Make the first birthday count

Even though children are way too young to understand first birthdays and certainly won’t remember any of it, a baby’s first birthday should be celebrated. In a lot of ways, the first birthday party is the most exciting event since the day the little munchkin came into the world!Planning a child`s first birthday should not be a cause of stress or tension. It should be the time to reflect on the past year and all the great memories you and your family made with the newest addition.Seeing as this is the baby’s first birthday, make it a day of family and close friends – not the whole neighbourhood! So try not to stress about inviting everyone who has set eyes on the baby. Other than being impractical, a mammoth crowd will only overwhelm the poor child. That’s also how babies get kidnapped!Try to schedule the party at a time when it is convenient for everyone and will not interfere with the baby’s nap schedule. Keep it short, colourful and sweet as most kids can only handle about 2 hours before the crankiness sets in.Commemorate the event with as many pictures as you can possibly take. “My daughter just made four and she pretty much sleeps with the album that carries all the pictures we took on her 1st birthday,” said Clarence Uwikirezi, 31. “She recognizes people who come home today from those photos.”An extra special activity that will surely make the birthday memorable is to get hand prints from your baby and all the guests onto a display board. Have each guest sign next to their name. This is a great way for the child to look back on all the people who have been in their life from the very beginning.What is a party with no fun and games? Be sure to have all your fun and games well programmed for the kids. One personal favourite is a bouncing castle. “On my son’s first birthday I was lucky to have a friend who actually deals with children party events. She made it all happen for me. I noticed however that the bouncing castle was most liked,” said Angella Mukamusoni, advertising executive and mother of 3. Try to make light and enjoyable snacks for the kids and nothing too heavy. By age one most children are eating solids, so cake is total fair game at the unique first birthday! If you want to keep it healthy, replace thick sugary cake with bran muffins and frosting on top. The most important thing to remember is that this day is about celebrating your little one.