Caroline’s birth made me the happiest person in the world. I had finally achieved my childhood dream of being a mother. In addition, I had a child! Another of my big dreams.
Everything seemed to be in order, and I had no idea such a powerful love existed. My lovely daughter has brought delight to everyone she has met. She’s a wonderful buddy who is kind, humorous, smart, and loving.
The pressure was on when it came to organizing Caroline’s first birthday. I’m not sure where the pressure came from, but I was aware of it. Instagram? Pinterest? Maybe it was just me and how much I like entertaining, but as soon as I started preparing it, I was overwhelmed by the need to make it “exactly right.”
The more I think about it, I think I was using the party and arranging it to distract myself from the reality that my tiny baby was growing into a toddler far faster than I intended. That made me very upset, and I still battle with it every time one of my children turns a year older.
With each passing year, I learn to love them more, yet it’s difficult to watch them grow up! When their birthdays come around, time isn’t on my side. Those feelings were so intense that I felt compelled to make this party one to remember.
My kid was the most important thing to me, so her party had to be spectacular. Now, as you may have guessed, I’m a party goers!. I relish the opportunity to entertain and welcome guests into my house. But what about this first birthday bash? It was a massive event.
When I was arranging a party, I didn’t always feel this way. Months before the celebration, I created a Pinterest board. I had a plethora of pins with various concepts that fit my subject in some way but that I believed I could improve.
I had menus, dessert ideas, and Caroline’s clothing all over the place. It was disorganized, confusing, and, to be honest, terrifying.
Although I enjoyed the tiny craft projects during naptime, I was becoming tired of party planning much sooner than I should have, given that the party was still two months away.
To stay focused, make a clear plan and a checklist.
I imagined a feminine pink and gold garden party in my imagination. Even so, I kept buying stuff I didn’t need but felt would work, resulting in way too much money spent and too many decorations and props to use.
Have you ever fallen into the rabbit hole of having a million tabs open? That was definitely me. I’d go to my Pinterest board, right-click all the ideas I wanted to pursue, and before I knew it, 20 tabs were open, and I was getting buried in supply lists, Amazon carts, and blogs instructing me on how to make paper flowers and decorate the ideal pink sugar cookies.
It was excessive, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks so. My sanity would have been preserved if I had a clear strategy with everything in one place and a checklist laying out what I needed to do.
It would have made the planning process more pleasurable and, more crucially, more doable. That’s how I’ve planned every party after that. Choose a theme, make a strategy, stick to it, and keep track of everything with that checklist. When you have a strategy, it’s amazing how quickly the overwhelm vanishes.
Bake only a portion of the desserts on the table.
I am not a baker by any stretch of the imagination. I’ve never been one, and I’ve never claimed to be one just to make ends meet. I’m intimidated by the precision and recipes, which take too long.
I love cooking because it allows me to express myself while still ensuring that the dish will be appetizing. Not so much when it comes to baking.
So it baffled me that I was so determined to bake every single dish I served at the celebration. But there I was, mom of the year (or so I thought), experimenting with recipes and ordering a fancy tip set from Amazon, convinced that it would be simple to recreate the adorable sweets I’d seen all over Pinterest.
I looked online for a “healthy” smash cake recipe, then gave all of the test goodies to my mom friends in exchange for their honest evaluation. Buttercream has become my obsession.
Have fun with your lovely guests.
The event was stunning. But it would have been much more lovely if I hadn’t put so much pressure on myself. Caroline was surrounded by people who adored her, which added to the beauty of the occasion.
I was happy with what I accomplished, but I realized it wouldn’t be possible every year. And, my goodness, what if we had more children?!
I recall having to excuse myself from the party at one point because I thought I was going to cry. It was just before we were supposed to sing Caroline a happy birthday song, and I was feeling a little nervous.
When your child turns one, there are many feelings to experience, but joy should be at the top of the list. Planning a party should enhance that joy rather than reduce it.
The weight that has been lifted from my shoulders since I now know the secret to preparing stress-free, unforgettable parties is priceless.
Around here, parties are still a big deal. We go all out, and I don’t think that will change any time soon. However, I find it enjoyable. Caroline’s first party was a lot of fun to prepare, but it’s nothing like how I feel about the events I plan and host now.
I approach them with a completely different mindset. Now I’m concentrating on the joyful experiences I’m building for my tribe. I’m motivated by the experience I’m giving them. I’m no longer under pressure because I know that if I concentrate on the important things, the party will be beautiful and everyone will have a good time.
Free Gerbera Daisy Pink Flower Invitation Templates
As a bonus, I will share with you these pretty Gerbera Daisy Pink Flower invitations that you can use as party invitations. No need to pay anything, cause it’s all just free! All you have to do is download the templates.
Download Instruction
- Right-Click each one of your selection
- Then select “Save Image As”, locate where you want the file to be saved in your device.
- Click “Save”, or tap “Enter”, and the download process will start shortly
The best way to make your invitations appealing is to keep them simple with clear wording and beautiful typefaces. If you want to throw a rave, though, you can make wild invitations.
