Okay, tomorrow is my youngest daughter's first birthday. Yay!
When our oldest (who is six) turned one we had a party with the grandparents and greatgrandparents, and it was perfect. Since then, my parents have retired to SC...we are in MN.
So, here's how freaking TERRIBLE I feel...I haven't even planned something yet. My in-laws just got back from vacation today, and my parents aren't coming for a visit until June. I called the inlaws today (after their red-eye flight) to see if Friday would work, but no, it wouldn't, so we are having cake at six on Thursday. Her uncle will hopefully be coming too. The greatgrandparents have since moved to assisted living, and won't be coming...so it's just us.
So, I'm looking for ways I could make tomorrow special, because it IS her birthday...and I feel bad that all we're doing is having cake with three other people. I know, it'll be great and all...but still...tomorrow! I think I'll get really sad if I don't do something for her...but I've tried, and I just haven't come up with any ideas. So, please help! Thanks!
(Oh, and it really can't have anything to do with food...Celiac plus milk allergy rules out cake and ice cream, and I've already splurged for the special ingredients for Thursday...so something without food! :) )
Thanks for the suggestions so far...and by the way, I TOTALLY get that this is ALL for me. :) :) :) I even told my husband that...this is a special day for ME. My daughter is turning one, and it's been a tough year but she's getting so much better and I want to celebrate it! :)
***!!!!! Okay, here's a funny. We live in Austin, MN. There is no Build a Bear, Chuck E Cheese...or really, anything. But you know what we DO have? THE one and only (and it's huge) Spam Museum, because Hormel was started and is located here. It's fun, in a weird sort of way. (I refused to go for the first ten years it was open, even though it's free...but then my daughter wanted to go when she was five. Oh well, I took her. My husband has still never been.) I asked him if he wanted to go there tomorrow and he looked at me as if I'd lost my mind. :)
"I refused to go for the first ten years it was open, even though it's free."
So funny!
You guys should totally go the the SPAM museum! It will be a fun day for everyone and you'll get great laughs and memories for years to come. Why not?
please don't get caught up in the angst of thinking you have to have a big party. Life changes, adjustments have to be made.
If your immediate circle of family/friends is small....then that's all there is to it! No way to change it.....so why stress?
I would focus on making this a beautifully nice/fun day......& embrace the fact that your child is yours! Make a keepsake.....take lots of photos....& enjoy!
Ok... she's one, right? At that age the only reason to throw a party is for YOU, not her. If you want to do it all up, then go ahead. But don't think that it's going to matter to your one year old. She'd be just as happy if her big sister, mom and dad put on funny hats and dance around as she would about a big blow out.
Since the first birthday party is really for the parents, why not take your daughter to her favorite park during the day and then plan on cooking a special dinner for your husband and the two of you can celebrate the past year together after your children have gone to sleep?
She's only ONE! She won't know the difference. Just do some little thing with whoever happens to be there. Don't worry, you will pay your dues for many birthdays to come with elaborate parties and sleepovers, etc., but truth is, the first birthday doesn't need to be a big hullabaloo.
Read your What Happened: Go to the Spam Museum and take lots of pics. That's hilarious. She won't remember, but it will make a great story of her first birthday party.
I say do a special outing tomorrow. Do you have a Build-A-Bear nearby? That way you can make a special keepsake that she can have forever. Or go to a park, childrens museum, or other fun place as a family. When you get together on Thursday, take lots of pictures, and that is how she'll "remember" her 1st bday. It won't matter that it didn't take place on the actual day.
Who is the birthday for, her or you? :) (Please know I ask this with a smile.)
Your daughter isn't going to bat an eye about it. If you want do do something special, start a 'picture book' for her; put some photos of you pregnant and then when your little one was wee, wee little into a small photo album with sleeves. then add pictures every so often. You can all talk about when she was little and then sing the "Happy Birthday" song with a candle. Eat a little something yummy, whatever suits your group, and just enjoy it as it is, a small gathering of people who love your little girl very much.
This is a hard one. I have been there. We did a giant party for our first. My second kiddo was only a small get together. My third we didnt even broach the subject. We did a small dinner and just hung out.
How do you feel about a trip to chuckie cheese? or maybe taking the kiddos to the little gym or some sort of activity ,kid friendly. Maybe if there is one in your area, you could take them to do the pottery painting. Have her do something special that she can keep as a keep sake.
She won't remember a thing except for the pictures you take. Give yourself a break....it will be fine.
Blessings...
I felt really bad too. My DD's 1st birthday was last Saturday, and I am in Tennessee. My entire family lives in Idaho. Daddy's family lives there too, with the exception of his parents, who we currently live with. So our DD's celebration consisted of having a barbecue, presents, then her smush cake. When she was done with her cake, we had a cake fight. lol. I think we wound up just as messy as her, actually... I just felt bad because I really wish that she could have had a chance to meet her other grandparents, along with her aunts and uncles. (Of course, I guess it's the family that wants to meet her more than she wants to meet them...) We had fun... She just got an extra amount of attention, and she definitely reveled in it!!!
Get a funny hat and some decorations. Get her a small dessert like Jello.
BTW. Betty Crocker makes a milk free (Golden Butter) and a gluten free cake mix. Pillsbury Funfetti icing is milk free.
There is also a product called Earth Balance that is milk free/soy butter that can be used for baking.
http://www.earthbalancenatural.com/#/products/vegan-sticks/
I just wanted to add: For my daughters first birthday we had a dairy, wheat, egg free cake. I then made homeade icing. She has a milk protein allergy. It wasn't very tasty but she loved it. You could do a little cake just for her today.
Happy Birthday, little one :)
