I had Eli's pictures taken at JCPenney's last night, and for that half hour he was the dream child incarnate. He smiled toothily, he tilted his head beguilingly, he batted his eyelashes coyly... Just pretty much hammed it up like some sort of infant royalty who was accustomed to paparazzi adoration on a daily basis. It was very hard, come decision time, to keep from throwing my wallet at the woman and saying, "I'll take an eight by ten of every single pose, thanks very much!"
I had these photos done because the monumental first birthday is approaching, and I wanted to have wallets for the out of town relatives who might deign to make the drive for the party. Kind of a compensatory party favor in exchange for the crazy gas prices.
So about that PARTY though, I need your help. And not just because I am physically incapable of blowing up balloons, although that IS both factual and tragic. No, I am at a loss for a THEME for this little boy's first birthday. With Addy we did Care Bears, as she had displayed a certain preference for them by the time she was a year old. Eli as yet doesn't seem to show a definite and specific interest in any one thing (besides eating) so I'm kind of floundering. Here are some themes I've thought of so far, so please leave your vote, or add a suggestion of your own. (Or, you know, just make fun of me for feeling the impulse to hand out pictures of my son to everyone and to have a big, themed party for a baby. Both are mockable, I acknowledge this.)
So, ideas are:
*Cowboy
*Underwater... stuff? Like dolphins and tropical fish? So we'll call the theme "Aquatic."
*Trucks, of course. Yawn. But he does LIKE them.
*Dinosaurs
*Sporty stuff
*Legos. I'm reaching here, I know, but the kid loves him some Duplo blocks.
Any further ideas or suggestions for cake, decor, etc. are welcome!
Why yes, I do have my hands full, thanks for noticing.
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24 comments:
We did dinosaurs. And also handed out pictures. I do not mock, lest I be mocked.
He had some dinosaur toys already, and I bought him some more for his birthday and we used them as centerpieces and stuff, and he wore dino clothes.
We did a Pigeon party. Based entirely on The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog book by Mo Willems. The cake was shaped like a hot dog. I had all of Mo Willems books scattered around the house. I drew the pigeon yelling "Happy Birthday Nathan!" and had it printed on a banner. The plates and whatnot were pastel colors to go with the books' colors. The favor bags were filled with crayons and print outs from the pigeon's website for the kids to color. It went over incredibly well!
Well, I don't have any kids yet and I don't have any brothers, so I'm probably not the best for advice here, but how about wild animals? You know, lions, tigers, elephants, and other jungly stuff? Is he into that kind of thing? I've always thought if I have a boy when I have kids, I'll probably do an animal theme for his room. I've always loved animals, myself.
PS. I'm a lurker... Since I've finally conjured up the courage to comment, I'd also like to say I love your blog. :)
If he likes trucks, I'd go with that. It might be boring, but it's easy and he's sure to like it.
Also, you have the Miracle Child, and I would please like to see the Miracle Photos. Where are they?
What about Fiesta? You could have a pinata and nachos and mexican chocolate. Or how about a Summer Picnic theme. You could make summer picnic food, buy those checker cloths for the tables and use baskets as serving dishes.
I am riveted by the Lego idea. You could bake cakes in bread pans and frost them in bright colors---and I guess draw 8 circles on it, or something. You could have a contest: everyone gets a small baggie of the same Legos, and who can build the most interesting thing. You could spell people's names in Lego-shaped letters for placecards. You could put Lego structures as centerpieces!
I actually like the Lego idea. As a matter of fact, I think one of our friendly bloggers did that at some point in the past. LoriD, maybe? Anyway, you could use cupcakes or mini-cupcakes for the round things on the blocks, whatever they're called.
This idea stuck out to me as a really fun one with tons of possibilities... and great for a one year old party!!
Design Mom did a "Round and Round" theme where all the food, decorations, etc were round. Babies love balls and polka dots are always so fun! Here's the link, but I couldn't like directly to the individual post... she wrote about her party on Jan 22nd:
http://www.designmom.com/2008_01_01_designmom_archive.html
Cute, cute!
If you go with cowboy I have tons of stuff left over frommy baby shower (napkins, decorations, etc.) that you can have.
I actually really like the Lego idea. That could be so cute! I can picture an awesome Lego cake in my head!
We did a bug theme for d's first birthday and O's first bday was, um, not really themed I guess. He had a CAR's cake, but that's cause d picked it out.
I like Lego, but ya know, I see huge impending disaster there. Cowboy all the way.
Legos! I saw the cutest lego cake. I'll find the link and shoot it to you. It was sooo adorable. It basically used cakes (duh) with those huge marshmallows on top and then it was all frosted so they looked exactly like legos.
For our boy's 1st birthday, we did a birthday theme. Original, right? Yes, just the balloons plates and napkins, fun favors for cousins, yummy cake. I make a little cake for the one-year old with a mini cake pan. It was plenty, and made for cute pictures, which is all they'll remember of it any way - what they see in the pictures.
My theme was pigs for Charlie's first--because he was born in the year of the pig and he was born in Arkansas, which is all about the razorbacks.
I love the leggo thing--especially those ideas swistle offered.
Trucks could be fun too--and pretty easy.
You could totally do theme-free, or hodge podge theme. This is like the one time you can get away with it and he won't remember, lol---so maybe even do a theme for yourself. Like hot dudes in tight jeans.
That ought to really raise the eyebrows of the out-of-townies, but of course, you have wallet pics with which to soothe their offended sensibilities.
Okay, I think I've stayed up WAY too long.
For Cal's first birthday, the theme was, simply, BALLS! Which was his favorite thing on the planet. The invitations said, "We're throwing a BALL!" Haha! Get it?
And not just because I am physically incapable of blowing up balloons, although that IS both factual and tragic. HAHAHHAHAH. You are too funny.
I vote for trucks or cowboys; both seem pretty easy (says the childfree person).
Let's see some pics of Miracle Child!
I like legos! AND trucks! It would be easy to make a lego cake - just make two sheet cakes, use one as the base and then cut circles out of the other one to put on top of the base so they look like the bumps on the legos, and frost the whole thing. Then for paper goods, just use primary colors, and if there are any older kids coming, you could hand out those little lego packs that make, like, small trucks or something, as goodies. You could even take pictures of him playing with legos and print them off to hand out to people with 'thank you' written on the bottom or something.
These are all good ideas. The first birthday is way less fun. They really don't care about the theme at all. In reality it's all for us, the parents, who want to look back and remember how tiny our kids once were.
But I like the ideas you're getting for the LEGO thing. I think it would be easy to make a cake too. Bright colors and shapes will be pretty easy.
What about Elmo? He is always a hit at first birthdays. Or the simple balloons/ You're 1!! type theme?
Being lazy, I always see what is in stock at my local party store before getting to set on any particular theme. Find a great hat, banner or whatever and go from there.
I LOVE the lego idea. Fun for kids, and adults can't resist legos, either, so you could have fun interactive things that appeal to everyone at the party. And you could get those candies shaped like legos to put on top of cupcakes!
Because *I* am a Sesame Street freak, all three of my kids had that theme for their first party. Which basically ended up being mostly an "Elmo" party since that stuff is easier to find to buy.
Generic "Happy Birthday" is just fine for a first b-day party, though.
I think Beck (Frog and Toad are Still Friends) did a Lego cake one year that was absolutely adorable.... Alas! I can't look it up for you right now because of the @#$% parental controls my husband put on this computer--and hasn't shown ME--the OTHER PARENT--how to UNblock. Dork.
Ahem!
I vote for a soccer theme even though I don't like soccer. It will make Jim happy and ya know...it fits with the little boy theme.
I like the Lego theme. That seems unusual and very cool.
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