Rosy just turned one! Her birthday was so exciting for our family and we wanted to celebrate her all week! Thanks to a cold that hit our family hard, we had to move her party a few days later and that resulted in a few extra days celebrating our favorite girl.
I knew that this birthday would kind of set the stage for all of the birthdays in our family to come, and I wanted to be mindful of that. I want my kids to feel extremely loved, valued and cherished everyday, but especially on their birthday.
A few months ago, I wrote down some ideas that I had for some family traditions when it comes to birthdays. Only some of them made the final cut, and we are so excited to make them yearly traditions in our home!
Some of them we won’t get to fully carry out until Rosy is a little bit older and an speak for herself, but we got to do a few of them this year and it was so much fun! It’s even more fun thinking about it being something our kids can expect on their birthday and know that they are incredibly special to us!
Our 5 Birthday Traditions
1. Waking up to 24 helium balloons!
This is one that I’m extremely excited about. It may be my inner kid showing up (I asked for a helium tank for my birthday and Christmas like every year and never got one ha!), but there is nothing that screams ‘Happy Birthday!’ to me like a bunch of balloons!
This year, we woke Rosy up from her first nap with all of the balloons and she LOVED them. They filled her room and she couldn’t look at them enough!
Going just a little bit excessive on something like balloons is an easy way to make someone feel extra special, and what better way to wake up on your birthday than with tons of balloons!
Later on, when she has a favorite color, we will do her balloons all in that color. Since she can’t communicate that to us yet, mama got to pick this year!
It was so stinking fun going in her room with all of the balloons and I can’t wait to do it again next year!
2. Individual Funfetti Cake
What screams happy birthday more than your own individual birthday cake! Funfetti cake mix makes making a cake super simple and easy. I bought this 4 inch cake pan on Amazon and I plan on using it every year to make a double layered individual cake.
Obviously she had a cake smash this year with her cake, but every year from here on out, she will have her very on cake to do with whatever she wants!
Want to eat it all? Go nuts! It’s your birthday! Want to share it? Great! Want to save some for later? Cool! Whatever she wants to do with her cake will be her choice, it’s hers!
Having something that is your very own that no one else has makes you feel extra special, and that is easy to make happen this way!
3. Birthday Breakfast with Daddy
We didn’t get to do this one this year, but next year and every year after Rosy will get to go out to breakfast with her daddy wherever she chooses!
One-on-one time makes everyone feel special, and that is exactly what needs to happen on your birthday. Clay used to take me out on breakfast dates and they were just the sweetest.
It’s such a simple idea, but super intentional, and one that I’m excited about for the future!
4. Special Plate
This is something that my mom did for me and my sisters growing up. There was was a special white and blue plate that we only got to use on our birthday.
I want to continue that tradition, I just haven’t found “THE” plate yet. I’ve got until next year, because this year Rosy would have just thrown it on the ground!
This plate will also be used as a celebratory plate on non-birthday’s too–to make a big deal out of a good report card, a great act of service, etc.–but it will always be used on birthdays.
5. Birthday Dinner
This one is the king of simple. Our family will eat whatever the birthday kid’s request is that day! Lasagna and tater tots? Great! Pizza and apples? Fantastic!
I’m sure we will eat a few interesting meals through the years, but what a simple and meaningful way to honor your children. By preparing (and eating) whatever crazy thing they decide they want to eat for their birthday, they will feel super special and valued.
It is my goal for our kids to feel valued, loved, respected and celebrated everyday.
Making birthdays a little extra special goes a long way in making a meaningful impact in their lives and these are some simple ways to do just that!
I hope this was helpful!