sheesh - 1st bday

[Tuzla]

I can't see how a mom can have a breakdown over balloons.

My pal's daughter is planning for her little one's 1st bday. She didn't budget for the helium, so I told her she could tie the balloons in a bunch and use Scotch tape to hold them up...but...

She went oin etsy to get these Yo Gabba Gabba (wtf?) masks that correspond with the balloon colors (again: wtf?).

I told her she could still inflate them and tape fishing wire to the top of the balloons and tape them to the ceiling.

You'd have thought I told her to put cat piss in her lemonade.

Is it normal to get all wrapped around the axle like that? What am I missing?

[Kapihopela]

so not normal where I"m from lol.  But I don't know anyone who uses helium in the first place lol, we all just buy dollar store balloons, blow up a couple packages and let the kids play with them, maybe tape a few to the walls with some streamers if your feeling fancy lol.  And first birthdays almost never have any sort of cartoon themes to them yet cause they're just for the grown-ups, really.  Usually first birthdays involve more booze than balloons

[Monica]

Mom seems like she is wound a little to tight.

[Fruity]

I don't get the obsession with over-the-top first birthday parties.  The kid sure as hell won't appreciate or remember it.  The only people who will are the adults.  And they don't want freaking Yo Gabba Gabba balloons; they want booze like Kapi said.

(She's just trying to either be BPE or fit the mold of what a first birthday party 'should' be)

[Kapihopela]

Actually kid-themed birthdays around here usually start around 3, that's when they seem to start actually appreciating it.  This year Kaleb will get a truck shaped cake, a package of balloons to chase around, a couple kids to play with, a few presents and a bunch of grown-ups drinking beer and eating burgers and potato salad in the backyard next weekend.  I just couldn't imagine doing anything more extravagant than that for a 2 year old, never mind a first.  I'm throwing a party mostly to celebrate MY survival for the last 2 years, not his lol.

[Tuzla]

We know 4 kids + BBQ whose bdays are in August. Yeesh.

I really was feeling bad about not having a theme. I do want to do cheezy kids games because we're having kids of all ages: potato sack race, egg in a spoon, etc. but I'm not renting a darn pony, kwim?

He's going to get cake in his hair and get a good bath, I predict.

[Kapihopela]

Oo oo oo oo rent a pony!!!  You will SO out-do all the other moms.

Do people really rent ponies?!?!?!?!  I thought that was just for millionaires and movies.

[Tuzla]

Oh, don't put it past Andy. I made him promise not to at least until Bobby is 7.

Insert biggest frakking eyeroll ever.

[faemum]

i make a loop of tape to tape supermarket balloons to the ceiling , with a little curling ribbon hanging down . they stay up there a lot longer than helium .
Kids are not really into sharing or games until at least three , and by then they are more ready for to appreciate the social aspects of a "party" with 2 or 3 friends . Don't even need a theme at three as the theme IS "birthday party" .
I think Bella was 4 (or five ?) when she asked for a special cake (My little pony) and i got a good price on hiring a mini pony and foal (yep , broke ass single mums can hire a pony) . The foal was just for patting for kids too scared to ride the little pony. Bella bargained with me that if she could have a pony there she would have a much smaller present . I don't think i worried about games apart from maybe a pass the parcel , just let the kids have pony rides and eat party food .
We may end up with a bouncy castle  on his third birthday , but that is only coz'  Brad works for a party hire company on weekends and i am hoping the boss will just gift it to us for the weekend . (at the very least he can heavily discount and save on the wages for Brad and his mate) .
Rohan was invited to a 2 yr old party last weekend , the mum seemed heartbroken that only 2 little guests turned up (8 didn't) and they all refused to wear the animal masks she had crafted and just wanted to play . The party also started at noon , by 2.00 the kids were ratty ,  Rohan went inside to lay on the couch and have me read a story ..i knew he would not leave before cake/ candles were done , so i started dropping heavy hints that we might leave as it is way past nap time , then the mum said , "oh , quick lets do a treasure hunts then cake "
people seem to forget to keep the time short , the kid numbers low and the time suited to the age of kids (like a morning or afternoon tea ) . This little boy attends Rohan's daycare so his routine for "naptime" from there would be lunch just before noon and nap straight after .
if it is a kid only party then i go for the age to kid number ratio , a one yr old:1 friend , 2yr old:2friends,3yr old:3 friends.  It is seriously the maximum that the birthday child (and parents) can handle wthout feeling overwhelmed.
This Mum was also trying to convince the parents they would be fine to "drop off" their 2 and three year olds at 12 and pick them up at 3pm . Was tempting , but i could not do it to her or to my child . Imagine if all the kids turned up , 10 toddlers she does not know for three hours , eating junk food at the time they normally nap :)

[Fruity]

He's going to get cake in his hair and get a good bath, I predict.

Please do.

I've been to two first birthday parties where the 'cake smash' tradition was shunned.  At the one party, the girl was given a teeny little cupcake and instructed to eat it daintily.  At the second party, the cupcake was of course organic and the mom cut it into bite-size pieces.

[ronin]

I would be so tempted to smash cake in the kid's face when the mom's not looking. 

My kids have never had parties.  It never really occurred to me to throw them one.  No one in my house seems to care about it all that much -- least of all, the kids.

<-- party at my house 

[Ikissedagirl]

I would be so tempted to smash cake in the kid's face when the mom's not looking. 

My kids have never had parties.  It never really occurred to me to throw them one.  No one in my house seems to care about it all that much -- least of all, the kids.

<-- party at my house 

Same here.  Ryan's 3rd birthday was this past Saturday, we were up in Huntsville waiting for my parents to get in that night.  We said Happy Birthday to him, he wanted us to play toys with him. *shrugs*  I felt guilty for about 2 seconds and then realized there was nothing to feel bad about. 

[Tuzla]

Today's update: SoOoOoOo... we were going to make yo gabba gabba tshirt with iron on transfers for hailey's party BUT..his computer has no way of flipping the image..AND his printer's outta ink. Dangit..this is all just falling apart now

I shouldn't be mean., But dude, the kid won't remember anything (unless it's years later in therapy).

[Ikissedagirl]

Quick question--is the kids name pronounced like HAY-LEE or is it like the male name HAL and then LEE?  The double 'll' has me wanting to pronounce it the latter.

[Tuzla]

The former. She's as cute as a button though I haven't met her yet.

Baby was not feeling well through the party, and mom was exhausted and sick immediatelt following. I feel badly for having made fun.