MOM
TO MOM
PLANNING MY DAUGHTER’S FIRST BIRTHDAY
y daughter turns 1 in two months.
I started planning her birthday party
three months ago.
Finding a location was the first thing on
my to-do list. I wanted to invite our entire
family and all our friends. It was a long
list. I knew the guest list would make it hard to host at a
restaurant so I started Googling rental halls in the area.
I found a veterans’ hall that was recently renovated and
within our budget. Yes, you have to create a budget when
planning a 1-year-old’s birthday.
I selected a theme (Our Little Pumpkin Turns 1 – my
daughter is a November baby) and colors (pink and gold).
Table centerpieces will be craft pumpkin vases with flowers
and the favors will be No. 1 cookies and pumpkin cake pops.
There will be a craft table for the kids to decorate pumpkins
with markers and stickers. I also plan to have a “photo area”
set up with a pumpkin patch backdrop for people to show off
their pumpkins and snap photos with their phones.
I know what you’re thinking (I thought the same thing too):
When did first birthday parties become such a BIG event?
When I was a baby I think my parents had my grandparents
and aunts and uncles over and they put a generic birthday
cake in front of me and took a photo. It was not as big a hoopla
as it is today. I bet I didn’t even get presents. And if I did,
I don’t remember!
My daughter is not going to remember this party. BUT…
my husband and I will, and I think that’s what matters. I am
making memories for us, even though my little girl will have
no idea of all the hard work her mommy put into planning it.
What I do know is that when she gets older she’ll look fondly
over the photos of her big day – her first birthday.
No, I don’t plan to have a huge party for her each year.
I don’t think she’ll start remembering her birthday until the
age of 7. That’s when I’ll start putting on my creativity hat and
organizing some fun events for her and her friends – pumpkin
picking, painting pottery, a create-your-own pizza party,
seeing a play at Paper Mill Playhouse (I saw a show there
with friends for my 7th birthday). As a fan of Halloween,
I can only hope my daughter likes the holiday as well.
We could have a Halloween costume party!
My wheels are spinning.
I think parents get so involved in party planning
because we get to become a kid again for a day…
and we get to see our children smile ALL day as
they celebrate THEIR special day. I can’t wait!
48
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 | (201) FAMILY
I still have a few weeks left to finalize everything
for her party. OK…next on my list…
• Order her smash cake (Yes, this is a thing.)
• Select food for the buffet.
• Make the favors.
• Pick out her birthday outfit.
• Take a nap. ●
LAURA ADAMS STIANSEN
COURTESY
M
the BIG event