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A baby’s first birthday is a big deal. It’s a miracle witnessing this baby that you walked out of the hospital with just a few months earlier cut his first cake. For a new mother, one year is not only a summary of 52 weeks; it’s much more than that.
It’s the celebration of small milestones and your achievement as a mother. It’s the celebration of your baby graduating to a toddler. The first birthday is “Yippee! We went through colic, vaccines, and weaning, and here we are”
How then do you plan your baby’s first birthday and make it memorable?
Things to Remember When Planning Your Baby’s First Birthday
A one-year-old does not have an opinion about what his birthday should be like. Therefore, it’s upon you to make it the way you desire and pray that he doesn’t hate you in a few years to come for it.
Here are a few things you should put into consideration.
#1 Utilize his best time of the day
Choose the time of the day when he’s at his most cheerful self. The time after his nap is the best as he’ll be upbeat and have time for fun before he starts to go get sleepy and irritable again.
You don’t want a baby half-asleep while cutting his cake.
#2Venue
Decide in advance where you want to hold the party. Do you want to have it at home, or would you rather book a venue elsewhere?
Your choice of venue will dictate a lot of other factors, such as the timing.
#3 Set a theme
If you’d like the birthday to have a theme, decide what that theme is, and communicate it clearly in the invitations. Cartoon characters, a favorite movie, or a favorite color make for excellent birthday themes.
Make it something that is easily understood to avoid theme failure. Remember to have a cake and have your decorations in line with the theme.
#4 Has the baby had a recent vaccination?
If the baby has received their one year jab just before his birthday, consider skipping that a few days and let him get back to his normal self again.
Jabs can make a baby sickly and cranky. Babies do not know how to put up appearances; they will stir up a tornado if he feels uncomfortable.
#5 Be realistic with your expectations
It may go very well, or it may go as well as sticking gum in your hair. Do not obsess with small details and purpose to have fun as opposed to making a perfect day.
Sometimes, it’s the small bloopers that make the best memories. The baby is turning one; he may not be on his best behavior. He may even refuse to wear his birthday outfit or slam his face on the wedding cake.
Manage your expectations and take any unexpected outcome in stride.
5 Tips for Planning Your Baby’s First Birthday
Planning your baby’s first birthday can be a stressful affair if you don’t know where to start and what to do when. Here are tips to help you plan your baby’s first birthday without losing your mind.
#1 Set a budget and stick by it
If you don’t decide how much you want to spend, you may end up overspending. Make a list of everything you’ll need and how much you want to spend on each item. It’s only the baby’s first birthday. The has a lot more along the way, be wise in your budgeting.
#2 Send invitations early enough
Send out the invitations well in advance and ask the guests to RSVP. This way, you’ll know the exact number of people you’re preparing for.
Ask guests to arrive at a particular time and let them know the time to leave. This will keep you from messing up with the baby’s timings.
It has been said that a baby’s first birthday is rarely about the baby. At the moment, he doesn’t really know what it means to have a birthday party. That does not mean that you exclude children and make it an adult back-patting party.
Inviting many younger children will make the baby happy as he’ll have playmates. If your baby is already walking, this will be awesome as he can run around with them. This might be the best part of the birthday.
To ensure that more people make it, put it on a weekend even if the birthday itself falls on a weekday.
#3 Take pictures in advance
First birthdays tend to be messy, and the baby of the moment may not be in his best mood for photos. Many people may freak him out and cause him to be out of character.
Plan to have a photoshoot in advance before people arrive and the venue becomes a mess. Babies have a rare talent for turning expensive decorations upside down faster than it takes to make a wish.
There are very high chances that your baby will not remember this birthday, the photos will be an excellent reminder of the day he turned 1.
Don’t forget to take more photos of the beautiful chaos during the party. They will come in handy when you need to embarrass him in front of his fiancé 30 years from now.
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#3 Make the party baby friendly
There will be lots of babies running around, ensure that the environment is baby-friendly.
Go on all fours to the level of a child, and scan the environment for anything that may harm them.
Get rid of sharp objects such as barbed wire, knives, and wood splinters. Deep holes and places with water that can drown a baby should be sealed off.
#5 Finally, don’t do it alone
Don’t plan this whole birthday alone. By the time the day arrives, you will be too exhausted. Get someone to run errands or even plan the whole party for you. You have been the heavy lifting for the past year; you deserve some help.
Happy first birthday to your little one.
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