Hellobee Boards

I just put in a permit for the area near Jane's Carousel in Brooklyn. We're hoping for Sept 22nd (Dd's due date ) I have to get there super early to grab some tables

So exciting! I love the theme and it sounds awesome to be able to have it somewhere other than your house.

We will ultimately have ours at home because we just bought and moved into it and it will probably serve as a housewarming for family members who haven't been able to visit us and see it yet. I'm also hoping that hosting her birthday will get us out of traveling for Thanksgiving as we will have just seen everyone

I still can't decide on a theme - kitties or flowers??

@lindseykaye: congrats on the new house!
@kodybear: those pictures are so cute!

WHAT I am not thinking about this at all yet.. you guys are making me feel lazy. We just moved to this state in Dec so don't really know anyone here to invite and family is in different states but I know at least grandparents would all come. I need to start brainstorming! I'll definitely have it here, our budget will be small!

The one theme I've thought about is the first letter of his name - G. As in decorated with all things G (green, giraffes, grapes, etc.) but think it could skew really.. non-cohesive.

@kodybear: Um, I LOVE that theme. Love. it. I might just steal it
@highwire: Those photos are all so cute - and I totally get it about the cost of renting vs. cleaning. That is so reasonable for a rental space, especially since baby parties are pretty short. So even accounting for setup and clean up it will still be a great deal.

Oh Thank Goodness I'm not the only crazy mom! I've been pinning away ideas on Pinterest for a little over a month now. I'm not sure when we will do his party since it falls the week of Thanksgiving. I know that a lot of our family/friends go out of town Thanksgiving and so I know for sure I don't want to do the party the weekend of Thanksgiving and ruin their trip plans. My other problem is my DH doesn't get his work schedule for the month until the last week of the prior month. So planning anything early in the month is hard for him to trade with someone. Right now I'm thinking best to do the 2nd weekend in December and do the Winter Onederland theme. My house will already be decorated for Christmas so not a lot of cost spent there. And I like the idea of serving milk/hot coco/coffee with decorated cookies. Again keeping the budget low. I haven't even talked to DH about these ideas and he may not even go for it!
Really like the Sprinkles theme and the Balloon Theme!

I'm super excited about the party! I also want to get professional one year pictures done. I was thinking of a "you are my sunshine" theme.

@kodybear: I LOVE LOVE LOVE that theme! @highwire: The hot air balloon cake is seriously so cute!

Wow, you guys are really on the ball. Love the sprinkles and hot air balloon themes. G's birthday is on Thanksgiving day so I'm not really sure when is the best time to do a party. I'm leaning toward that following weekend since my inlaws should be off work if they want to come in from out of town.

I really haven't decided anything yet - how many people to invite, where to have it, theme. Yikes. My biggest goal though is keeping costs down and making it cute and fun without going overboard.

I'm in denial that we need a thread like this already! Lol. My LO was born on Halloween so his party will be the following weekend.

Hopping in here if the November mamas don't mind. B was born the first week of Dec, and am just starting the party planning.
I was originally going to have it at the house but now thinking I should rent somewhere too.
Since we just moved to Texas I'm thinkin a "fiesta" theme...

Omg you guys are making me look bad. I haven't even really started thinking about M's 1st bday- I guess I am in denial about my baby growing up! I am thinking we are going to do a mermaid/under the sea theme, fitting for her name and nursery! I just saw this cake on Pinterest and it is my inspiration

@NovBaby1112: swoon love those cakes!

@SCG00387 Thanks! And thanks for the decorations link. I am definitely going to check it out - I am always looking for stuff like that.

@scg00387: @kodybear: I'm doing one year photos a little before (two weeks before) her birthday, it just worked out best in our schedule. We won't hand an official cake smash photo, oh well.

@scg00387: love it!! was it hard to make? ahh can't believe you're sending them out, i need to get crackin! all i have planned so far is the theme (most likely sprinkles), and her dress (thanks to smurfette!!) haha so i have the important things planned so far

@kodybear: nope i just google for free clipart and a free background and then downloaded fonts from dafont. made it in publisher, printed it to a PDF and emailed it to UPS to print

@kml636: that's pretty much all I've got, I just figured I'd get them in the mail so it was over and done with! I am excited to plan a party though; other than our wedding none of our family and friends are close enough to all be in one place for anything (except for now, where we just moved to, we're close to all of DH's family hence the party)

@wildcardinside: omg, I love the polka dot theme! So cute!

So it seems like most people are going big for the party, right? I'm just a little bummed because her bday is so close to thanksgiving I think it might take away from people coming from far for her party. Sigh.

Question about invitations and planning -
Should we wait and see what her daily schedule might be closer to her birthday for planning the party timing (so that we know better when she is taking a nap at that age)?
Or, should we pick a time that is suitable and seems like it will work now so we can send invitations more quickly?

What are you all doing? @scg00387: I know you picked a time as your invites are done. Do you just figure he'll nap when he needs to and the adults can hang out if he's sleeping, and when he is awake he can enjoy the fun?

@kml636: mine isn't really that big, at a community center. we just have lots on DH's side that are within an hour's drive. It'll be 25 people max; my family except my parents are all too far. We just moved here so don't really know anyone well enough to invite them.

@lindseykaye: I just did the party later because of that. I'm guessing he'll go to 1 nap earlier than most because he's never been a super sleepy kid, so our party is 4-5:30. There is no way he'd be asleep at 4, regardless if he's still on 2 naps or has dropped to one. that's exactly why we didn't do an afternoon/morning party!

I finally came up with a theme for my little guy's birthday. He was born on Halloween and his party will be 11/2. The theme is monsters.