For DS' 1st birthday we had roughly 10 people over (including 3-4 kids). We celebrated early at my parents' house with my side of the family. For DS' 2nd birthday I was really sick and H had flown in from a work time at 2am that morning so we did nothing except H took him to his well checkup. The following day we got a cake for just the 3 of us. We had planned to invite friends for that, but we canceled since I was sick. Here's to hoping DS' 3rd birthday is better.
We had my dad, MIL, and a couple of friends over for tacos and cake. I would have like something larger, but it was what it was as the time. I'm hoping next year to do something that at least involves other kids.
we did, but it was only family and our 3 closest friends (which still totaled more than 30 people!) It felt silly and unnecessary. We will not likely do that again until he is older. We mostly did it for our parents and friends who wanted a party.
If I did not have family around I would have done just a small celebration with your friend who will be in town and your partner and kiddo. That's it.
Post by jennistarr1 on Dec 7, 2018 13:33:54 GMT -5
yes, mostly family and it was around 60 people. We rented a hall, brought our own food. It was all eating/drinking. I enjoyed it and felt it went well. I enjoyed planning it to.
My mom was really sick at the time and turned out to be a good get together for her and everyone before she passed a couple of months later.
And while I'm reflecting. I had asked his parents, my parents, and my sister to bring one dish mostly because it's fairly typical for them to contribute by precedent and tradition. My mom said she would bring mac n cheese but that she was going to buy stouffers' trays and I got really bratty upset until my wise husband quickly reigned by ass in. I was mostly naïve and innocently unaware of my mom's limitations but looking back I feel pretty bad.
We did, but we like having parties. My parents flew in for it, but they are super helpful house guests - they cleaned up our yard and finished painting our kitchen, for example.
I would not do anything that adds stress to your life. If you just want to do a cake with your BFF, do that.
It’s totally up to you - 1st b-day patties are totally for the parents. We love parties, so we did one for each kid. Our family is within a couple hours, so they drove in, our friends, and a few daycare friends also came. It was super fun with lots of food and booze. Both b-days are in the summer, though so we didn’t have all the holiday aftermath stuff to deal with.
We had large first birthday parties for both babies, but it was primarily local family and a few close friends. We did not invite daycare friends until J turned 3. They don't really play together around their 1st birthday. At least for our daycare, ages range from 6 weeks to 12+ months in her particular class.
Post by penguingrrl on Dec 7, 2018 15:54:22 GMT -5
If you want to just celebrate with your BFF and leave family out of it, do that. Your daughter will never know, this is for you!
For my oldest we had a huge party. Close to 100 people in my mom’s backyard, including a lot of family friends and extended family. She was my mom’s first grandchild, so my mom absolutely insisted and she threw it (and paid for it, we were living in Hs graduate stipend at the time, so flat broke). It was a really nice party and everyone had fun.
For my middle we threw a more subdued first birthday because money was tight all around, so nobody could do the big blowout we did for her sister. Just our parents and siblings, also in my mom’s backyard. This fit my middle one better since she’s very shy and would have been miserable with a big party.
My son is a February baby, so he got a grandparents and aunts and uncles only party in my house. But since it was winter we did a theme for the first time and everything was penguins, so it was cute and fun.
We had a small playdate at our house with our friends who happened to have toddlers or one year olds too. It was totally laid back. Had leftover cake and chicken from the family first birthday party my mom hosted at her house because she insisted we had to do a first birthday party with family.
This year, I'm due with twins right around DDs birthday in March. Since my sister is throwing a bday party every year for her two kids, I'm lumping on with her party in January and calling it a day. So all three kiddos (3 yo nephew, 2 yo niece, and my 2 yo DD) will have one big party this year, with my sister planning the entire thing and I am just paying the deposit on the room. I may invite my friends with their kids over for another small playdate in March near her actual birthday, but it'll really be them bringing potluck snacks and their toddlers, and that way they can meet the twins and DD can play with friends.