# First birthdays at home



## mummy2blossom (Feb 21, 2013)

Just wondered if anyone could share what they did for their lo's first birthday at home? Blossom is 1 in a weeks time & been home 5.5 months now. We are planning on taking her to the zoo just the 3 of us on her birthday - much to my mums upset!  It was hard telling family they won't see her on the actual day but feel it'll be far too much for her to visit relatives as well as the day we have planned (feel that quality time the 3 of us is more important). We have my mum & sister over at wk end to do pressies and then wk end after her bday we have just her grandparents & uncle at my mums for cake (only be an afternoon). 

I just wondered if what we have planned is similar to anyone else? We're so excited but know to try and keep it calm, normal & just follow her lead


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## Anjelissa (Jan 11, 2007)

Happy Birthday to Blossom  

Our little man had only been home a very short time prior to his 1st Birthday so we just had a little tea party for the 3 of us, and then his Grandma and Grandad popped in for a short while when we brought out his cake etc .
We kept it quite calm and quiet but still had all the normal Birthday celebrations, balloons, cake, banners etc and far too many presents .

Our little lady's will be slightly different as she will have been with us quite a bit longer before her first Birthday at home with us (aged 2).

You sound like you have the perfect plan re/following her lead, have a wonderful day, and take it all in (before you know it she'll be celebrating her 5th Birthday!)  

Anj x


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## Miny Moo (Jan 13, 2011)

Ours were much older on their 1st birthdays with us, my son was 7 on his, he was very sure that nobody could possibly want to come to his party so on the day we just had us and my mum who come to stay, very low key on on the weekend we had a bouncy castle and just invited our friends who had children, again just a buffet no games or anything as didn't want any pressure on him. 

We have just recently had our daughters 1st birthday with us and she was 6, completely different kettle of fish, she had already been to a lot of parties from school was desperate to have one, we had it in a local soft play area actually on her birthday and she loved every minute of it and I loved somebody else doing the catering for once!!!


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## Macgyver (Oct 27, 2008)

Our son was home 6 weeks when he turned one. We just had a small party, with my 2 sisters, my mum and dad and us.


Nothing major, I made his cake, a buffet and  he had presents and ballons but he did enjoy it.


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## littlepoppy86 (Feb 14, 2014)

We had the complete opposite! Our lo had been home 5weeks before 1st birthday an on the day we visited a farm park & at the weekend we had a big party around 25people x


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## GERTIE179 (Apr 20, 2005)

Our first bd was lil mans 2nd bd and we did the same as you blossom. It felt right for us that we spent it as family of three. More fun to have party later etc and extend the celebrations albeit low key 😊


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## Sun Flower (Jul 14, 2008)

Our LO was 11.5 months on placement, 2 weeks later for his first birthday we had a quiet day out at the zoo, just the 3 of us

Happy birthday to your LO, have a fab day whatever you do


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## MummyPhinie (Oct 27, 2013)

Our LO had been home 10 weeks for their 1st birthday. They were 3, we opened a few presses early(clothes to put on). I took older sibling to school, we then had fun time at a play centre with dh who took day off and sibling. Then fetched other one at school, we opened more pressies (made sure eldest hadn't missed much) had dress up and a little party just the 5 of us. Was lovely and low key (although balloons +3 kids=mass excitement!). Family sent presents, but have since seen both grandparents quickly after and had a few additional presents.


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## AoC (Oct 28, 2008)

Bug was three 11 months after placement.  We had a party at a local soft play and another day out as the three of us.  Family don't live close by so they don't come.

I don't think we'd have had a party until he'd been home about six months - we just didn't have the local networks!


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## Flash123 (Jan 29, 2006)

Wee man was 1 3 months after he came home. We had a day out at the farm with the 3 of us and my mum and It was wonderful, simply perfect. The following day we had a small family gathering, about 10/12 people and that was enough for wee man. Any more than that and he wouldn't have coped. The night before he came home forever FC did him a big family party/BBQ and it has taken till recently for us not to have major fall out following a family gathering. 
Hope your day was everything you hoped it would be xx


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## MummyPea (Jun 11, 2012)

We've got Little Pea's 2nd birthday in a few weeks. He's been home since January. On his actual birthday which is a Saturday we're going for dinner, us 3 and my in-laws who are his favourite people. On the Sunday we're having a little afternoon tea type party with his other favourite people, less then 15 people including us. There's plenty of time in the future for big birthday parties


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## AoC (Oct 28, 2008)

That's a good point about goodbye parties.  At the point children come to us, their experience of parties is that they come before a big move.  That can make for some very mixed up feelings.


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## mummy2blossom (Feb 21, 2013)

Thank you all so much for your replies, lovely to read how you all celebrated 

I've just wrapped blossoms little pressies (doing her main one the night before) and now feel so excited, we've only got her a few bits as family are spoiling her!  I honestly thought this would never happen for us, yet here I am ordering a special daughter card whilst our precious blossom is soundo upstairs and it's all thanks to the wonder of adoption


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## Forgetmenot (Jun 22, 2010)

Just lovely! Enjoy your special day with your little girl x


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## littlepoppy86 (Feb 14, 2014)

Have an amazing day all of you xx


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## Wyxie (Apr 10, 2013)

Wyxling's second birthday was five months after placement.  We had us and both sets of Grandparents and they were here for the day and we went out for a meal.  The meal out and then fireworks (which she absolutely loved seeing out the window on bonfire night just a few days earlier) were great, the whole day in the house with all the grandparents. too much attention, lots of pushing Mummy and Daddy away, general difficulties at that time, were not great.  Ideally we'd have just gone out for a meal and had the day to ourselves but hard to sell that to the Grandparents when they have a long way to travel.  She was also ridiculously spoiled and that was way too much for her as well.  Again, hard to sell the Grandparents on that idea.  I'd have been firmer but my husband wasn't willing to say anything to his parents in particular so it made it hard.  Now, I'd just have been firmer.

Bladelet's first birthday at home was a much quieter affair, although he copes with relatives coming and fussing much better.

Wyxling's four in a few weeks and I have been assumed into a birthday party.  I was trying to avoid it as parties these days seem to have to involve soft play or some other over-exciting thing that Wyxling doesn't cope well with.  In general she doesn't do so well in unfamiliar places that are busy, and can either completely recede into herself, or get extremely disregulated.  Anyway, we went to a birthday party a couple of weeks ago that was in someone's house that she really enjoyed, and she's just assumed that because all her friends are having parties she's having a party as well, so I'm doing a small one in our house because I didn't have the heart to say no.  I have been very clear that it's going to be in our house and we have negotiated a list of children to be invited significantly smaller than the one she had in mind (largely because I do not live in a mansion and a November birthday doesn't lend itself well to planning on being outside).  This got easier when I pointed out that the more people that came, the less cake would be left for us.

Now I am working on cake ideas.  

I don't know whether she's going to enjoy the party that much or not, but she is so happy that it is happening, and has been playing musical statues with her toys and pass the parcel with her brother (who is slightly confused by the imaginary parcel but being fairly cooperative).  Because it's happening in our own home she will be able to help me do things which should help alleviate her excitement related anxiety (I hope), although heaven help anyone who doesn't know the rules to musical statues.  I suspect Wyxling may insist that all guests sit down and watch the relevant episode of Bing Bunny as soon as they come in the house, just to make sure no-one gets it wrong.  I guess we'll just see how it goes!

She has also written all the names on the invites herself (at her request) with only spelling help from me, and her own name on all of them, which I can't help being proud of.

I need to make a cool cake now.  With snails on it, I think.  Probably snails.


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## Handstitchedmum (Mar 24, 2013)

Wyxling sounds so decisive.   I hope being so involved in the planning means she will be able to relax into it. Omg, she is almost four!  nearly a young lady


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## mummy2blossom (Feb 21, 2013)

Thank you all for your replies!  Wyxie hope the snails turned out ok!

We had great time and our plans worked I think as blossom didn't seem too overwhelmed so think we got it right!


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