First Birthday Party? Need some advice please....

AW, hon, I know you're stressed... it's a big day for you and your little one. BUT: My first piece of advice: Don't do things in life based on how you think others will view you! You'll end up spending alot more time, money and effort trying to please other people, rather than yourself (&/or your husband &/or child) If by chance, you feel that people are wondering/judging/expecting something more, then you can simply say something like, "We plan to celebrate privately later, but we wanted you to have a chance to see her too." This is what I say... that way, they know you wanted to share the event with them, but they also should get the hint that how you celebrate is your business, not their's. And it plants in their heads that you do have something more planned, so hopefully they stop judging you. Remember, the party is for HER/YOU, Not everyone else. My second piece of advice: The first birthday party should NOT be a huge blow out party! Your daughter may get overwhelmed, scared, feel insecure about having all these people, noises, activities going on all around her. If she's not used to it, she's going to be miserable. I made this mistake; I let my MIL pressure me into have over 20 people at my son's first B-Day party. And it wasn't friends, it was her new husband's family! WHAT a total waste of time, effort, money! My little guy was so overwhelmed that he cried almost the entire time, we only got one picture of him smiling... I was so stressed out I ended up crying... It just wasn't what I envisioned for him... I made up for it on his actual birthday, I didn't invite anyone over, I made him a cake, a huge bowl of spaghetti, let him get down to his diaper and let him have at it. It was great and it was exactly what I wanted for him. Now, every year, his B-day is done the way I want it done, not how anyone else does. If friends/family want to see him before his birthday, that's fine, but his actual day is his/mine/DH... He's still only little and doesn't quite understand the whole 'party' thing anyway! My last piece of advice: If you can't afford it, don't do it! Your daughter is so young yet, that at this point, the balloons, streamers, over the top expensive cake and everything else will be more for the guests! I can't stress enough: The party is for her/you, not everyone else! I know you want to share the event cuz it's a big day, your baby's first Birthday. BUT you have so many more ahead of you, so many more that will be more important to go all out. Like when she's older, and know's better, and wants to have friends over and just has to have a theme party, or she wants a new video game/computer/phone...whatever. Do what you are comfortable with, based on your finances, your 'vision' for your daughter's first birthday, your OWN belief of what a celebration should be. Make that cake, let her help, have fun! (you can sometimes find cake/frosting combo sales at the discount stores. And yes, the dollar store is great to shop at! No one has to know you got it at a dollar store!) I hope that I've helped, I hope that you have a wonderful birthday with your precious little girl, and I hope that you have a Merry Christmas too!

Don't make a big deal out of it. It's better for the 1st one to be small anyway so the child does not get overwhelmed. I make all my kid's cakes or cupcakes. For my daughter's 2nd B-day. I made cupcakes and wrote a letter on each one that said Happy Birthday and "her name". Everyone loved it!

Don't sweat dear. NEVER let anyone let you feel inferior SPECIALLY on how you do things for your kids. If you can't give her a grand partym let it be, don't get swayed by fads or what people would say. We were not able to give our daughter a grand 1st birthday party because she underwent a series of operation and we had no money (we had 2.5Million pesos in debt!) What we did was cook for her. Her aunt cooked the spaghetti, my inlaws brought the "lechon", my sister brought the cake, we had a little balloons to decorate and liven the place up. Our daughter liked looking at the colored balloons. We ended up with a sort of "potluck" type of party and had more than enough food. Everyone enjoyed and it was seen that a lot of people loved our daughter. This year, after all final operation last July, we decided to give her a grand party as a fulfillment of our promise to her AND as a thanksgiving celebration too. Besides, at one year old, they are not so excited yet of what is happening around them. You'll see the difference when she turns 2. Hope you'll find that things will work out.