Baby’s First Birthday Party

Your baby’s first birthday party is really more for you than for your son or daughter. Celebrate the fact that you’ve made it through incredible stresses and sleepless nights and you’ve got a wondrous and active toddler to show for it!

Too many people and too much noise can overwhelm one-year-olds, and they have no concept about birthday candles or receiving gifts. In fact, most are more intrigued with the wrapping paper than the toy inside. And don’t send in the clowns: They only terrify tots.

Here are some ideas for that first, special celebration (don’t forget your camera!):

• Timing. Choose a time, like in the late morning, when your baby is most likely to be awake and lively. Consider a family brunch out so everyone can celebrate together and no one has to wash the dishes later.

• Invitations. Create your own invitation for the event using a photo of your baby and her handprint.

• Picnic in a park. Choose a grassy spot that’s level, with no roots or rocks to trip over. Invite a group of moms and tots and ask them to bring favorite finger foods for the babies to graze on. Several big balls, noisemakers, and giant bubbles will make the day.

• A floor party. Babyproof a room and gate the entrances, then spread out quilts and pillows, put lots of toys in a laundry basket, and invite several other babies and their moms to come. Have everyone sit on the floor together. Moms will enjoy talking with one another, and the babies will have fun playing together. Have bag lunches with little sandwiches and juice boxes to go around.

• A petting zoo. Take your baby and other tots and their parents to a petting zoo to feed the animals. Take along carrots, lettuce, or apple slices for the animals, or seeds for the birds.

• The cake. Cupcakes, or a simple homemade banana or carrot cake without nuts, but with a thin layer of cream-cheese frosting (or no frosting) works well.

• A grown-up game. Give parents a multiple-choice questionnaire in which they answer questions about when your baby first smiled, rolled over, took her first step, or popped her first tooth. Give a prize to the person with the highest score.

• Write a letter. Write a letter to your baby remembering her birth and your fondest memories for the year. Even though your baby won’t appreciate it now, it will be a valuable keepsake later.