The Baby Expert: To Party or Not

June 4, 2012

To Party or Not

About a week ago, I started discussing with the wife about what we should do for Caitlyn’s upcoming birthday, which is on June 7. I figured since this was our daughter’s first birthday, perhaps we should make it special. You know, party hats, decorations, cute little birthday invitations, cupcakes, gift bags…the whole nine yards.

But when we started getting into the details, finding a suitable place was a problem. We could only find one playland that was big enough and had an area where babies could crawl. However, it would cost an arm and a leg. So we started thinking about holding a party at our place, but because it’s not so big and we don’t have any toys for older children, it probably wouldn’t work either.

In the end, we decided for something small and low-key. That means having cake at the in-laws with family on Thursday. Truthfully, this is what I actually wanted from the start. I don’t really have the time or creative energy right now to plan any parties. But this is our baby’s first birthday. Shouldn’t it be special?

Plus, I wasn’t so sure if the wife was really OK with this, even though this was her idea. But as she said, Caitlyn has no idea what’s going on, so all the effort and planning that goes into the party would mainly just be for us. Sure, it would be a great photo op, but nothing more.

As a consolation and to make us feel like we weren’t bad parents for skimping out on a party, we went to the playland with the wife’s family and relatives for a play date with Caitlyn on Sunday. I figure we can have a full-blown party when she hits two and is able to walk and talk and appreciate things more. Plus, this will give me a whole year to plan it all out. It’s going to be legen– wait for it –dary!