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anniemm
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| Posted: Oct 22 2008 at 1:13pm | IP Logged
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Hi Ladies! I was wondering if we could share birthday celebration ideas for children. I have seen allusions to birthday celebrations on many of your blogs and I would love to know more about other families' traditions and ideas!
My children are still really little and I'd love to get some ideas to make their birthdays more special. First birthdays tend to be very low-key around here, but once they are turning 2 or older they are much more aware of what is going on and that they are getting things in the mail, etc. As an adult, I don't find my birthday to be all that special at all and so my thought is that I want to be sure that they have happy memories and enjoyable celebrations as children. I don't think they need to be indulged in with extravagant gifts and parties in expensive places and so forth. I don't think children need that. When we have had parties, they have been at home with close friends or family members.
When my oldest was turning 2, we had a party for her at our house. It was a lot of work even though it wasn't an over the top extravaganza or very expensive. My husband and I decided that maybe we would have birthday parties every other year and then on the off years do something special as a family to celebrate. (That is where I really need some ideas, fun things as a family to do to celebrate!)
Anyway, I'd love to know what other families are doing out there! 
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Andrea
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Wife to Charlie (03)
Mama to four little girls (04), (05), (07), (09),& my 1st little guy 11/11
www.hiswillmypeace.com
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 22 2008 at 1:34pm | IP Logged
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the big thing here is that you get to pick the meals on your birthday.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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anniemm
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| Posted: Oct 22 2008 at 1:57pm | IP Logged
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My husband has a fried who is very artistic and comes from an artistic family. Every year, all of his siblings would make gifts for each other for each birthday. It was always a big surprise and something really amazing. Some of the things he told us about were so creative and special!
My kids are too young for that yet, but I think it's a great idea!
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Andrea
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Mama to four little girls (04), (05), (07), (09),& my 1st little guy 11/11
www.hiswillmypeace.com
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Oct 22 2008 at 2:06pm | IP Logged
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yeah when they're that young I just try and pick things I know they really like.
And you can put limits into place or not.. some things have their own set menu.. and sometimes it has to be something we can make with what we have.. I will also give a child with a birthday during Lent the choice of picking the meatless meal on their birthday (if it's a Friday) or of picking another day to pick the meal.
What I especially like about the picking the meal thing.. is no matter how busy we are.. we do have to eat meals so... it's bound to happen.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: Oct 22 2008 at 2:07pm | IP Logged
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Birthdays are just family and our little neighbor-girl and occasionally our surrogate grammy. Pretty low-key, but here is my "birthday checklist" ....some things that make it special:
**Measure their height on the wall
**Aunties from afar send a birthday balloon bouquet
**Take picture in front of daddy to show how much they've grown from the previous year
**They pick the dinner menu and the color of frosting for the cake, and any special things they may want on their cake
**Daddy takes them to get a hot chocolate at a nearby cafe
**They wear a "birthday hat" and eat off the "birthday plate" (a charger plate that I wrote Hap B-day and all their names and birthdates)
**They get to SERVE THE CAKE (my "favorite" part  )
**We look at their photo albums/scrapbooks throughout the week, and watch some video from their baby days.
**One of the Gramas always writes a poem for them....we read it at dinner.
**The non-birthday girls put streamers up in one of the doorways and they walk through it singing Happy Birthday.
**The girls help me pick their favorite photos from pictures taken
There is also this birthday prayer that we use:
Dear Jesus, Thank you for giving us (name) to be part of our family. AS we celebrate her birthday, we ask you to guide her as she grows in the year ahead.
(Then each person goes around and thanks God for something they love about the birthday girl.)
Lord, bless this meal which we share to celebrate (name's) life. Amen.
I also used to use this as a reminder to write about their past year, but I have neglected this terribly. I think it was Denise Schofield in Confessions of an Organized Housewife that had a "questionnaire" of sorts for older children to fill out.....their favorite things at the time, fun things they did, achievements, etc. You could tailor it to your family/child, etc.
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Suzanne in ID
Wife to Pete
Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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anniemm
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| Posted: Oct 22 2008 at 2:36pm | IP Logged
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 "serve the cake" What a fun mom you are, Suzanne! I know my girls would feel like such big girls getting to serve the cake, but wow...I may be too much of a control freak! I loved all of your ideas! I want to have my birthday at your house!
Jodie, the meal idea is perfect also. My Mom used to do that for us, and I would, to this day, still ask for the same thing if she were making my dinners!
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Andrea
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Mama to four little girls (04), (05), (07), (09),& my 1st little guy 11/11
www.hiswillmypeace.com
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mellyrose
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| Posted: Oct 22 2008 at 4:22pm | IP Logged
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We let the birthday child choose dinner. Nate has had broccoli almost every year. LOL!
I also have a "Special Day" plate that the birthday child gets to use throughout the day.
They get to choose their cake. I have made volcanoes, bulldozers, a pool. This year, Colin wants a Lego cake.
We have an inflatable birthday cake (I think it's 3 ft tall?) that I set up in the living room the morning of and take their picture by it.
We have had just immediate family and my sister for parties. Sometimes my parents have been in town. Last year was the first year Colin had a friends bday party, but it was limited to just a few kids. He wants another party this year, and the limit is 8 - including him & his brother. Parties are at home, with simple games, etc.
Sort of related - the kids get to choose a cake from the store on their baptismal day. You wouldn't believe how excited they are about that . . . LOL!
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Melanie in AZ
Colin (11/00), Nate (05/02), Lydia (04/07)
My Little Patch of Sunshine
Pictures of our Life
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Birthdays
