We had 40 people crammed into our house to celebrate our little boy. Why? Why did I put myself through the stress, through the worry, through the planning, and spend all that money on a first birthday? Well…they only turn one once, right? The first year is a big year! Not only is it a time to celebrate your little one, it’s a time to celebrate you. You did it mama (and dad)! So celebrate it! The first year of life, to me, is the hardest. Your child can’t communicate; maybe breastfeeding didn’t go well, lots and lots of teething, the sleepless nights. But YOU DID IT!
I threw a big party for people to celebrate him, because honestly, he is such a joy to everyone. So yeah, even though it was stressful, it was so worth it. It was a lot smoother than I thought it would be and here’s why.
Invitations
I like to remember these events, and I even have our first child’s first birthday invitation hanging up on the mirror in our room. And I wanted to have our son’s there as well. Mamas: let me give you a hint: 80 percent of the items I bought were from Costco! It saved me so much money.
Costco has birthday invitations where they come in bulk (obviously) of 50, for $13.99. Such a steal! I uploaded my pictures, put them on the pre-made template, and ordered them. Not only did I have enough for people actually coming to the party, but I had enough for extended family as well, who, even though they couldn’t attend the party, could still have an invitation.
Food
Food is probably the most stressful part for me, because I am not a chef, and I worry that there won’t be enough. Luckily, my mother-in-law is a saint, and I asked her to help. I purchased the food, and she basically assembled it. Our menu was: glazed sandwich sliders, fruit platter, vegetable platter, pasta salad, green salad, lemon water. All from Costco. The fruit was amazing; I got bulk sandwich meat, bulk cheese, and Costco’s dinner rolls. It saved me so much money, and I spent about $100, for all of it.
Decorations
Dollar Store, Dollar Store, Dollar Store! I cannot stress enough. Yes, I love Target, and it has amazing party supplies, but honestly, the dollar store has about everything I need, and it is cheaper. I got paper products, silver wear, napkins, cups, balloons, tablecloths, etc. I spent about $15 there, and never looked back.
The Cake Smash
I could have spent a fortune on a perfect cake for him to dig into, but so much goes to waste. Instead, I went to Target and bought him a single cupcake to smash, and he LOVED it and ate every bit. I then ordered delicious cupcakes from Target. I could have made them myself, but I didn’t want to stress myself out if they didn’t turn out. (Seriously guys, Target’s baking sections have incredible goodies). So I spent about $40 on cupcakes. And I never looked back.
Movie
I decided to get sentimental, and I made my sweet babe a “first year” video. On the iPhone, it comes with an app called “Imovie”. Simply upload the pictures and the music of your choice, and boom. A slideshow is complete. It took me about 10 minutes to put it all together. I decided to have everyone watch it after he opened his presents, and yes, I cried during the movie. It was a great time to reflect on his life so far, and how fast it’s come and gone!
His birthday might have been over the top, and he won’t remember a thing, but it was so worth it. Celebrate your little one, and don’t let anyone judge you for it.
