Feeling sad about not having a 1st birthday party

We had family and friends over on the Sunday before L's 1st birthday and whilst we all had a fab time Louie slept for 2 hours through it and was a bit miserable if I'm honest. He wasn't feeling himself due to sickness.

I really wouldn't worry yourself, you'll have a fab time just spending the day with A. And as bones rightly points out, these things will cost a fortune once they hit school age!

Please don't feel bad.  Not many of the babies I know had parties for their first birthday, including C. 

We went out, just the 3 of us on his actual birthday to the zoo, then had close family (our parents, brothers and sisters and my nephew) over on the Sunday.  We still put balloons and a banner up, and got matching jungle theme plates, cups etc, (I made everyone use them!), and I made a cake. 

Tbh, I couldn't have coped with the organising of a big party, and the afternoon we had was lovely x

We didn;t have a party either, just a few family and lots of cake   What Meggy said was so true, as long as you are there to share the day thats all that matter

Oh lovely, I'm sure lots of people won't have parties.

I know how you feel, we're not having one either. We'd planned one, well I had anyway. One of the groups we go to does first birthday parties and it's his favourite, so I wanted to do that. Unfortunately due to Christmas, first birthday, New Year and house move all happening within a week of each other we just can't do it.

We're having family round to my mums on Boxing Day and she's making a cake, but it won't be the same as having all his friends (and my friends) doing something.

Neither of our boys had one. We tried to give J one, but he got ill on the day and we had to cancel. He didn't have a 2nd either as I was heavily pg and couldn't face it.

A didn't have one, just the grandparents came for lunch and we went to the wild life park. x

No big party here - we took G round to my parents house the day before her birthday and my dad made a cake, and that was it really.

I actually think it's a bit pointless having a big party for a one year old. There was some one-upmanship going on in our NCT group around the 1st birthday time, hiring children's entertainers and other things that would be totally wasted on such small children. Funnily enough the couple who are really loaded just had a few people round for some tea and cake, which is all you really need.

We did have a party - and it was fab - BUT i know it was for the adults. We had I think only 3 children excluding C, and about 12 adults. I baked some buns and made sandwiches and my mum did him a cake. The adults drank fizz and the kids played with balloons. He had no idea what was going on but seemed to enjoy it, if he had been a shy child who doesn't enjoy crowds then I wouldn't have had so many people round. To me it was a way of thanking the adults in his life who are so good to him and so generous with gifts, however if money was tight I would have just done cake candles etc for immediate family and taken the pictures.

Your LO is not missing out, it's totally unnecesary. As said above a 1 year old perfect day is 2 parents paying loads of attention and a new toy

We didn't have a party for Matilda, good job as it probably would have been snowed off anyway!

We did have a lovely day though. We had some pro photos taken, lunch out and my folks came round for cake in the evening. 

Seriously, the party is for you, not them. They won't remember! 

No party here either. We just spent the day together, although partway through the afternoon I did have a bit of an odd teary feeling about maybe needing to do more to mark the day, but I think it was just when I had a moment to reflect on his birthing and the year we'd had with him in our lives.

We didn't do much for his second birthday either - just had a cake at our usual weekly meet-up/play with close mum friends. As a group we felt we would keep it simple - there'll be plenty of other birthdays that they participate in more, so easier to save the money for them.

O's 'party' consisted of (some) family, and that was it. We live 100 miles apart from them all, so it was more like an opportunity for them to visit/everyone to see everyone IYSWIM? I stuck a happy birthday banner up and we had a couple of balloons, just for posterity really, and then put a load of food out buffet stylee as everyone had travelled in the cold/snow etc, so they needed something, but it wasn't a big thing by any means.
O certainly didn't know any different, and won't remember it at all. It was more for everyone else tbh.
On his actual birthday it was just O, H and I and we went to the park, played in the house, ate O's favourite foods and generally had a really nice, chilled day, just the 3 of us. Was perfect.

I still firmly believe that the 1st birthday is in many ways more about and for the parents really. Do whatever makes you all happy and just enjoy your gorgeous boy.

Thanks all.

We are planning to have my mum, her other half, my brother and sister and PIL's round (BIL and gf told us they can't come as they are going to a 30th birthday party instead .......) for tea and cake which should be nice. we'll probably go out for the day for my birthday which is 4 days later

Goldfish:

Thanks all.

 

We are planning to have my mum, her other half, my brother and sister and PIL's round (BIL and gf told us they can't come as they are going to a 30th birthday party instead .......) for tea and cake which should be nice. we'll probably go out for the day for my birthday which is 4 days later

 

See, I would call that a party   Sounds fab!

Goldfish:

Thanks all.

 

We are planning to have my mum, her other half, my brother and sister and PIL's round (BIL and gf told us they can't come as they are going to a 30th birthday party instead .......) for tea and cake which should be nice. we'll probably go out for the day for my birthday which is 4 days later

 

To me your description is of a party - 3 of you + 6 guests, and a cake =party, get a couple of balloons and candles and you are sorted!

We did similar. Grandparents and the 3 of us wet for lunch and we got a cake (from tescos!) H,G and I then went to the zoo for her bday which was great fun.

Goldfish now you're making me feel bad for doing a lot less than that for our children's first birthdays. We did a family trip to an aquarium and an italian meal as they both love pasta. TBF none of L's grandparents were in the country. For L's 2nd birthday, we had all her grandparents round for a birthday tea, wore party hats, and played Pin the Tail on the Donkey. She thought it was the best party in the whole world ever and talked about it for months.