Child's First Birthday

[bednobs]

Hi, what did people out there do for their child's first birthday? My daughter is going to be one soon and i am erring on the side of not doing anything at all - she won't know! you see these videos and stuff of children blowing out their candles etc, but she's too little, and besides, i don't want her to have cake!
As i am an "older" mum, my friends all have grown up children and some are on grandchildren, so it's not like she's got loads of friends, or i've got loads of friends who are going to be interested in coming to a child's birthday, not that i've got loads of money anyway

[Mrsspagnoli57]

I too was an 'older' mum-36 when dtr born. We had a small party at home-self & Dad,grandma & grandad, both godparents and two friends. As you say, the little one doesn't know-or care so any big celebration is for show anyway. Err on the side of economy-she won't hold it against you later on. Its love that counts-not the amount you pay for parties.

[yogasun]

My son and daughter in law had a little celebration with one set of grandparents and a couple of friends of theirs. No cake I don't think (we couldn't go as we were on holiday!) and there were some presents which Lily liked to try to open, the paper being the best part.
Really a gathering for adults to celebrate Lily's first birthday.

[tiggerblue10]

I had a big party for Little Tigg's 1st birthday and had loads of family and friends round. It probably was a bit too much for him at that age but I just wanted to get everybody together. His 2nd birthday was just close family. I'll keep it small again for his 3rd and then after that he will just have his own friends from school and a few family members.

I was an older mum too - 39!

[yogasun]

Just to add bednobs I was an older mum at 36 so can't remember what we did for son's first birthday - not a lot I don't think!
That's why I'm relaying son's experience!

[Smowball]

Just a little tea-party for close family ie grandparents etc.

[karenmac60]

We visited my mum and dad and my mum put a candle in a wee spongecacke. Nothing dramatic.

[karenmac60]

What's a spongecacke? Spongecake!

[anneasquith]

both my children had a professional photograph done, and their first pair of leather shoes :) with a small birthday tea, and a cake. lovely photographs to treasure.

[Cubmum]

We took our little boy to an aquarium for his 1st birthday, he loved watching all the fish swim by. His birthday's January so it was a good indoor option as it was cold and wet outside.

[joko]

i would not bother with a proper party - unless perhaps you had other little ones to join in... as you say she wont know and to her everything is new so itl just be like any other day really - maybe just get her something she can look at like loads of balloons - or a cake just for the candles so she can look at the flames or sparklers, get a few snaps etc.
or you could take her to one of those baby sensation places - where they have loads of rooms full of sensory experiences for babies - sound, touch, light etc - but they are very 'immersive'...

[bednobs]

thanks for all your ideas - i like joko's idea of balloons as she really likes them

[belrec]

We had a huge first birthday for our eldest and wish we hadn't bothered. She had ear infection and wanted constant carrying around. So we hardly spoke to anyone and she was grumpy and unsociable :-).
I wouldn't bother having a big do unless you really want it. It is more for you than the kid so make that your guide. If you want it for you then go for it. X

[echokilo]

I don't have kids so perhaps am not qualified to answer, but if I did, I would skip the party and the fuss and the expense and put the money into his/her bank account instead and ask the bank to put "FOR YOU 1st BIRTHDAY" as a reference when making the deposit. I would get her one or two presents, nothing extravagent as, as you say, she/he will never know, but I would take photos and have a cake so there was some record of the event.

[2sp_]

I bought a cake, invited Grannys over for a cup of tea and #1 daughter had no clue that she had reached such a milestone.

I can't even remember what we bought her. I'm sure it wasn't anything expensive though.

Some people like to view it as more of a celebration that you've survived the first year of parenthood!

[shaneystar2]

They're not really interested at one but did have a little do for them .Just family . I remember making hedgehog cakes and other things . Some time ago we were looking at photos and it was ...wow ..did you really go to all that trouble ?
So I think in later life your kids do appreciate that you did something .

[MissCommando]

We just had a little tea party for M's birthday, it was only close family who came and my mother-in-law made her a cake as she insisted lol. I don't think it matters what you do but it's nice to take a few photographs to look back on. Can't believe she's almost one, that's gone really quickly.

[starone]

Is that year gone by already bednobs?

[DaisyNonna]

Why not cake? Has she allergies?