Several months before my son turned a year old, I began to get excited, and I decided on a pool party. Two weeks before, I hand delivered 20 invitations. The day of the big celebration I rushed to the store to do some last minute damage to my debit account. Three hours before, I put my son in his crib so he could refresh. I planned for many things to occur that day, but what I did not plan for was a complete and total disaster.

Instead of taking a nap, my son accidentally wedged his leg in between the bars, and after crying for several minutes it upset him so badly that he refused to sleep. He attended his long awaited birthday at 3 p.m. and by that point, he decided he might want that nap after all.

Right as the party started, my best friend showed up with her mom and son to announce that she would soon divorce her husband so she could only stay a few minutes. While at the pool, her son decided to jump in, even though no one else expected that he would swim that day. His grandma, jumped in after to grab him from the bottom of the pool. They left directly after.

Deciding to make the best of this chaotic day, I announced that Skylar would open presents. This part had particularly excited me cause all the presents were wrapped with care in brightly colored paper, way in advance. After watching my friend’s son tear into his presents at his first birthday, I awaited patiently, camera in hand. Sky’s need for that nap kept him uninterested, and in the end, it was his Aunt Lizzy who unwrapped them all.

Not to worry, what kid does not go crazy for cake, especially one that took much planning to insure that it matched the theme? Well, on that particular day, Skylar rejected it and whined to get up from his seat immediately.

In the end, the party took tons of energy and tons of breath to blow up all those blue balloons. It took longer to decorate and un- decorate than to celebrate. I do not think he realized much of what was going on. Who knows. Maybe he did and pool parties just were not his thing. How was I supposed to know? I asked him what type of party he wanted and he just stared at me. Well, there is always next year.

Fun Birthday Ideas Guaranteed to Draw a Smile
*On your child’s birthday, tell him the exact time he was born. Each year, remind him by singing “Happy Birthday” on the exact minute that he was born.

*Make a Happy Birthday breakfast in a fun and creative way. For example, cut the toast into shapes, make smiley faces on Toaster Strudels with frosting, or arrange the link sausage in the shape of a smile under two small pancakes on a plate. My favorite idea is to make eggs for the whole family, cover the table with Saran wrap and dump the eggs on top. Only one rule applies: No utensils.

*Sneak into your child’s room before she wakes and fill it with balloons. Blow up some manually, and fill some with helium so that they float all over the room. The assortment of colors will excite any waking child. Helpful tip: turn off the fan.

*Video your child every year on or around his birthday for several seconds. If you continue to do this every year, after many years pass by, you can have a whole video tape of your child’s progress. Watch him grow before your eyes! After you finish the tape, give it to your child wrapped in birthday paper. Enjoy it with the whole family.

*Discuss the theme of the party with your child ahead of time. See what she most wants and will enjoy for her special day. Putting two creative minds together to collaborate will surely make the day turn out the best for everyone.


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About the author: Brooke Hadley currently writes freelance feature articles and has six years of professional writing experience. She currently lives in Austin with her new hubby and their son, Skylar Austin. They expect their next baby, Drew Madison, in November. Email Brooke Hadley: PersistentGerl@hotmail.com.

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