, make sure you set aside time to open gifts so your guests don't feel left out, but if baby isn't interested, help speed along the process. We always had teenagers on standby to help out and they loved it as did their parents! Take lots of pictures and write everything down!

K.,
There are TONS of other "firsts" coming your way over the next 18+ years, be assured! Just be mindful that your baby will really not have a clue what all the fuss is about, will probably be only interested in the wrapping paper or decorations, and will experience what the others around her provide. Simple is absolutely the best way to go until she is well into elementary school - trying to keep the number of children involved aproximate to the age of your child ( 3 friends her age at 3rd birthday, etc.) works best for her and gives you less to fret about = best possible day for you all, and great memories! Enjoy!
Betsy

For my son's first birthday we did a Teddy bear picnic and everyone even adult family members brought their teddy bears it made for some great stories and if the bears are not there people found pictures to share it was fun for everyone. It was a tradition in my husbands family each child gets a teddy bear at birth and we have carried it on with our children. My sons now 9 and 7 even got into the act for the birth of their sister 3 months ago and went to build a bear and put 2 hearts in her bear one for each of them and now she has her very own. Best of luck and no matter what theme you decide it will be wonderful. Enjoy the day and Happy birthday to your little one.

Hi K. ...
I think it would be very special if your friends & family wrote a special note to your daughter ... about how they feel about her and life in this moment in time with her.
At her party, take pictures of the people who wrote the special memento note.
Then, put a scrapbook together for her with the notes and the pics of the people and, naturally, with a loving message from her mom and dad ... have somebody take a picture of you and your husband with your daughter on that special day (maybe with a balloon or the cake or something).
It's something you can give to her on a special birthday later ... maybe 16 or 18 or 21 :)
HAVE A GREAT DAY ... and congratulations!
Take care,
B.

Oh K.,

I know what you are saying, but, trust me, you are nowhere near the end of "firsts" at the first birthday! Although, I must admit, the "firsts" of that first year seem almost magical.

We took lots of pictures--including of the presents being opened so that we can show our daughters the gifts that match with the people. I made a special birthday cake for our first child--it had 4 layers. The bottom two made a regular 2 layer cake that I frosted (white icing with dots and stripes of different colors). Then I made two different sizes of cupcakes--larger on the top of the layer cake, then smaller on top of the cupcake layer (total of 4). I iced the cupcakes with the colors from the dots and stripes. The cupcakes were perfect sizes for any kids at the party--smaller for the little ones and larger for the older kids, and most of the adults enjoyed the cake itself. I also made the cupcakes and layer cake out of either chocolate or vanilla--so everyone really had a choice--size and flavor. The tiny cupcake was perfect for our birthday girl!

We had a space-themed party and created a time capsule of sorts. We asked guests to bring something that they would like to put in the capsule (either photos, newspaper clippings, trinkets, etc.). Most of the guests wrote a special message for our child and we included those in the "capsule" as well. We didn't actually bury the time capsule, but it is well-hidden, and we intend to open it on birthday #10 (I'm not sure how we came up with that number, but 18 years seemed like too long to wait). The space them was a great, yet simple theme for the party and the slightly older kids had fun, too. Best of luck!

Our theme was ABC/123 blocks in red, blue & yellow for my son's first birthday. For a special touch, I also decorated index cards for each guest. Each guest then write down a wish for my son's first birthday...works great for all ages. The little kids colored on their card, older kids handwrote a message and grandparents did the same. I'm a scrapbooker, so the cards will be included in his album!

So many great ideas - all I can add is this - for the next few years make your precious one a cake of her very own (even if you are buying the cake, make a small one just for her) - chocolate is especially great for pictures and yummy too - but the 2nd cake is useful because eventually she will want to blow the candles out and share any fun germs she has (my 2YO gave 12 people a lovely vomiting thing that year!) and having her own cake lets her get started right after the candles without waiting for all that pesky cutting and those "who wants a rose" discussions! Oh - and if you have someone there who is a shutterbug, make sure to ask him/her to take pictures for you (even ask for specific ones - like Kate with Auntie Jo or her with her candles lit) so you can really enjoy yourself and celebrate with her (not just from behind the lens.)

Hi K.,

For both my children we also had a small celebration with family to mark their first birthdays. I carried on a tradition my mother began with my brother and I by having the big birthday candle. It starts before age one and goes to eighteen or twenty-one.

B

Whatever you do, make sure you have a video recorder! Hopefully you already have one. I am only pregnant with my first and can't seem to come up with any ideas for you. All I can advise is that watching things back is different than a picture. My parents videotaped my wedding for me and when I was getting ready and it was like being back in the moment. I wish they video taped my childhood! Rather than telling her about it years from now you can show her.

Hello K....Love that name as it is the name of my beloved first born! :) One idea I sadly discovered too late into my own daughters' years was to take an annual photo of her in an outfit (or pretty hat? or shoes?) that she may wear as she grows and develops from 1 year old to 18 years old.
The sample I saw was from a mom that took a picture of her daughter in her (the mothers')same one piece bathing suit for example,and each year the little girl filled it out more and more little by little until it fit her perfectly when she turned 18! I thought that was a really sweet way to document the passing years...made a real sweet composite! Enjoy your blessed gift! N.

the picture idea is great! i did something somewhat similar for my daughter's 1st birthday. i went to iparty and bought an autograph bear that was pink and wearing a party hat with a #1 on it. i also like the idea of planting a tree, then she can see it grow every year, just like her.
whatever you decide to do, take a ton of pictures and video (if you can) of her eating the cake, opening presents, and whoever else is there. the best memory i have of the party we had was her eating her cake and everyone laughing.
her birthday will be special because of the people that are there to celebrate it with her!

We did a tea party for our little girl when she was 1. I got tea cups from different places and did cute cookies and different things like that very girly and cute.

what does she like? pick a theme and run with it.. there are a lot of things you could do.. I live for this stuff, so email me and we can discuss further..

W.