Número Uno, baby.

And How I Contracted It. 

I wanted to post all about Lucy's first birthday which we celebrated back in April... but... I have to admit I was a little embarrassed. I knew it would come across as one of two things:

1. Not elaborate enough 
2. Too elaborate, you crazy mom! 

So... it got me thinking about this whole Pinterest-Worthy Party Theme Phenomena! 

You know it. I know it. 
It's officially a "thing"

Just a little side note. Above in my title-photo I called it a "Pandemic" but... mainly because the alliteration of "P"'s that I had going on there.... in truth it's more of an "Epidemic" as I really think it is pretty much an American obsession. I could be wrong, I suppose. Anyone know any German's or Brit's or someone from Japan maybe, going into debt over their toddler's birthday parties??

Anyway - Be it a Pandemic or an Epidemic it's happening. 

Let's define our terms.

A Birthday Party.

When I was a kid a birthday party meant:

• Cake 
• M&M's (our family ALWAYS had m&m's at a birthday party... to this day!)
• Store-bought paper streamers hung from the ceiling 
• Ice Cream

3/4 food related... figures. 

But yes, this was the way we celebrated birthday parties. And to my knowledge... beyond like a "princess theme" (which basically meant the plates and napkins were pink and had a princess on them) themes were not a thing. 

Fast Forward to today. A birthday party now has taken on a whole-new life form! 

HOLY THEMED BIRTHDAY PARTIES! 

One scroll down Pinterest and you can't miss it. Amidst the mouth-watering recipes and unrealistic home designs there they sit - elaborate, gorgeous, magazine-worthy birthday parties for children. 

Here's some favorites I've come across:

• Circus- everything except the burning ring of fire (But then again, I'm sure someone's done it!) 
• Fairy Forrest- Complete with a fairy-themed cupcake delicately balancing on two pieces of mini-logs for that forrest-fairy-effect... no joke)
• Farm Fun - where each kid goes home with their very own, full-sized John Deere (Just kidding...) but you can be sure there's a tractor ride! 

So this is just a taste of what I'm sure you (like I) have already salivated over as you ponder on your child's next birthday. I mean... it's only maybe a year out which doesn't give you much time to plan! There's so much to buy and organize and craft and design and paint and build!

Here's a few musts for your pinterest-worthy birthday party

• Striped paper straws in cute glass mason or milk jars.
• Punch or juice colored to match the theme.
• A gorgeous theme-appropriate (ideally tiered) cake.
• A "main attraction" table perfectly set and photo-ready.
• Color appropriate pennant Banner (in either paper or cloth!).
• A creative dessert table with at least one themed, food item.

I want to clarify - I do not write this to mock any of these parties. In truth I'm jealous! They are GORGEOUS. These moms are WAY more talented and creative than I will ever be. If they want to come take over Lucy's birthdays for the next 15 years I am ALL FOR IT! 

So needless to say when it came time to plan Lucy's first birthday party I was slightly overwhelmed. I'd like to say it snuck up on me and I hadn't even thought about it until just days before! That would be a lie... I started thinking  stressing about it when Lucy was about 5 months! 

"What will the theme be?"

"Who's going to make her cake?"

What theme will I do?

"Who will I invite?"

"Where will it be?"

"What will I make the theme!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

I bounced in my psyche back and forth between : 

"She's not even gonna realize it's happening, what does it matter?"

to

"This is the biggest deal in the world, these pictures are eternal, one day she's gonna want to know what I did for her first birthday party when all of her generational-equals have gorgeous photos to show for theirs and all I have is a cake, m&ms, paper streamers and ice cream!!!"

I eventually settled on : No theme! 

We were gonna go old school, Manz-family like, with the basics:

 friends, family, food and good conversation! 

It was set. I was less stressed and Lucy was... unfazed.  

But then March came... and I got on Pinterest. 

Princesses, Fairies, ballerinas, mermaids, disney and more danced before my eyes on a scrolling screen of color and beauty! 

Maybe I should do a theme. 

These look so great. 

I can make a pennant banner! 

Ohhhhhhh we could have a garden party outback with a tent and a live band! (just kidding... I never thought about having a live band, that's ridiculous)

It got the best of me and there I was... mid-March... planning Lucy's themed birthday party! 

Leave it to me to not be able to choose ONE theme - I had to combine two: 

Tea AND Ballet

(that's how you know the epidemic hit HARD)

So I write to you with mixed emotions: Partly embarrassed that I caved to our culture's obsession with themed birthday parties and simultaneously proud of the (very little-bit of) creativity that made Lucy's Birthday so pretty. 

Here are my take-aways after my first First-Birthday Party

1. Keep the guest-list small and intimate! I'm so glad we kept it to close family and friends. I was already overwhelmed with the numbers we had. Anything bigger and I might have lost my mind. 

2. Stick to ONE theme (if any). Two is just a little too ridiculous

3. Hoping for a peaceful gift-opening time is naive. Have someone write things down. (someone with a quick eye and quick hand!) and thank people via Thank-You cards! Your one-year old will not be the polite, gracious birthday girl you so hoped for. :) She just wants to chew on the paper! 

4. Don't get discouraged if you didn't do ALL the decorations or activities you saw on Pinterest were hoping to do. Just enjoy yourself!

5. Soft icing (not fancy icing) works best for cake-smash effect. And don't use chocolate cake... it looks like poop on camera! 

6. Have people bring food items! 

7. Have someone designated to take photos (if you want to document it!)

8. Talk to your guests - breathe - relax - eat

9. You have to decide for yourself if it's worth it to pay more and have someone else make specific creative touches for the party via Etsy or if you'd rather save the money and invest the time! I did both! For example: I made her "One" onesie for $5 instead of buying one for $25, but I bought her TuTu for $20 even though I could have made one for less. Choices. You get to make them! 

10. Someone should start a business where they rent out birthday themed items or re-sell those that have been used already. There is definitely a market! (For the uncreative and lazy like myself!)

And my own personal reflection... and a look into the depths of my sin. It's about to get real serious, brace yourself. 

I truly think the Pinterest-worthy themed first birthday "thing" appealed to my pride and desire for recognition and not to my love for party-decor and event planning. Don't these things always have a way of doing that? Lucy didn't care nor will she probably ever care that I cut out ballerinas to hang as decoration, or that I had a beautiful ombré cake made to match the colors. She didn't even eat the cake! But I cared... I cared because deep within each of us we have a desire to be recognized, admired, and affirmed. All of these are put within us by our creator and are twisted and darkened by our sinful nature. Our affirmation, our identity and our recognition comes from Christ and Christ alone. This doesn't make themed-birthday parties a BAD thing. But it does demand personal reflection to know what our motives are and what is driving us. 

Will I ever do a themed party for Lucy again?

Probably. 

But my prayer is that the Lord would:

 "Search me... and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there be any offensive way in me"

Psalm 139:23-24

So without further explanation here's some photo highlights from Lucy's First Birthday. 

We really did have a splendid time!!! 

All Pinterest ideas! ;) 

Remember that "main table" here it is... lacking the party-theme dessert items I so wanted to make but never got to!
Telling myself it's okay! ;) 

Tea and TuTus

Lucy is a very loved little girl!

Enjoying her old toys amidst her new toys

Time for Cake and Photo-overload! 

Lucy reaches for the flame! And we all simultaneously freak out! 

Poor Girl - she didn't burn her finger, just got scared from the masses yelling "NOOOOOOO"

Cake-rehab from the trauma

They make these onesies on Etsy... I made my own. $25 vs $5

The cousins

Smashing the balloon into the cake was the highlight of her day. 

The Tutu - Etsy

I'm (number) ONE! 

Enjoy planning and prepping and crafting that first birthday...
or pick up a cake and throw out a bowl of chips and party hard!
Either way... the sweet baby won't remember (or care)