With Skye’s 2nd birthday only a matter of weeks away we are deciding what kind of celebrations we want to have. The only thing is, does anyone really care when you turn 2? With all the fuss and fanfare that is a 1st birthday party I wonder whether it is actually necessary to do that again and who will really benefit from it if we do? Lets face it, the 1st birthday party is more of a pat on the back to the parents for surviving the first year, Skye wouldn’t have known that all those people were there for her, or what turning 1 even meant. There was only 2 people there that were even close to her age group so its not like she spent the afternoon running around the backyard and bouncing around on a jumping castle, she wasn’t even walking yet! I don’t think her experience 1 year on will be all that different.
It’s not that I don’t love an excuse to have a party, in fact, I am usually the one harassing people with all the details for a simple BBQ, but I don’t know what direction to take with it. She doesn’t have a lot of Day Care buddies that she would want to invite and they have a party for them at Day Care anyway. Most of our other friends have children that are much older so I would have to worry about having activities suitable for them which would be pointless for the birthday girl. It all seems so unnecessary and involved! This time last year I had already sent out all the custom made invites, ordered the cake, bought a birthday girl t-shirt, written up the menu plan and delegated the appropriate people their duties. Just thinking about it makes me tired.
Really I think given we have a long party road ahead of us that will require themes and activities and co-ordinated plates, it would be best for us to keep it simple and low key with just the family for this year. Skye is not going to care as long as she still gets to tear open some presents and stick her hands in the birthday cake, I am going to be able to actually enjoy the celebrations rather than standing in the kitchen serving up food all day, and Luke won’t have to worry about sourcing 50 plastic chairs from somewhere.
I am already feeling more relaxed about the whole thing.
What kind of celebrations did you have when your children turned 2? Was it as grand as your 1st birthday celebrations, or had you run out on enthusiasm by then?
