First Birthday
You're baby is finally leaving the infancy stage and stepping into his first birthday. For most parents, this can conjure some mixed feelings since it's quite a milestone for your baby to reach this stage, but you'll definitely miss your little baby – the one who coos, smiles, giggles at peek-a-boos, and most of all adores you.
No matter what type of emotions the first birthday brings, it is worthy of a big celebration.
A baby first birthday party need not be lavish such as ordering all the fancy props and choosing a swanky venue to hold it. In fact, your home is the best place to celebrate the birthday since it is the place where your baby is most comfortable in, unless you want your one-year-old to be fussy all throughout the party.
With careful planning, you can turn the party into a memorable event for the entire family and friends. After all, a first birthday is not much enjoyed by the celebrant (except for the balloons which doesn't fail his attention). Don't expect your toddler to remember any moment of the event but at least photos will save the hard work you put – and show him how fun it was, for the adults that is.
Party Needs
Celebrating the first birthday of your baby requires some considerations, which you should be able to handle with the help of this guide.
The first consideration is when to schedule the party. Most toddlers up to the age of two still take morning and afternoon naps, and you don't want to interfere with your baby's nap schedules, otherwise, you'll get a cranky baby. You can possibly schedule the party in late mornings to allow for a morning nap or late afternoon to allow him an afternoon rest. Even though your baby's birthday doesn't fall on a weekend, scheduling the party on weekends typically work for both parents and adult visitors.
In addition, keep the birthday party short. A one to 1 ½-hour celebration is the most that babies can handle.
Who Will You Invite?
Most first birthday parties are meant for adults, who have been a part of your baby's first year, such as godparents, special friends, and relatives. Your baby first birthday invitations should inform the most important and most-familiar-to-your-baby people, whom your baby will recognize and be comfortable with. It is normal for this stage to be frightened at unfamiliar faces. Invite only a manageable number of people so you don't stress yourself at entertaining all the guests and simultaneously taking care of your little one.
When it concerns party decors, baby first birthday party supplies may be patterned off from a single theme such as wall backdrops, streamers, party hats, disposable paper or plastic cups, paper plates, balloons, table napkins, tablecloths, and giveaways. Make giveaways packing fun but safe for little children.
Another reminder is to keep yourself flexible at all times. Children have the most volatile temperaments, and may destroy things, spatter drinks on tables, overturn chairs, or worse get into minor accidents. Keep an emergency kit within reach to patch up minor problems.
Meanwhile, if you're a godparent looking for a baby first birthday gift ideas, the best gift to give are educational toys such as wooden blocks containing the letters of the alphabet, puzzles, musical toys, books, etc., that would arouse the curiosity of a toddler and occupy his playtime. The first year is also a good time to expose a toddler into writing. Advance her writing skills by giving a coloring book and non-toxic crayons so she can start scribbling for the fun of it.
First birthday parties have become an indulgence that parents seem to enjoy more than the celebrant. Although when you consider it, the first birthday marks the end of infancy and the beginning of another when your child enters into another milestone. Now, that is something worth celebrating for.