Sunday Sesh: 1st birthdays are the best

Have you been to a baby’s first birthday party lately?

These are my favourite of all the kiddy party invitations that get stuck to the front of our fridge.

You want to know why they’re my favourite? Because it’s all about the parents. The parents who have survived made it through – but with the grace of God – but mostly through the grace of Dan Murphy’s.

And because first birthday parties are about the parents, what’s available at Dan Muphy’s is usually served up in generous quantities to those who attend. In fact the mum who made it through those 12 months will be accessorised the entire afternoon with a never-ending glass of bubbles.

And that’s how it should be.

Yesterday we spent the afternoon at the first birthday party of twins, James and Sofia. Yep, that’s right twins. So, yes the celebrations (and champagne) were doubled.

And that’s definitely how it should be.

The twins’ mum, let’s call her Deb (because that’s her real name), is possibly THE most organised person I know.  When I first met Deb, we were working on the organisation of an event together. Let’s just say, when I saw her first draft of the run sheet for that event and saw had it colour coded down to every two minutes, I surrendered any dibs I may have previously had on calling myself organised.

And then Deb met Min. Or possibly I introduced them. I can’t remember. It was like the romantic meeting of two kindred spirits (not surprisingly they are both Scorpios … did I mention I “collect” Scorpios?). Min is the second most organised person I know.

Long-story short, Min is an event planner and strategist, so when Deb handed over her barnyard “vision” for the twins’ first birthday party to Min it was like the meeting of two party-planning minds.

I was in awe of the result … and particularly fascinated by the gingham wrapped lolly bags (tied to sticks and poked into a hay bale!).

So fascinated was I that when I got home I realised I had taken photos of said lolly bags … all afternoon …

Our cue to leave? The sun had dipped below the mountains range and the big kids at the party had left with a lolly bag over their shoulder, Tom Sawyer style.

An afternoon well spent …

Except for the bit when Mr Styling You (after a few sneaky Coronas) was nursing the birthday girl on his lap and suggested that we needed one of “these”.

It may have been a barnyard party, but this old chick is long past being clucky. Just. Saying.

If you’d like more barnyard party inspiration, check out my gallery:

[Show as slideshow]

Have you been to a first birthday lately? Did the parents look mighty pleased that they’d made it through 12 months and were no longer sterilising everything?

PS. As it was a barnyard theme, guests were encouraged to wear fancy dress. I’m not so fond of themed dressing but tomorrow I’ll share with you what I came up with as a compromise