Okay gals ~ it's going to happen :(

[SIZE=10pt]Yep! You know what I'm talking about ~

They're going to turn ONE!

Time to start/finish/come up with (where ever you're at) those birthday ideas.

I was thinking about it months ago, only because I knew it was awhile away. Now that we're only 6, YES SIX, short weeks away I really need to get on the ball. So that leads me to you wonderful ladies of course

What theme are you going with?
Birthday outfits?
Gifts?
Big or small gathering?

I know we'll be celebrating on June 20th (between fathers day, brother's baseball games and the last day of school) since that's the only day I can coordinate with our immediate family. We'll be inviting friends as well, but want to make sure that our 'close' family is able to be there.

As of right now I have: No theme, no idea what they're going to wear or any clue what 'gifts' we're going to get them. We're having a 'medium' sized party. My family consists of about 10 people (all the other family is in New York or Florida), DH's is 6 and then about 10-20 friends, so not too bad. Although I'm not sure WHERE we're going to have the party yet

Okay...just wanted to make sure I wasn't the only 'freaking' out that it is SO close :umm:

April [/SIZE]

 

QUOTE(Aprilisdisney @ May 1 2008, 10:26 PM) [snapback]751479[/snapback]


What theme are you going with?
Birthday outfits?
Gifts?
Big or small gathering?


We did not really have a theme. We just did primary colors. We had a few bunches of primary colored balloons spread throughout the party. Here are two pictures from my boys 1st bday. One is a picture of them in their highchair before their cake and in the background, you can see the tables under the tent. I covered the tables with a different color each and then I put a 5x7 different picture on each table.

The other picture is a picture of their bday outfit. One was green and the other was blue.

Ours was big because we both have big families.

Gifts:
Bouncing Zebra - Their favorite gift!!!
Ride on toy - other favorite- they got two and use them everyday- one is Pooh and the other is Elmo
Ball Popper- they still like this too

 

We're having a patriotic themed picnic party because their birthday is May 30th, which is around Memorial Day. But this probably doesn't help you much since yours is in June!

My friend has b/g twins and she had a luau (did I spell that right?) themed one year birthday for her kids. I didn't know her then, but she said it was really easy to find tropical decor at the party store.

 

I used to have a whole huge list of party theme ideas.... but I seem to have misplaced it.

You could do:

2 peas in a pod - use green balloons and green construction paper to make pea pod decorations. Green plates are a must. Pea blossoms are a nice touch. Green M&M's are fun as well. A pea pod themed cake.

Winnie the Pooh - need I say more?

Cute as a button - this is pretty easy, just use a permanent marker to decorate colored paper plates (but not the ones people will be eating off of!) to look like buttons, you can do the same with balloons. If you have a whole lot of time (I know, slap me, but maybe you have a crafty helper) you can make "button bouquets" by threading floral wire through buttons and making them look like flower bouquets. Button cake.

Sesame Street - See Winnie

Since it's early summer maybe a Hawaiian Luau?

 

i have been conflicted over whether to have a big or small gathering....but here's what i've thought up>

it's HOT where we live, so i want to throw a little pool party--inflatable pools that is. i'll ask a couple of friends to bring theirs and we'll set up a grand total of 3 or 4....plus i'll set up some water squirting toy like the crazy daisy my mom has for my niece, and 2 bubble machines....i saw a rubber ducky theme on oriental trading that says one is just ducky that i really liked, and maybe throw some rubber duckies in the pools. outfits, i would say summery, but MIL bought ally this ballerina tutu thing, complete with a headband, since her other 2 granddaughters had this ballerina bear theme when they turned 1, so i'm supposed to do the same thing. i don't know what i'm gonna do there, since i want a gender neutral theme for bear's sake!! i KNOW i don't want 2 themes so early on.....so i'll have to figure SOMETHING out....oh, and SIL also gave me her 2 daughters' ballerina outfits that they wore at said first birthday parties (they were different sizes) as hand-me-downs so i have 3 fabulous tutu thingies--but i digress.....

back to the party: a ducky cake....and the invites i'll probably do the ones from the theme....though if i feel really creative i'll make them up with pictures and everything..and even though big piñatas are a must where we live, i will decline because 1 year olds cant even swing the stick....i will invite the babies' cousins and my friends who have kids 3 and under for a total of about 20 kids....

as for gifts, we want to get them a ball pit. i wanted to get them a jumping castle, but with the terribly hot weather that carries into october, we'll probably get it for christmas instead. my mom already has 2 ride-ons for them, she bought them when i was still pg!!!

april, from your user name: how about something disney? finding nemo is summery!! there's always good ol mickey and minnie!! (i want to do that one when they're 2)

good luck and keep us posted!!

sandra

 

We didnt really do a "theme" just a picture of some "boys eating cake." It was pretty cute. We kept it low key. Just a few family members. I just felt like I did not want to overwhelm them and I wanted to have fun and not console cranky, over-stimulated babies all afternoon.

 

Okay, where's the emoticon that's covering its ears saying lalalalalala? We need one of those, LOL.

Yike, I need to get on with this. We will likely have a very small gathering, family and very close friends only, no other kids. The problem is that my cousin is having a HUGE wedding on June 21st, and the whole family will be flying to that, so it's hard to ask people to fly in for a birthday party here the weekend before...but, we'll aim for my parents, my MIL, a couple aunts and uncles, and my best friend and her DH.

Hmm. We will probably do a house full of balloons -- I like the primary colors idea. And Sandra, I think I'll steal your ball pit idea -- we had an inflatable one for Nadia that finally popped, but we still have the millions of balls in storage....I have two Little People ride-ons already purchased, also. And, I'm thinking about the Fisher Price piano.

For clothes, I have no idea....but, that one won't be hard, as I LOVE excuses to buy clothes for them, LOL. I like the baby section at Dillard's, and I like Janie and Jack.

Food -- we will probably have it catered from our favorite local place, but I'll make and decorate cupcakes myself, which I really like to do.

I think I'm still in denial over this whole thing!

 

Just a little tidbit.

I made the twins cupcakes for thier birthday and if you are going to be doing anything that is a kool-aid colored (red, blue, orange, yellow) You can buy white icing and mix in kool aid to color the icing. It turns beautiful colors and taste great too!!!

 

Don't know if I'm alone here but I have basically no cash to do this. I love my neighbourhood and my neighbours have all been so supportive of me (especially after my divorce). I'm 3 houses up from a big park where everybody in the 'hood gathers. The party will be there. I hope to have enough balloons to give one to any kid playing in the play ground. I'm inviting all my neighbours to "drop-in" for cake or to say hi (but no gifts!) and I'm inviting about 8 family members, 6 of my parents friends, and about 25 friends (about half are children). I assume they will bring gifts. I'm researching somebody to do balloon animals that won't break the bank but the ones I found were $125 an hour - eeek!

Cake, fruit, drinks, playground....that's about it.

outfits - they look gorgeous no matter what I put them in but I have so many co-ordinated short outfits, I'm sure I'll find something perfect.

I'm just praying it won't rain or I'm in BIIIIIIG trouble.

 

We are having a circus theme, which basically means a few clowns and a whole bunch of primary colors. The plates will be different primary colors as will the balloons.

We are having 2 parties, 1 here in VA with probably 50 people or so and a ton of babies from our playgroup. The other will be in PA will about 50 family members.

Here is our invite.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v477/ESB.../parkinvite.jpg

 

QUOTE(sunshinetwins @ May 1 2008, 10:44 PM) [snapback]751496[/snapback]
My friend has b/g twins and she had a luau (did I spell that right?) themed one year birthday for her kids. I didn't know her then, but she said it was really easy to find tropical decor at the party store.


what a GREAT idea! i am totally stealing the luau theme! our party is june 7th & i am NOT READY! i still need to get the invites finished & mailed out. we are having a swim party at the house so a luau is great! thanks for sharing.

 

QUOTE(Becca34 @ May 2 2008, 01:38 PM) [snapback]751833[/snapback]
Okay, where's the emoticon that's covering its ears saying lalalalalala? We need one of those, LOL.

Yike, I need to get on with this. We will likely have a very small gathering, family and very close friends only, no other kids. The problem is that my cousin is having a HUGE wedding on June 21st, and the whole family will be flying to that, so it's hard to ask people to fly in for a birthday party here the weekend before...but, we'll aim for my parents, my MIL, a couple aunts and uncles, and my best friend and her DH.

Hmm. We will probably do a house full of balloons -- I like the primary colors idea. And Sandra, I think I'll steal your ball pit idea -- we had an inflatable one for Nadia that finally popped, but we still have the millions of balls in storage....I have two Little People ride-ons already purchased, also. And, I'm thinking about the Fisher Price piano.

For clothes, I have no idea....but, that one won't be hard, as I LOVE excuses to buy clothes for them, LOL. I like the baby section at Dillard's, and I like Janie and Jack.

Food -- we will probably have it catered from our favorite local place, but I'll make and decorate cupcakes myself, which I really like to do.

I think I'm still in denial over this whole thing!

Becca,
I could have written your post! Every night I tell DH okay, I've decided...just friends and family. The next night...okay, they only turn one once-we're doing it BIG! This is ridiculous! I'm so tired of thinking about it. I KNOW I don't want the stress of dealing with a ton of kids in my less-than-convenient townhome. But I also know that it might feel rather dull or boring to just have adults there. Ugh! I shouldn't have read this thread. Anyway, I'm thinking of choosing two from the following list:

Laugh and Learn House
Ball Pit
Sand/Water Table
Radio Flyer riding toy (I like the inchworm)

 

Okay, okay, I know I'm a dork, my boys are only seven months old tomorrow and I am already looking for invites and planning the menu. We will be doing a Halloween themed costume party since their birthday is in October. DH thinks it's silly since their birthday is at the beginning of the month, but I think that kids love to wear costumes and the more they get to wear their Halloween costumes the better, right? I have already been looking for pumpkin cake decorating ideas and thinking about what kind of cute "twin" Halloween costumes that I could have the boys wear. Last year, they wore little devil costumes, but I want them to be coordinated this year at their party. I tell you this is going to be the first birthday party of the century!

I love the luau themed idea. That sounds really fun. You could couple that with what someone said about bringing little baby pools and they could play in the water since everyone will be wearing bathing suits anyway.

 

We are going small and I will tell you why...
With ds we did the whole party, lots of friends, food, etc. and I really missed just being in awe of my baby and all that he had accomplished in his first year. I didn't get to watch him the whole time (as I wish I had) as he gobbled up the cake...instead I had to play hostess and serve the other little rugrats their cake. No one else stepped up to help and I was too overwhelmed and didn't ask... There are loads of photos of ds and dh and my sil, mil but few of me b/c I was busy entertaining....so this time we are going super small and just taking in every moment!

 

We are doing a farm animal theme backyard party. They have great decorations on Oriental trading and Birthday direct websites. You can get a lot of ideas from those sites based on what they have for 1st birthday if you want it specifically to say 1.
I want to get the kids to the photographer for pictures soon too. When our older son was turning one we took him to the Picture People with a cake, undressed him to his diaper, added a birthday hat, and let him play in the cake as they took pictures. The pictures were great!

 

What theme are you going with?
We're doing a monkey theme. My guys are total monkeys so it suits them well. Here's our invitation...
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb225/c...nJakeproof1.jpg

Birthday outfits?
They're just wearing regular clothes... shorts and shirt. They look adorable in anything!


Gifts?
We got them a few big things to share (L&L House, Bounce and Spin Zebra) and a few things of their own (balls, books, etc.)


Big or small gathering?
Small. I wanted there to be other babies/kids there so we invited a few family members (most live out of town) and our friends that have kids. The original list was really long until I realized that friends from college, people we work with, etc. probably really didn't want to come to a 1st b-day party. So, we're sticking with people who have little ones. We're expecting about 30 people.


Good luck!
Carrie

 

[SIZE=10pt]Thanks gals! I think I'm going to 'borrow' some of your ideas.

I'm going to look into the Luau and Mickey/Minnie Mouse themes ~ those would be pretty easy and SO cute!

I hadn't even thought of the ball pit ~ They would love something like that...especially since it means a little more clean-up for me

I'm going to look at Babies R US and Gymboree this weekend for Birthday Shirts ~ I remember someone posting about them awhile back.

I need to look/find some cute twin sayings for the invitations. I really like the photo invites (thanks for sharing yours)

Thanks again everyone :clapping:

April [/SIZE]

 

I got really excited about my oldest son's first birthday, and did all kinds of really cute stuff and invited a bunch of people. And what did I end up with? An extremely cranky toddler who hated the whole thing and cried the whole time. He wouldn't eat his cake, and I had to open all his presents.

I got brave and tried a party for my middle son's second birthday, and had the whole playgroup over for a water party...small pools, slip n slide, etc with watermelon and all kinds of yummy summer stuff. So what happened? My two shyed away from everyone and wouldn't play with any of the other kids or open presents or anything.

I've given up.

Now I have one cake with any grandparents that want to come, and I will allow them to choose one friend and have their family over another day.

Are my kids strange for not seeming to like parties?

I hope you all enjoy the parties and I'll grasp some enjoyment from your stories!!

 

We are doing a luau. I think it will be nice because it will appeal to adults AND their children. I am going ot have a bunch of grass skirts and leis(sp?) for the kids that are coming and I am going to fill our little plastic baby pool with sand and have some buckets and shovels, etc... We are also borrowing a 12ft. water slide from my DH's boss (Dh's idea, I am still not sure how I feel about it). I am serving chinese chicken salad, honeybaked ham and rolls, potato salad, fruit salad, and pb&j triangles without crusts and cream cheese and jelly triangles (for those who are not on pb yet) and chips. Cookies and cake for dessert and now I just have to decide whether to go the extra mile and have some type of a fruity cocktail or whether to to just have beer. Our party is on May 31st at noon. Mommy23monkeys did our invites and they turned out GREAT!!!

 

QUOTE(Aprilisdisney @ May 3 2008, 12:05 AM) [snapback]752846[/snapback]
[SIZE=10pt]Thanks gals! I think I'm going to 'borrow' some of your ideas.

I'm going to look into the Luau and Mickey/Minnie Mouse themes ~ those would be pretty easy and SO cute!

I hadn't even thought of the ball pit ~ They would love something like that...especially since it means a little more clean-up for me

I'm going to look at Babies R US and Gymboree this weekend for Birthday Shirts ~ I remember someone posting about them awhile back.

I need to look/find some cute twin sayings for the invitations. I really like the photo invites (thanks for sharing yours)

Thanks again everyone :clapping:

April [/SIZE]


Hi April,

mommy23monkeys did my luau themed invites and she was able to put photos on them. She did a great job and I highly recommend her.

 

Even though our twins won't be one for 3 months (and I am in no hurry to get there), I have been thinking too. With Emily's first birthday, it was 100 degrees out with no A/C. It was horrible!!! Emily's is in June and we have her party here but only have my side since on DH's side has one big party for all the June birthdays. With the twins though, we will have both sides of the family, plus friends. We got a hall for the baptism and it was great! I want to do the same for their birthday, but everyone wants to have it here cause of the pool. The problem is if the weather is crappy. I cannot put everyone in my house. I really want to do the hall again....it was sooo much easier!!

I have no theme in mind yet. I do like the "2 peas in a pod" idea, plus my SIL bought them bibs that have this on them along with their names....they are soooo cute! I haven't decided on how big I want to go either. I will figure that out later.

April

 

We're not really doing a "theme" but I will be making them each a cake. We're just doing family (maybe 15-16 people) and our neighbors across the street. I think I'm going to get some balloons and streamers but that's it for decorations. Food is going to be simple - lasagna and salad. One thing I am doing that I did for my older daughter is a memory quilt. I use white fabric squares ironed to freezer paper for stability and have a small table with a stack of squares and fabric markers. The guests each decorate a square for the birthday child. In the case of the twins I'll have them make one for each of the babies. Later on I'll put them together into a quilt. I have a business making quilts so it's like the "cobbler's kids have no shoes..." My DD's first birthday quilt is still in the original bag of squares that were decorated at her party. I think I'm going to eventually make them into a throw pillow for her room.

This kind of thing is very easily translated to paper by just putting out markers and paper and then afterwards putting everything into a scrapbook. You could even put out small squares - maybe 3x3 inches and then when they are done mount them all on a piece of colored acid-free paper and frame them. There are lots of ways to save memories.

Hope this helps!

 

Will you have your one year old eat cake with frosting and kool-aid? Just curious.

 

This has been a great post for ideas. My boys were preemies and at the beginning we were home so much. So I want to have a huge 1st birthday bash. I also think we should celebrate the PARENTS SURVIVAL OF THE FIRST YEAR! Anyway, great ideas I may snag the circus theme---what fun for the older kids that come---bounce house, clown, balloon animals, primary color accessories, etc.

Thanks and good luck!

Lisa

 

[SIZE=10pt]Okay...I must still have 'preggo' brain. It dawned on me last night that I already had their theme picked out

We're going with "The Backyardigans" ~ they both LOVE the show....the music more than anything. It's so cute when it comes on. No matter what they are doing they stop and look at the TV until the song it over.

Well ~ that's one thing down

April [/SIZE]

 

YES, Parent's survival of the first year!! There is definitely a celebration there! Love it! :birthday: