Tuesday, April 10, 2007

The First Birthday Bash

The day before, Joyce was down with diarrhea which continued the next day too. We had booked a small hall in a decent hotel near-by. We had already invited the guests.And we were wondering if we need to cancel it all. Around late afternoon she seemed better & was responding fairly well. Being a working day we weren't expecting the party to begin any early. More than the cake cutting or the birthday it was fun getting togather. I and P both being residents of Pune with our families and first cousins also based in Pune, we ourselves are a good crowd, and the kids have enough company. Here are the pics. There were boys too but would simply not oblige the photographer :(







Now the whys & hows about celebrating the first birthday. Personally, spending money lavishly is not me. I started thinking about the birthday and what would I like to do just a month before. I had attended my niece's first birthday, which was just family for lunch and a little fun with the kids at a near-by orphanage. It was neat and ideal to say the least. Thatz how I thought I would like it too.

When figures started falling in for just close family & friends, we were having difficulty managing all at home and the food and decoration. So we decided to have it out. Once we reached at that decision, I was almost chalked out of P's plans. As I said earlier, the hall was booked, the menu was decided, the dress came in, the shoes came too, an extra cake, candles, birthday caps and so on. I did try to argue it out but he wasn't budging or listening, I went on to remind him this wasn't her wedding but her first birthday. At the end of the day, we were approx 25-30. We chit-chatted as usual, the kids had fun. We had fun watching the kids have fun. Though we did shell out a little more than usual, we were happy about the party. We sure do not feel guilty about hosting the party. Joyce enjoyed the moment.

From my own experience, I have the exact opposite views now on the subject from the time I started thinking about it. The First birthday bash was not for Joyce (she has the remaining years to celebrate), the first birthday we wanted to celebrate for our own self. We celebrated a year of parenthood. We basically celebrate this whole new responsibility, new emotions and togetherness with our child and the bond we share as a family. That is what I was celebrating. I don't regret the fact that she will not remember it. I am happy we celebrated the moment and WE WILL REMEMBER it for the rest of our life. So I am completely for celebration rather than let it pass. Pick any kind of celebration, and you do not need to feel guilty about it, big or small, it is a TREAT to self for getting through nurturing the first year of your little one's life. Its a huge milestone.

23 comments:

Bijesh said...

u know what the funny thing is? i had just written this in an email to some1 "I am really quite bewildered by the 1st birthday celebration concept. The kid wouldn't even understand what the heck the fuss is all about. It's more for the adults than the kid." Then I read your post and what you say about celebrating the responsibility and it seems to make sense.. :)

Sue said...

Hi there. My story is too long to comment. If you check back on my blog in a day I'll try to have it up as a post, ok?

In the meantime, a kiss to Joyce from an unknown Auntie whose mother is from Pune.

Sunita said...

@biju: I am glad you see my point. It infact is a very difficult decision to play the ocassion low when the natural instinct is to celebrate.
@sue:Will do. Thanks for the kiss - Joyce

Fuzzylogic said...

congrats on the milestone,indeed it is a celebration of how far we have come!Little Joyce looks adorable in the pics.Hope her diarrhoea is gone by now. She seems to have had fun.

Risha said...

congrats for successfully being a parent for 1 year...:-) time really flies, she seems to have lost all the baby far....looking very cute in pink.

Anonymous said...

Hey Suni,

Belated Bday wishes to Joyce & happy year of parenthood to you!
Joyce looks very smart..dashing lady..huhhh !!
Looking really cute in pink.. :)

Hey, Joyce started modelling or what ??? ;) The baby in tv ad for Johnson's baby soap (or something,will confirm the brand next time!!) looks very much like Joyce, plz check :)

Mrudul

Rohini said...

Completely agree with you on the first birthday being for the parents to celebrate having made it through the most difficult year of parenting. At Ayaan's birthday party, there were only our friends and we served wine (to celerate the end of breastfeeding). His second birthday, coming up soon, will be more about him - we are calling the 3-4 kids around his age that we know.


Thanks for sharing your birth story. Having been cheated of my labour, I manage to live a little of what it might have been with posts such as yours.

GS said...

Wow..Congrats!!
:)

Sunita said...

@fuzzy:Thanks and she is doing better now.
@risha:Thanks :)
@Mrudul: Yes, Joyce is modeling, exclusively for us though :), glad to see you around.
@rohini:Glad you agree and about the birth story, I had read it earlier, people like you are the inspiration to write mine :).
@Gowri Shankar:Thanks!!

Beens said...

Hey, you have totally changed the perception of celebrating kid's 1st birthday. Well said. Belated wishes to Joyce!!

ams said...

wow.... Joyce became 1 yr old! give my love to her :)... she's looking too cute on the photo.

Sunita said...

@beena & ams: Thanks!!

Artnavy said...

joyce looks lovely

a very happy bday to her- sorry for the delay

and your rationale is right
it is for us to cleebrate a job well done

Sunita Venkatachalam said...

Oh Congrats, thats exactly how I look at it - the first bday is a way to pat yourselves on the back for having made it through the toughest year !
Joyce looks pretty and happy too. I remember on poppin's bday party, she cried all the time, the poor thing.

Sunita said...

@Art: Thanks!!
@Poppins: Thanks and glad you agree :)

mommyof2 said...

Belated Happy B'day to little princess:-)

I think the same way about B'days and thats why this year is the first time we were planing on celebrating my son's b'day with his friends otherwise it was family affair for last 3 years:-).

the mad momma said...

oh yes.. the first year is definitely the parents celebrating that they survived it! we had my parents and my uncle and aunt over for the Brat's first. this year is the second and we might have 3-4 kids over too... belated birthday wishes to little joyce and a big hug

Risha said...

i loved her in the pink dress with the balloon pic. lots of hugs and kisses to joyce frm Reshma Aunty. :-)

Sunita said...

@mommyof2: I think at 3 the kids start building the pressure as to what they expect us to do :).Will not think of that for now.
@MM: Yeah, we deserve a treat for that.
@risha: Thanks for all the hugs & kisses. P is flying high with the comments on the dress.

Just Like That said...

Little Joyce looks absolutely cute. 'Happy Birthday and God bless' to her, tho' belated.

Sunita said...

@jlt: Thank you!!

Anonymous said...

Hey Sunita,
Belated Happy Birthday To Little Joyce .She is soooo cute....
its true the 1st birthday is for the parents the kid hardly remembers it .after reading this i remembered @ Tushars 1st b'day celebrations
Lots of Luv To Joyce
Anagha(hope u will recognize me)

Sunita said...

Hey Anagha, Thanks for the wishes & even if I forget you & Ravi, there is no way I will forget Tushar :). So nice to see you here ...these are my ramblings :) ..write to me at sunitathomas@gmail.com