So. My child officially turns two on December 7th.
We are kind of at a quandry as to how you approach birthday number two.
I mean, number one practically is spelled out for you. You’re to have a big party, tons of people, and one small cake with PUHLENTY of icing. Everyone is going to bring their camera for the pictures.
Well, we totally did that.
Aaaaand.. the money shot:
(All photos courtesy of the always fabulous Miss Zoot)
But.. okay. While that was AMAZING to have everyone there and I’m so glad we did that.. it was exhausting. From having family arrive TWO HOURS EARLY to the sugar craze that lasted well into Tony’s night.. I don’t know that I really want to do that again.
I mean.. he’s two. It’s not monumental. It’s not significant. And really? HE WON’T CARE.
Bryan, however, TOTALLY wants to do something. He wants his family to come into town, he wants all of Tony’s friends to come over (there are a handful of kids Tony’s been around since he was teeniney), and he wants a party.
So I’m opening this up. When your kids turned two, did you do a party? Skip it? Just bake a cake for yourselves and eat it after the kid went to bed? Drink yourself into a stupor through the entire thing? I’m not trying to put words in your mouth or anything, but it should be said that I’m open to ALL suggestions.
Also, is it considered rude to send out a wish list of things Tony wants/needs?
We had a big family party for my older son’s first 3 birthdays. Everyone lives nearby and everyone in the family loves a party, so we figured why not. We plan it for afternoon, post-nap, so that he’s well rested and people clear out at a reasonable hour. Drinks are consumed.
We’ll probably skip the big party for my younger son’s birthday since #3 is due the same week. Luckily he is too young to notice.
And yes, it’s rude to send out the wishlist. Posting the link on your blog is totally acceptable, as is emailing it to those who inquire. If people ask, direct them, if they don’t, let them buy what they want.
I feel the same way as you and had a hard time deciding what to do. On Wednesday I decided we are going to have a party for Jillian. We are renting the ROC at Whitesburg Baptist Church for $50. They have an indoor play area (she said like McDonald’s). I’m going by there next week to check it all out.
We had a small family party after spending the morning at the zoo. It was perfect- still a celebration, but not stressful or overdone. And she had a great time!
I am not good at advise as my children HATE me these days…. just enjoy it. Enjoy these years and try to keep everything simple enough that you can have fun and relax. No stress! 2 is such an awesome age, its an age that just kinda goes with you no matter how old they are.
Have fun!
Tonya´s last blog ..Frustration with bunk beds
I wish it wasn’t rude to send out a list of “things I will let you litter my house with.” (I’m not rude, I just have a small house & 2 kids with more toys than FAO.)
We’re sort of lucky, KP’s b’day is right before Mother’s Day, so we usually have a just grand-families b’day/Mother’s Day thing at our house. I really try to keep it small. We got “big” last year for his 5yo party: 5+1 friends over to play & eat cake. He was in heaven.
I change my mind. Let’s elope…oh wait…
This is pretty much our standard- 1 party at grandad’s house for the north alabama family (cause great grandma can’t travel). This includes a store bought cake and grandaddy makes lunch after church on Sunday. There is the “real” party at our house somewhere around his birthday where we invite Meemaw and all of our friends over (cause that is who he sees most anyway). I think we grilled burgers at his second birthday. I made a cake. End of story. 15 adults max- no kids. This year there was one kid because I felt guilty…one… So yeah, have a party. By party I mean a little cake, some wine, some burgers, and only the people over who have seen your house messy and still love you.
We didn’t do a big to-do for 1 so our lack luster party for 2 was a no-brainer. My poor child is born to parents who refuse to make big productions out of birthdays until she is old enough to ask for it. Cupcakes and balloons at home is pretty much it. If we lived near family, we would do cupcakes and balloons at my in-laws house.
Good luck!
We’ve had family parties for both kids birthdays every year – and since theyre only two months apart in terms of the calendar – it’s expensive, exhausting, and usually stressful.
But they’re my babies.
So, cake and family they’ll have.
We usually have big blow out parties at home, just because we have a big family and several really close friends, so it’s hard to have just a handful of people over. For C’s #2, a friend brought his horse over and led the kids on horse rides. All the kids LOVED the horse…And C would have NOTHING to do with it.
This year for his #3, we decorated the pavilion at Dublin Park, so the kids ran themselves ragged in the playground, then did the whole ’singing-the-song-eat-cake-and-ice-cream-hit-a-pinata-thing.’
We took the plunge for K’s #4, and had the party at Pump It Up; it was a blast, and we didn’t have to get the house ready or clean up afterwards, but it was also pretty expensive.
Our school secretary makes their cake every year, and we always try to get a picture of all the children sitting together so we can look back at it when they’re older. When they’ll want to have birthday parties without us old parent people. …sigh…
And, I don’t want to be morbid, but the truth is, EVERY birthday is significant. Sadly, some babies don’t make it to their second birthdays. I say, celebrate the fact that Tony DID!