How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

Still trying to decide whether to have a "kids" party at a party place for my 2 year old DD or to just stick to a party with the family with coffee and cake at home or to do something in between and have a celebration with both family and friends, either at home or out somewhere.

Just curious how others have marked the occasion!

Re: How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

I guess Im an "other", We spent the day with DD and also had family over for pizza/cake on the following weekend

How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

We had our normal Sunday dinner at my moms and had a cake for dessert. It was just my siblings and their families, my mom and MIL.

I bought some decorations - balloons, plates, streamers. We did the same this year for his 3rd birthday.

Re: How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

For both boys since they're birthdays are in the summer we did a pool party at our house. Close fiends with kids were invited along with immediate family like grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. It turns out to be a lot, but also summer so we get a bunch of no's too bc people go away.

Re: How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

We took the Grandparents to the Aquarium for the day and then dinner out. He had a blast!

Re: How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

I had a party at a party place for the kids and then had the family back at our house for dinner, cake, and opening presents. I have done this for almost every birthday. Although one year I combined both of my kids into one party because we had way to many family parties that year due to my brother getting married.

How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

His actual birthday was a Saturday, we had a party at our house. Just close family and our closest friends- 20 people total. The next day we took him to the aquarium in Riverhead.

How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

We are doing dinner and cake at home with close family......same as last year.

We don't do big parties. Waste of money IMO

Re: How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

This is LONG, but just to give you some ideas....
For DS's 2nd birthday last November, we just had our parents, my really close aunt and uncle, and our close friends and like 3-4 of their kids over to our house. It was like 25 people total, so not huge. Food was simple- just did sandwich trays from the supermarket, some salads, I had pulled pork in the crock pot for a hot option, and then cake.
It was pretty simple, and he had fun just playing with his toys with my friend's kids. And the adults had fun because we have a bar in our basement, so we were just all hanging out there. I did a few "special" things-- like got a little blow up pool and some play balls to make a "ball pit" for them to play in. (They loved this, since it was too cool to be outside) we also did a Cozy Couple "theme" since he LOVES his Cozy Coupe car. my crafty sister made a Happy Birthday banner with Cozy Coupe on it, and I used those iron on things you can print in your printer to make him a Cozy Coupe shirt to wear, his cake had a picture of him in his Cozy Coupe on it

He's turning 3 in a few weeks, and we're doing the same thing this year. Just like 25/30 people to our house.... same deal with simple food like a sandwich tray, etc. This year we're doing a John Deere "theme", since hes TOTALLY into DHs John Deere lawnmower I saw an idea and i'm having my sister make a "Pin the Wheel on the TRactor" game for the few kids to play he'll wear a John Deere shirt, and we'll do green and yellow plates, etc.

Its a decent amount of work to have the party at the house... but I feel like he doesn't totally "get" it yet, he doesn't have friends that are saying " you have to have you party at this place to be cool!" HAHA so we might as well just keep it pretty simple. he just started nursery school so i'm thinking if hes there next year, too and gets close to any of the kids- we'll have the party at a place next year.

Re: How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

We had our family over for pizzas and cake. DD picked out her decorations and we did up the house nice. That's what we do every year, we don't do kid parties. Too expensive for you get IMO.

Re: How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

DD is born on new years day.

We had people over who dont have kids, family and friends wise (even if family had kids they were of course welcomed to come) on new years day for just cake but of course i eneded up getting other food.

I did have DD at a party place also because i got a groupon and it cost me like $200 and i knew that it would cost me that much just to have it home so why deal with all the stuff of cleaning and enternainmen when someone else can for the same price

This year for DD 3rd bday since i will have a 2 month old at home again i will be doing it a party place another groupon but it will cost more than last years but i didnt want tons of kids over my house with a 2month old in it.

FWIW last year and this year she wont know if she had a party with friends or not so you really cant go wrong either way

Re: How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

I had a party in my yard for immediate family only
Catered some food
Cake
That was it

How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

I made a house party for 8 of her friends and close family only (grandparents and DH's aunt) and had them play in different areas of the house and my friend brought her bounce house..we had pizza (varieties for adults and plain for kids) and cake and fruit

How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

For his actual birthday, we took him to toys r us (for the first time) and let him pick out some toys. We got pizza and a special cupcake.

For his party, we invited closest family to a pizza restaurant and had ice cream cake.we had balloons and decorations.

Re: How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

Immediate family over for cake on her actual birthday.

Small kid party that weekend at home, pizza and cake.

How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

We had 2 parties because it would have been too hard to combine for us.

1 at home with closest family. The other was a kiddie party for friends at a small bounce place (Kangaroo Kids).

He had fun celebrating twice & I didn't think my relatives (without kids) would want to be squished in a kiddie party room. Also, would have been too many people at my house if I had all the kids over (in case of rain, etc).

How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

Small party (15 people) at our house with a few of their kids. It was low key. Made some hot food, sandwiches, decorated the house cute, had cake, coffee/desserts.

Re: How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

family and friends at the house for a pool party.

Re: How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

Both my boys had their parties at a place. The little ones had such a fun time. DS#1 had his party at Moon Soup and DS#2 had his party at My Gym.

Message edited 10/14/2013 11:45:32 AM.

Re: How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

With all 3 DC we just did dinner and a small cake ( from Stop & Shop ) with the grandparents.

Message edited 10/14/2013 12:49:15 PM.

How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

didnt have it yet but going to have immediate family over for pizza/cake. I was going back and forth on having a kiddie party but it was going to be at least $500!!! Maybe next year we'll do a party.

Re: How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

Our immediately family came with us to the aquarium and then we had dinner and cake at home.

Re: How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

Spent the day with close family & friends for DC1

For DC2, we will likely have cake/coffee.

Re: How did you celebrate your LO's 2nd Birthday?

I invited friends and family over for a party with kids entertainment and food.

First birthday we did at a kiddie place.

It was so much easier to have it at a place and about the same amount of money once we paid for entertainment and food at home but we recently moved in and thought it would be fun to have it home, next year we will likely do a party place.