Anyone else not bothering with...

MyBrownEyedBoy wrote: having a birthday party for a little kiddo? Or am I being a bad mom? I just don't see any point in putting myself to the trouble of throwing a birthday party for Logan. He won't remember it and I don't see the need. I may have a friend over, but I'm not throwing an official party.

lisar replied: I know lots of people that do it that way. I dont see a problem with it. And I dont think your being a bad mom cause of it either.

lesliesmom replied: Unfortunately, I had one for the other two so I need to have one for DD (who turned 6 yesterday). I'm really not up for another party and next year I probably won't go big for any of them... I don't think you're being a bad mom, we did real small for DD#2's 1st birthday this year and I hope to keep the size down for all of them next year.

mom21kid2dogs replied: Olivia didn't have a friends only party until last year (her 6th birthday). I just didn't see the need for it. We do a family celebration every year for everyone's birthday~cake, ice cream, presents and a friend or two. I'm not all about the kid party thing either.

MyBrownEyedBoy replied:
Thank you, Cheryl. Our little 3 person party with Aaron, Logan and I was great last year. Thanks for helping me not feel so badly about it.

luvmykids replied:
Same here. Sometimes I think the whole party thing has gotten way out of hand anyway, I made the mistake of doing Chuck E Cheese when the kids were two and why? They don't remember a bit of it.

As I kid I didn't get or expect a big party every year, my mom made the day special with just us.

moped replied: Well he has never had a "kid" party, because we don't really know too many kids yet and our cousins are about a 2 hour drive away - so I just have family for for a BBQ and that is it!

cameragirl21 replied: Kelly, i don't think not wanting to throw a party makes anyone a bad mom but i will throw in another perspective....
my godson is now 8 but when he was 2, we had a party for him at Chuck E Cheese's, a party my gs absolutely does not remember.
BUT something comes to my mind...it wasn't a kids' party per se, we had me, his godfather, gf's wife and daughter (my gs's cousin) his big sister, grandparents, which due to divorce and remarriage makes three grandmothers and 2 grandfathers and his uncle, big brother, and perhaps a few others. So mostly it was family but it was more than just mom, dad, immediate family, etc.
anywho, when it came time to blow out the candles and sing to him, my gs's mom stood him up on a chair and we all started singing to him (the HB song) and then we all clapped. as soon as we were done clapping, my gs broke out into this HUGE grin, i mean, that grin could have lit up all of California during the blackout, and started clapping, looking so proud and happy with himself. now of course, he had no idea what was going on but he realized that all the attention was on him.
I also recall that at this Chuck E Cheese, there are 2 ball pits--one small one for little kids and one larger one for the bigger kids. The thing is that the larger one was underneath the jungle gym like thing so many of the kids didn't see it at first and automatically went to the smaller one. Well, there was a sign very clearly put up on the smaller one that it was only for kids 4 (or maybe 5 or so) and under...lol, I remember, young as I was back then that I was already thinking to myself that I am already turning into the proverbial, overprotective "Jewish mother" because everytime the big kids jumped into the little kids' ball pit (where my gs was playing and i was by his side watching him) they started horsing around and bouncing up and down roughly and lol, i turned to each of them and said, "you are too big to be in here, the bigger kids' ball pit is over there."
in addition, i took a bunch of amazing pics that we all still take the time to look at to this day.
the point i'm trying to get at is that i have these amazing memories of his second BD party, to this day i often think back to his big grin and the clapping and it just warms my heart whenever i think about it. granted i didn't pay for the bday party, i just showed up with my camera and a gift but i will say that the memories made the whole thing so worth it. i think often for little kids the parties are not so much for them because they will never remember but rather for us adults to gather up these memories that we keep in the back pockets of our hearts.

MyBrownEyedBoy replied:
Jennifer, I completely understand your POV here. And I appreciate it. But all of Logan's relatives, with the exception of Aaron and I, live well over 1,000 miles away. So any party we throw will ultimately be for Logan's "friends". If you can call the kids he throws sand and sticks with, "friends". I just can't see myself going to the expense and trouble of a party with kids I don't really know and parents I sometimes don't really like. Our area is predominantly Mormon. I have nothing against that religion, but I'm not. And being an "outsider" makes it very difficult to strike up conversations at the park. The other moms all have their group of friends from their ward and they know I "don't belong". Not to mention I'm a working mom of only one child, makes me stick out even more. So, while I love pictures of Logan's birthdays, I just don't see any point in throwing a shindig he won't remember. I'll still get the smiles and I'll have to share them with less people. KWIM? I hope that didn't sound as cranky as I think it might. Wasn't meant to.

moped replied: Kelly - I totally get you......my family is a bazillion miles away, thankfully Toms is here.

Oh and you answered another question I wondered - if you were mormon.....now I know.

moped replied: When is the party, maybe Jack and I could come for it -

cameragirl21 replied: Kelly, what you say totally makes sense...if your family is not nearby, there is NO point imo in throwing a party for a bunch of 2 year olds who will not realize it's any different from any other day. and especially if you don't like the parents then i definitely wouldn't do it.
i'm sure Logan's bday will be a great day for you, L, and Aaron, be sure to take some pics and post them, ok?

Kaitlin'smom replied: I did for her 1st b-day eveyone was invited, she does not remember it, for 2nd and 3rd it was just family, 4th I had a friends party cause she was in pre-K and really wanted to have a gymnastics party, I am not sure about this year.

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: His birthday is September 5, which is right after Labor Day. You're welcome to come.

luvbug00 replied: we did the 3 person party until mya was 4. Mya has had soo many parties since then I'm partied out and she's only 7. she can FORGET a sweet 16. ..... No seriously this isn't MTV and i'm not blowing over a grand on her birthday!

Boo&BugsMom replied:
Nope we are not having one here. Since Tanner's preschool friends are here every day anyways (home preschool/daycare) we decided to head down to the park today while they were here (today is his actual b-day). We broke open a pinata (a REAL authentic one that you hit with a bat....not a silly string pulling one ), made water balloons, played at the park, and ate pizza and cake. That was it. No fancy party, but just old fashioned fun. Tonight we are taking him to Stonefire Pizza though (a Chuck E Cheese like place but way cooler). He's excited.

gr33n3y3z replied: we only have family parties

holley79 replied: I think it's absolutely ok. Having a friend over for some ice cream and cake is sufise.

C&K*s Mommie replied: I do not think you are a bad mother either, it is all your choice, and no one should discourage you in anyway for making that choice. There have been times in the past when I felt crappy for wanting to have a small party (the four of us)for our girls. So for you don't feel bad.
For Chris' family celebrating birthdays are big deals, not in terms of money but in grandparents-cousins and aunt/uncles attending (if possible). His immediate family in close in distance, so they can attend just about any party for the grandkids there is. We do not go overboard but I like to do something fun for all coming, if at all possible.
For others parents having a party for their children I enjoy it mostly since I can catch up with the adults while the kids play.

lovemy2 replied: Olivia's 1st birthday was a big party - friends, family - you name it - you know first child, first birthday - but we also have all our families here and alot of friends - but to be honest I won't do it for Dylan - maybe bigger than the rest but not as big as Olivia's was....the rest of Olivia's bdays were just a family BBQ and then her 5th bday she had a friends party mostly because she actually does have some friends Once thing that I think makes a difference is that her bday is in June - nice weather (usually) and can be outside, etc. Dylan's being in December right before Christmas - the last thing I want or need is a house full of people then But the day of Olivia's birthday party has always been DH, me and my Mom and those were the best parties we had

Calimama replied:
Happy Birthday to Tanner!!

Miabella's party is more for our family then for us. I'd be happy with just the 3 of us as well.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: I felt the same as you last year Kelly and only had a couple friends over on a Wednesday morning, nothing special, but I feel like I owe it to Wil to do something bigger this year. I totally get what you're saying though, don't get me wrong. I can't imagine he will remember anything before the age of five, but I will remember. I'm looking at it like "you're only three once". But I admit, I guess a part of the party throwing is more about me. I want cake!

A&A'smommy replied: I don't see anything wrong with it and I'm thinking about not really doing one this year just throwing a little something or going somewhere!!

3xsthefun replied: I don't think your a bad mom. To be honest we didn't have a birthday party for Maegan until her 3rd birthday we mostly invited family but she did have one friend at party.

We didn't get to have a birthday party for Kaitlynn on her last birthday due to the weather. So we just ended up taking her out to dinner at a resturant that she liked.