First Birthday 101

Fun fact: our babies were born just four weeks apart from one another. That means July has become a pretty special month for our family and we’ve been busy planning fun and festive first birthdays for our little ones. With one birthday down and one more to go (insert “I can’t believe my baby is growing up so quickly” sobs here), we thought we’d share a few tips that helped us during the planning process.

Timing is everything
When scheduling your little shindig, pick a chunk of time when your baby isn’t usually napping or gearing down for a sleep. We tried to schedule our afternoon fetes shortly after a big nap and feeding to avoid any overtired, hangry (hungry/angry) babies.
 
Keep the guest list limited
It may be tempting to invite as many people as possible to such a momentous occasion, but keep in mind that a large guest list may be overwhelming for your little one. We’ve had so much amazing support this year and while there were oodles of people we would love to share this day with, we did our best to invite immediate family and a few close friends of the family. We wanted our babies to know everyone at their party and see familiar faces only.
 
Well done, you
Let’s be real. Yes, this party is obviously to celebrate our little ones’ first year on earth, but we’re also giving ourselves a pat on the back after our first 365 days of motherhood. From breastfeeding and dirty diapers to teething (why, tho?) and sleep training (or lack thereof…), it’s been a rollercoaster year and we say three cheers to us!

Stress-free
We get a little crazy when it comes to the details of any festive affair and a first birthday party is no exception. That being said, we were proactive when it came to the planning and execution of the day. Get as much as you can get done in advance and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
 
Take lots of pics and videos
For Jacqueline’s son’s birthday, she requested someone take photos and someone else record videos. That way she and Craig didn’t have to worry about capturing those special moments themselves. At this age, your baby likely won’t remember the day, so images and videos are a great way to share the highlights of the day when they get older.  
 
Be in the moment
It’s easy to get caught up in details and lose sight of the sole purpose of such a special day. That’s why we really wanted to plan ahead and check all the boxes before the day-of. Be present and enjoy every single second of celebrating the first year with your little one.

What tips do you have when planning a first birthday? And how will you celebrate? We’d love to hear from you!
 
xo Jacqueline & Lindsay