I absolutely LOVE birthdays! If you haven’t read my post “How to ROCK Your Little One’s Birthday”, you should definitely check it out here(https://classymamabear.com/life/how-to-rock-your-little-ones-birthday/)! As mentioned in that particular blog, we throw our little ones a special party for their First Birthday and then from then on, they get to choose whether they prefer a party or a special outing with the family. Our little boy is turning the big, Wild ONE! EEEEP! Therefore, this mama has been a bit of an emotional wreck.
One year olds really don’t know what’s going on, so a party is more for the parents and in this case our three year old. Skye was so incredibly excited about Connor’s birthday party and couldn’t wait for the day to arrive! That meant that not only was it celebrating our little boy having his very first birthday, but our little girl was old enough to really get into the magic and fun of planning and celebrating. She wanted to help plan, decorate, invite, (OPEN PRESENTS)… anything she could do to help the party, she wanted to have her little fingers in.
Though not everything went as planned, rarely do plans with babies and toddlers go perfectly, it was a wonderful day and held so many special moments. Our theme was Wild One and we decorated with bears and other forest friends. I made a small balloon arch and used several wooden plates and pieces to add to the look. It seemed to be a full week of prep! Although, that’s because I often had the help of a three year old and two huskies. Ha!
Having my mom and step-dad visiting was also key! They were instrumental in help and often keeping the kiddos entertained so I could clean and/or decorate. I cleaned throughout the week here and there to make it a bit more manageable and then we did a quick tune up the morning of. I started the balloon arch two nights beforehand and finished it the night before. *I HIGHLY recommend NOT making balloon arches with the help of a toddler or dogs!!! We had a few kiddos planning on joining the party, so we also made a few games for inside and outside just in case the weather decided not to be agreeable. This included 2 different bean bag tosses, a homemade bowling set and hopscotch. All in all, it was a simple day with simple, but fun, decor and food.
We had a smaller group of about 15 people, but it was perfect. Before everyone arrived Connor got to see the decorations up and had time to explore. Seeing his eyes light up with magic over the spectacle warmed my heart! He loved the balloons and the little dragonfly lights were a big hit for sure. Unfortunately, the little monkey seemed to start teething the night before and was overly tired the day of. He also was going through a “Mommy Only” phase and got scared fairly easily. Like I said, not everything went exactly as planned. But when it came down to it, our little girl and the birthday boy could feel the magic in the room, stole snuggles with me all day long and to me, the day was a big success!
Balloon Arch Fun
What you need:
- Balloon Decorating Strip Tape (I got the 50’). See my Amazon Shopping Ideas.
- Balloon Hand Pump (This is a must)!
- Balloons (I recommend picking out at least 3-4 colors and making them different sizes to give the arch more dimension. Also, buy extra balloons. Without fail some will pop, or you’ll underestimate how many you need.)
- Twine (or string) to hang the arch
- Small or Medium Command Clear Hooks to hang the arch
- Patience! It’s actually easier than you think! However, it definitely takes time.
Blow up the balloons. I found that using using an inexpensive hand pump is an absolute must. Please do NOT try to blow up 50 or so balloons on your own. I’d guess you’d be likely to pass out! I also found that making different sizes is helpful and makes it look a lot more interesting. Don’t be afraid to make smaller balloons to tuck and fill in spots. I fed the balloons into the balloon strip as I blew the balloons up. For me, the hardest part was figuring out what colors to start with and then secondly tying the balloons… My fingers hate tying balloons! And honestly, just dive in. It’s going to look great and the kiddos are going to love it! Before you know it, you’ll be addicted and want to make another for the next party!
Most importantly, remember that this party is about your babe. Enjoy the new moments and be patient. It’s a lot for their little mind and body to take in. Just love them fiercely and go with the flow!
