1 year old

[Magick1]

Ok folks, throw some great suggestions my way for celebrating a 1st birthday.

It's coming up quickly! 4/14 - is the day, my little boobaloo turns 1! Wowee!

I need gift suggestions for the grandparents and ideas of a fun celebration for this little tyke!

Thanks!

[theworm[$]]

How can she possibly be one already? Seems like yesterday that you were still pregnant.
Not having any of my own, I'm not the best for suggestions, but I will suggest that you post lots of new photos! Your Brenna is a real beauty!

[emeleel]

Wowza, a whole year already!

I would suggest NOT going crazy. First, it will overwhelm a 1 year old, and second, they don't have a clue what's going on and can't enjoy a party as being for them. A first birthday party is really just for the *family*, not the baby. So keep it simple.

Cake - if you want to try for the cutsie "Baby plays with her first cake" photos, get her a separate, small cake of her own. A lot of store bakeries will actually give you a small cake for a first birthday. I think you have to bring in the birth certificate, probably. Some will just give you the cake outright, some will give it to you free with the purchase of a regular sized party cake. And don't be disappointed if she won't touch the cake, although it's rare - but Sean wouldn't touch his 1st birthday cake with a 10 foot pole!

Birthday song - practice singing it around her a few days before the event, so it will be familiar to her. Even so, don't let Uncle Rufus belt it from the bottom of his lungs and scare the little tyke!

That's all I can think of for now.

[lynnzop[$]]

At one, Brenna is more likely to like the boxes her gifts come in than the actual gifts themselves.

Melanie's right - the party is more for the family than for her. Basic common sense stuff - schedule it for AFTER nap time if possible, no need to go overboard with frills unless YOU want them.

Camcorder, of course. Lots of film for you camera for action shots (you might want to arrange for a qualified adult or teen to do the photography for you so you are free to help out your sweetie!)

Tradition in our family is to present the one year old with a chocolate cake with chocolate icing and letting her/him feed themself. (Cupcakes are fine.) They really make a mess of themselves and the photos are priceless.

Balloons are great decorations and for the most part, kids her age really love them!

[cristina1]

The separate cake works great - they will even match it to the big cake.

I wouldnt overdo the presents - it is overwhelming, exhausting, and I found that after opening the first few, the kids lose interest anyway. I'd keep the presents small and simple and suggest spending the rest of the money on some sort of savings plan that you can add to throughout the years.

[jgibson2[$]]

The all-time favorite presents for one year olds at my house:

Sturdy laundry basket

Large ball

box of "ball pit" balls.

Suggestion for grandparents who REALLY want to go overboard -- put the rest in her college fund.

[Magick1]

We suggested to the grandparents savings bonds or something along that line. But, grandma thinks Brenna deserves something else.

We already have to think about building an addition to our house to store the stuffed animals. LOL

So, we were trying to get some really good ideas for the grandparens. There are so many sites with toys and things, but, I definitely want more of the real-life "what my kids found most exciting" ideas!

Thanks gang!

[theeye]

For his first birthday, we got the Poopster a 'Ball Party' toy (I believe the manufacturer is Tomy and they come in bigger and smaller versions): it's a series of towers and ramps (you can configure them in different ways): you drop plastic balls in the top and they clatter noisily down the ramps and through the tubes.

He figured out how to use it within minutes of our showing it to him and he still plays with it occasionally. It's even kind of neat for the grownups.

Not terribly expensive, lots of fun, staying power: simple, effective gift.

[frazzledspice]

When my youngest turned one, I just invited a few neighbors over to have cupcakes and milk.

While we were blowing the candles out, the phone rang. We had been on a waiting list with Purina's pedigreed pet program (a great way to get a pedigreed dog if you live in St. Louis.)

We were told we'd have a wait of six months, but just a few weeks later, at the moment she was blowing her candles out, we got a call that our schnauzer was waiting to be picked up. We said goodbye to the neighbors, jumped in the car, and drove out ten miles to Purina Farms to get the adorable little puppy.

May your timing be as perfect

[ms_n]

My sister bought this playhut one year many moons ago and we still have it.
Durable, flattens for storage. Fun.

Can't believe a year has gone by. Enjoy Brenna's first birthday!

More at Tinker Tots

[emeleel]

Those Peek-A-Blocks by Fisher Price look wonderful! There are bunches of different sets, and each set is not that expensive.

http://www.fisher-price.com/us/produ...eywords=blocks

[theeye]

Other great relatively inexpensive gifts for one year olds that will keep their interest for a while:

A 'corn-popper' push toy.
Fisher Price activity walker (*)
Make your own book of family photos by laminating them (or use the photo album from Sassy) for the birthday girl to 'read' (and suck on).





(*) I reviewed this walker on Eps. Quick summary: it's a terrific toy for pre-walkers, right on through the toddler stage.

[Magick1]

Thanks! I have the sassy photo album, but making another might not be a bad idea!

We have a little fisher price walker/trike that she is beginning to understand. It's a trike that you sit on, it has little balls to put in the basket up front & when she's holding her stance better we can convert it to a walk behind "walker" push cart thing. (Does that make any sense?) Chuckle!

I appreciate the ideas!

theeye said

Other great relatively inexpensive gifts for one year olds that will keep their interest for a while:

A 'corn-popper' push toy.
Fisher Price activity walker (*)
Make your own book of family photos by laminating them (or use the photo album from Sassy) for the birthday girl to 'read' (and suck on).





(*) I reviewed this walker on Eps. Quick summary: it's a terrific toy for pre-walkers, right on through the toddler stage.

[Magick1]

Another wonderful idea! We have one set of farm animals for her to play with & Grandma/Grandpa have some others that they keep up at their house.

I did not realize they had SO many to offer. Brenna loves to build (or should I say knock down what we've built) with the blocks. Maybe more would be a terrific idea!

Thanks!

emeleel said

Those Peek-A-Blocks by Fisher Price look wonderful! There are bunches of different sets, and each set is not that expensive.

http://www.fisher-price.com/us/produ...eywords=blocks

[Magick1]

Thanks! That looks so fun!

(Man, to be a kid again huh? I don't remember all of these wonderful items when I was growing up!) LOL

ms_n said

My sister bought this playhut one year many moons ago and we still have it.
Durable, flattens for storage. Fun.

Can't believe a year has gone by. Enjoy Brenna's first birthday!

More at Tinker Tots

[conradd]

Oh wow. I can't believe she's a year old already. Can't wait for pictures!!

I like the corn popper idea too. It was one of the few toys that I remember from my own early childhood and I got one for Shane when he was tiny. He loved it too. One of the things I did for him at each Christmas and birthday was ask family members to get him classic childrens books in place of or in addition to toys. He loved reading and someday, his children will enjoy the same books since I saved all of them.

Deb

[nicholmere]

:birthday:

Congratulations! A whole year, wow

For a "The Big Present" gift how about an outdoor playset; one of the house styles perhaps?

Magic Sounds Playhouse



Cottage



Depending on whether or not you have room inside your home, or if you're like me you've just turned your home into a child's playground , you might be able to keep it inside until the weather is nicer. It's the type of gift that will get used for years, and the grandparents can see it being used anytime they come to visit (weather permitting). I cannot see the suggested age range, but if the buildings come with any small parts you could always put them away until later.


Balloons are great fun too. I have given Nicholas the mylar type since I worry that the regular rubber/plastic kind can be dangerous for the younger crowd. I've given Nicholas a walking Winnie the Pooh balloon, a Thomas the train balloon ... and others.

Photos! Photos! and more Photos!

[emeleel]

Oh, the playhouse idea is great!

My IL's have a HUGE living room, and when Sean and his cousin Wanda were about a year old, they bought a play thingy and set it up in the living room for the grandbabies. It's not a playhouse - it's one of those climb up the outside, stand on the platform, slide down the slide, and play in the space under the platform type deals. It's one of the best investments they ever made as far as the kids go.

[nicholmere]

emeleel said

Oh, the playhouse idea is great!

The more I look at what's available, the more I want one for myself

[emeleel]

Kind of like that old joke about the mom who was too frazzled with kids running around all day, and a friend recommended a playpen - how'd the baby like it, she asks - BABY? I had a blast in it!

[nicholmere]

So ... the exercise saucer ... that wasn't supposed to be for me?