| Is it possible that it's already been a year since your | | | | and happy - schedule be danged. Great pictures are |
| baby arrived? Your knees and your back don't lie - | | | | your reward for letting baby take the lead.4) Gifts |
| your baby is almost one year old. And you, naturally, | | | | after cake, if at all.Bright colors and noisy wrapping |
| want to throw a big celebration to commemorate | | | | are so exciting for your child that he or she can |
| the day. But first birthday parties are notorious for | | | | come undone. Save the gift-opening for after the |
| producing more tears than smiles, and no one likes a | | | | cake event, if you have gifts at all. Lots of parents |
| crabby birthday boy (or girl). So here are five ideas | | | | skip the gifts altogether at a first birthday party, as |
| for throwing a tear-less first birthday party that | | | | they notice how overwhelmed with plastic toys they |
| everyone will enjoy.1) Think Photo Op.A baby's first | | | | are, even BEFORE the big day.5) Celebrate |
| birthday is essentially an extended photo opportunity. | | | | generations.Like all family celebrations, a first birthday |
| The pivotal event is the moment when the baby | | | | party is an observation of time passing. Take special |
| stares at the becandled cake, just before plunging his | | | | photos of your baby with the oldest family members |
| or her hand into it. The rest of the party is just filler. | | | | and friends in attendance, as well as photos with |
| So plan a brief (one hour - tops) celebration with as | | | | older cousins or friends, and a group shot with the |
| few distractions as possible.2) Minimize extra kids.If | | | | whole party in the frame. And don't forget your |
| your baby has cousins close by that he or she | | | | animals!You'll notice that a successful first birthday |
| already knows well, by all means include them. But a | | | | party has none of the elements we associate with |
| first birthday party is not an occasion to introduce | | | | older kids' parties - leave out the games, prizes, |
| your baby to bunches of new people. Grandparents | | | | entertainment, pinatas and crafts. Most parents |
| or close friends, other family members and maybe a | | | | overdo it, thinking that complexity in a child's party |
| neighbor or two - keeping the guest list short will | | | | equals fun. Oftentimes, it's just the opposite - the |
| minimize the stress on the baby and on you. And | | | | simpler, the better. And when the baby gets droopy, |
| where kids are concerned, remember that the noise | | | | don't try to keep her up. After all, it's her birthday - if |
| level will affect everyone, so go shorter rather than | | | | she's sleepy, let her sleep.You can sleep well, too, |
| longer on the invitation list.3)Visuals are key.Back to | | | | knowing that you've celebrated a tear-free birthday |
| the photo op - a happy baby, smiling delightedly at | | | | party and will have lovely memories to cherish. See |
| her cake, dressed for posterity, surrounded by happy | | | | how easy that was?Liz Ryan is a workplace expert |
| guests and balloons, is the ideal takeaway from this | | | | and mother of five children, and the leader of the |
| celebration. So set up the party to go the right way | | | | online network WorldWIT ( She lives in Boulder, |
| by scheduling it when baby will be well rested, and | | | | Colorado. |
| jumping into cake-cutting mode when baby is relaxed | | | | |