On March 3rd, my son will be celebrating his first bday. The weather can be hit or miss (raining the day he was born but 70's and sunny by the time we left the hospital) so I'm thinking perhaps indoors or indoor/outdoor. I live in La Mesa and have a fixed budget. Any suggestions? Okay everyone. I forgot to mention that a party at home isn't an option as I live in a 1 bedroom apartment. Family members don't have much room either.
The 1st birthday is more for the parents than the child, in my opinion.
I have not lived in San Diego in YEARS!! (okay, decades) so I don't know. The W. Animal Park in Escondido is great (still - I lived there when it opened in the 1970s!)...
Seriously though? I think you should have a SMALL gathering close friends and family and have it at your home.
That's what we did. It was for US - not them. They won't remember it.
it sounds like a birthday party like you're talking about isn't really logical. it's not in the budget, you don't have a good place to have it, and he's only 1. i don't see a reason to have one. even at 2 he's not going to really get it or care that much.
if anything, maybe just have grandma and grandpa (or 3-4 other adults your son is close to) over for a birthday dinner. get him a cake and a couple of presents, and call it good.
less is definitely more in the eyes of a 1 year old...
Keep it simple..at home if possible, then you have the option of inside or out. Also, keep in mind that for a little one a big huge party can be overwhelming...noise, too many people, etc. I would suggest just having family and a few close friends....that makes it more personal for your baby and you can pay more attention to him and his birthday then entertaining all of the guests.
Happy birthday!
At home, seriously. It should be a small family affair, with a minimum of hoopla. Otherwise you're risking a cranky, overwhelmed 1 year old, plus the fact you spent money on something you didn't need.
Decorate with balloons and streamers to make it festive, have your immediate family and grandparents if they're close by, a small cake or cupcake for your son, a cake for everyone else, take lots of pictures and keep it to about an hour.
I agree with Cheryl O. The baby won't care where she is. But you will care when she gets over stimulated melts down from too many people, too much noise, attention, and possibly an over abundance of frosting, cake and other goodies.
After getting a few 1st birthdays under my belt, I can tell you, you'll WANT to be at home for the party. If she needs a nap, gets messy, or whatever, you'll be able to change her clothes or get to things you may need, and she'll be happy to be close to the things that matter most: mom, and her favorite lovey.
Most kids that age have a capcity of only an hour or two. The adults will be able to go on for hours. Keep it intimate and at home. If it will be too cramped, does your apartment have a party room?
Otherwise, pick a family style restaurant (Perkins is good) near your apartment, get some tables reserved and keep it quick and simple. If people bring presents that are huge (grandparents are often guilty of this! Lol) ask them to bring them to the apartment so you don't have to worry about putting them in your car to get them home.
how about the park with an easy-up or two (in case of rain). You can always borrow other people's easy ups, or have friends bring theirs. just also tell them to bring jackets.
I agree with most people that the 1st b-day is really for the adults - and maybe 10 minutes or so for the child to try out cake and get some pictures.
some apartments have a common area for gatherings that you can rent out - maybe you could look into that.
