They say it takes a village to raise a child...well then it takes a damn infantry to plan that child's first birthday!
This picture is a snapshot from my Twin 8 year old boys birthday party this past July. The YouTube Photo Booth I made by hand in one night for about .83 cents, and I threw in the Props to go along with it. The YouTube t-shirt's that my birthday boys are wearing were made by me and modeled after "Merch" I saw online for $24.99 a pop (total cost $4?).
All in all the party was a hit. I went above what I thought capable of myself and handmade the Pinata this year. Let's just say I will NEVER spend $50+ dollars on a party item that I can make on my own with....yup, you named it:
1.) Cardboard
2.) Scissors
3.) Tissue Paper
4.) and Glue!
(Don't worry, if your wondering how on earth?- I've already planned to share).
The entire experience was enjoyable, stress-free, and best of all it didn't burn a hole in my already very shallow pockets. What I did get was another year of memories to add to what I call, My Portfolio of Life.
Rewind 7 years to their 1st Birthday.
This was not at all the case. It went a little something like this:
I‘ll never forget their first birthday, I thought it was THE biggest thing ever. Justice and Maddox, who we’ve adopted into one solid nickname of “JustMadd”, were turning the big 0-1. We had people in from out of town and it just had to be perfect, and well because I’m a Virgo ♍️, everything must be perfect.
*(Pardon the picture quality, these are pics of pics. Can't seem to find the digital although this was 7 years ago so they may not exist!)*
Dr. Seuss’s Thing 1 and Thing 2 was the theme. I had a planning notebook, Dr. Seuss quotes printed and mounted on card-stock, I booked a $200 Jump house for my Twin 1 year olds with no friends. There were maybe 2 other kids in the Fam, and a bunch of adults. I handmade name signs out of red and blue felt to hang on their high chairs that we dragged from our condo, to the park up the street where we had the party (shout-out to Daddio for helping trace the felt letters). I Planned out the menu and desserts, there were to be 2 smash cakes with RED frosting and white numbers 1 and 2, which was the most horrific idea ever. Their little faces were stained red for 2 days. The cupcakes also had red frosting and blue cotton candy as the “hair” that I bought online for something like $20 because I couldn’t find it locally. OH!! And it was July in San Diego, so the $20 blue cotton candy hair, melted in just minutes of arriving.
The morning of the party when Dad went to get the balloons, I was informed that there was a helium shortage and there was none. After tears, demanding, and if I remember correctly, 3 or so stops and another $20-$30 later he found a place with helium and order was restored. How could I ever throw my children their first birthday without balloons!!
I could go on, but when I look back I can see how tremendously stressful that was. Although what I just described above sounds as if their first birthday was an absolute disaster, it was so far from it. In fact it was just what I wanted to be - perfect! No one ever knew that there was almost no balloons. The 2 kids jumped on that darn jumpy until the guy came to tear it down. Their chubby little red frosting dyed faces did eventually fade back to their Be the smooth pink natural tone. The high chairs squeezed into the 5th and final trip from the park back home, and the Cotton Candy? What Cotton Candy, I didn’t know the cupcakes were supposed to have that on top?
The point I am trying to make is that THIS is not how I want you to remember the celebration of life's most precious moments.
We are all just Moms (and Dads and Grammas) just trying to do the absolute best we can. We are busy, and we’re tired, and usually working on a budget. I’ve have always loved planning and organizing, and if you ask anyone who knows me I may have a bit of an obsessive personality so when I get into something I engulf myself until I’m bored and the next thing comes along.
I have learned so much from that first party and I want to share it with all the Moms out there that are in tears because the cake you ordered for your daughters birthday has Magenta colored fondant flowers and you asked for Fuschia!
I have said year after year that I was going to take it easy on the next one, and do a simple Chucky Cheese or bowling. Here I am 8 years later, just wrapped up their 8th YouTube themed birthday complete with its own Hashtag, #JustMaddSeason8,YouTube Video Invitations, and handmade Photo Prop Booth to name just a few things.
Why do I do it you ask? Because I love it. And I want to help you make the most memorable occasions for your loved ones as well. With my simple party ideas and inspiration, tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way, event planning how-to’s (and how to nots), recipes, and hands on DIY crafting and planning services for people just like me who are busy and on a budget and just trying to do our best.
My nickname my dad would call me when I was little was MandaPanda. I say now I’m the Pandicorn of Party Planners. Everything I create is unique and makes for a Magical affair!
~Amanda DiNovo