Two Parties for My Two Year-Old (and Some Party-Planning Tips)

My boy turned two recently and we had two birthday parties for him – one at home and the other in school.  

Last year due to some unforeseeable circumstances, we had to forgo plans of having a birthday party for him. I was really upset over it but in retrospect, I think it was for the better.

If we had celebrated last year, Kenan would have been too young to really appreciate or understand what’s happening (and he had not even started walking yet!). This year, he really enjoyed playing with his friends and had just as much fun huffing and puffing away at the candles!

Planning the Parties

It may sound surprising to you but I really had been stressed over the party preparations. I was lost for ideas and had to trawl the internet for inspiration.

First, they say you must have a theme, because it would then guide you in decisions about the venue décor, birthday cake, goodie bags and so on.

I thought about it and decided on ‘My Favourite Things’. Kenan’s favourite cartoon character is Mickey, so we used Mickey as the theme for décor and goodie bags. Next, I used his favourite soft toys as design of his birthday cake.

 Secondly, you need some entertainment for the kids, and this was the tough one. The kids’ wide age range (from two to primary school children) made it almost impossible for me to have something for everyone.

In the end, I settled for entertainment for the majority of the kids (two to six). I rented toys for the younger ones and bubbles for the older kids. In the end, almost everyone played with everything.

Initially, I thought of getting a balloonist but since we didn’t have a lot of children, I decided not to have it. But we had helium balloons as part of the décor and some children including Kenan had fun playing with them.

By the way, we were busy entertaining guests that we almost forgot all about taking photos! Thankfully some guests who took photos sent them to us (thanks cousin! thanks Angie!).  

Mickey is Kenan's favourite cartoon character so we used it as the decor theme and for the mini cupcakes, which we got from Wicked Oven. Sam, the mumpreneur was really nice and gave us Mickey cupcake toppers and stand.We ordered two flavours: chocolate cheese and banana walnut brownie, which our guests really liked. 

Rented the kitchen set and teether-tooter which were a hit with the little guests. We also bought bubbles for the children.

Continuing with the 'My Favourite Things' theme, we used Kenan's favourite soft toys for the cake from Cake Avenue. See how realistic the figurines turned out to be! The cake was probably the highlight of the party! It only comes in one flavour - chocolate fudge (when I first found that out, I thought"Huh? No choice at all?!"). But let me say it's one of the best chocolate fudge cakes I've had - moist, rich and with just the right amount of sweetness. 

When it came to the school party, it was a breeze in comparison. The school has guidelines regarding birthday celebrations which can be summarized as “Keep It Simple”. And that’s what I did (plus we had about just half an hour for the celebration): all I did was to order a cake and prepare the goodie bags. After all, it was just for his class (which is less than 10) and not the whole school (thank God!).

Party Planning Tips:

1. Plan early

I know this is common sense but if you’re like me who has a tendency to get things done at the last minute, it creates unnecessary stress.

2. Same age

If you can, invite kids who are about the same age as your child as it makes for easier planning when it comes to things like activities, games and even the goodie bags.

3. Rent toys 

Rent toys for the kids, but not as a party package – that way, you stretch the dollar by getting to keep the toys for a month (the normal duration for toy rental) after the party and your kid can continue playing with them (so make sure they are also toys your child likes). I find that kitchen set is a good option. Just take precaution against losing any of the small parts or risk paying a penalty. What I did was to take out some of the smaller, easy to misplace items and add in some of my boy’s toys e.g. food (at least I don’t have to pay for it if they get lost).

Kenan playing with the balloons and toy after the party

4. Assign photographers

When it comes to photo-taking, rope in family members/friends who are photography buffs (I think two is a good number) and assign them as photographers. Then you can fully focus on entertaining the guests and don’t have to worry about not capturing the funny/heartwarming/once-in-a-lifetime moments. You may like to get your photographers gifts for their hard work.

And I'm sure you will have more party planning tips. Please do share them with me so the next time round, it will be less stressful for this mommy! Thanks!

  

Vendor Listing*:

Birthday cake with soft toy figurines by Cake Avenue

Winnie the Pooh birthday cake by Bengawan Solo
Cupcakes by Wicked Oven

Toys from Rent That Toy

Balloons from Kidz Party Store

Food by EatzCatering

*Please note that the above is purely for information, I am not endorsing any of the vendors nor do I get payment in any form for listing them.

On 2 Feb 2012: A note on cakes
Just thought I'll share this experience. At Kenan's school party (where we had the Winnie the Pooh cake), and at another kid's birthday celebration (cake from a different shop), we realised while it's nice to have the cute cartoon characters which the kids love, cutting through that icing sheet wasn't easy. For us, even sticking in the candles was a challenge, despite having candle holders. The top layer was really hard, so in both cases, we ended up removing the icing sheet. But guess that was fine, as no one was interested in eating it. I'm not sure if all icing sheets are just as hard. So this might be another consideration when you order your child's birthday cake.

Every 'Pro-Family' Supermarket Should Have This

Recently, I met up with a good friend for lunch at Nex shopping mall. Since it's been a long time since my friend last saw Kenan, I decided to bring him along. But it was with some degree of anxiety that I did that. The last time I took him out for lunch with another friend, he was so restless that we had to rushed through the meal, leaving me feeling really apologetic and telling the little one, who looked at me with innocent eyes, that mommy's gonna ground him. But of course I won't be so mean to him. And perhaps he understood my message; he was really well behaved throughout the meal that day.

After a nice lunch and some great conversations, we decided to head to the NTUC supermarket to do some quick grocery shopping. To Kenan's delight, we discovered this:

Bubble Fun @ Upper Pierce Reservoir

It was a weekday afternoon, the spouse had taken leave earlier that day to bring me to the doctor because I've hurt my back. We initially thought it might be a slipped disc, as I felt sharp pains in the back when I moved. But the GP's diagnosis turned out to be muscle strain.

By late afternoon, I felt a bit better, after taking the painkillers the doc prescribed. I decided we should not waste the precious leave my hubby took, and suggested we head out somewhere, for a short walk perhaps. We ended up at Upper Pierce Reservoir, playing bubbles with Kenan.

I stood and watched, happy seeing the father and son playing together and contented with just snapping photos of precious moments such as these.

I also loved the peace and quiet of the place. There was not the usual jogging crowd often seen at other reservoirs, just a large family having a picnic near the bank of the reservoir, an expat family taking a stroll in the park and a family of three playing ball.

On the way out, we stopped our car twice, so Kenan could see the monkeys. Our little tot who loves animals was thrilled.

I thank God for that lovely day. I thank God for a caring husband and for my beautiful family.

Kenan's New Playground

As an adventurous tot, Kenan loves exploring every nook and corner of the house, opening up cabinets and drawers and taking every single item out. His latest playground? The kitchen! See the little one in action here (sorry for the super blur photos, I was using my mobile and it's almost impossible to capture a clear photo of a constantly moving tot).

Sometimes, it can get a bit frustrating running after him and trying to stop him while he's on his 'rampage' but seeing his happy face, I can't help but to laugh along!

A Leisurely Afternoon at Sentosa Boardwalk

It was a weekday afternoon and hubby was on leave. We decided to head out somewhere and ended up at the Sentosa Boardwalk.

As the broadwalk took a reprieve from the weekend crowd, we were happy to bask in the unusual peace and quiet it offered. Especially for Kenan, who got to roam freely in the vast open space.

Ever since hubby changed his job (to have more work life balance), we have been able to enjoy pockets of family time during weekdays and I really appreciate these moments. I feel especially touched seeing the husband and Kenan playing together and bonding as father and son.

Sweet Moments that Melt My Heart

Once upon a time, I was reluctant to have kids. I felt that having a child would hinder my career and the pursuit of my dreams. But when Kenan arrived, something deep in my heart began to change.

Sixteen months on, in spite of the tears, frustrations and sleep deprivation, I've also felt joy beyond anything ever experienced. You know, the kind of joy that you experience on a deeper level, the kind that stays in your heart for a long, long time to come. Like the very first time Kenan called me "ma-ma", or the way he plants tiny kisses on my cheeks at the most unexpected moment - such as stopping whatever he is doing, walks over to me and kisses me. These days, he also has the habit of making sure that he kisses both cheeks (and he does the same to the daddy) - he would point his finger to a certain spot on one cheek, kisses it, then points to another spot on the other cheek and plants his second kiss!

But I love the bedtime routine the most. We normally lie on the floor mattress next to his bed and say our prayer together (rather, it's me who's saying the prayers), then I'll wait for him to fall asleep before putting him in bed. But as he tosses and turns about on the mattress, he also likes to snuggle up to me and kiss me good night, or he would sometimes put his small hands around my neck to give me a hug. But I'll never forget those occasions when I thought he had fallen asleep and was going to carry him to bed when he suddenly turned around, looked at me with big round eyes that glistened in the dark and then called me "ma-ma" in the sweetest of voice. My heart melted instantly.

It's these many beautiful moments peppering this strange, sometimes surreal and definitely challenging journey as a mom that made me realised what a sweet gift motherhood is.

Kenan Mimics the Animals

Kenan has been providing us with pretty good entertainment these days. Since he started learning how to speak, he also begins to mimic the sounds or actions of animals. For example, he scrunches his face as he tries to snort like a pig, he says "pok pok pok" like a chicken and also tries to 'gallop' like a horse.

Here's a video that shows him trying to snort like a pig. We got him to do that for his grandma yesterday and she was totally amused. Hope you enjoy it too!

Kenan's First Egg Sandwiches

Been thinking lately what to give Kenan for breakfast besides his usual cereals (would add different kinds of fresh fruits into it every morning e.g. avocado, strawberry, blueberry, peach, nectarine etc.). Then when I was in the motherhood forum, a mommy mentioned that she made scrambled egg with toast for her little one.

So this morning, I decided to make egg sandwiches for my boy. I cut the bread into very small pieces and put scrambled egg in between. Kenan thoroughly enjoyed his breakfast and even asked for more when it was finished! Made me feel so happy!

Kenan Learns a New Trick

My husband taught Kenan how to clap, so I decided to teach the little boy how to do the 'hi 5'. Amazingly, he picked it up almost instantly, and after that, adapts it a little to create his own version of it. See how he does the 'hi 5' in the video clip below.

Did you see how he would hold my hand with his left and then clap it using his right hand? We've been really amused by this. It's so fun watching him!

Clap, Clap!

A few weeks ago, daddy taught Kenan how to clap. Since then, he has been doing it often, especially when he is happy. I don't know how he learnt that association, made me wonder if this is something universal, such as a smile.

But what amazes me even more is that he understands that the action is call 'clap'! So when we say "clap, clap", he would do exactly that! However, it also depends on his mood, there are times when he simply refuses to do it. Just goes to show that babies are smart and you can't manipulate them any way you like!

Kenan, you're such an amazing boy. Watching you grow up has been a blessing and mommy is learning just as much as you are. Thank you, my boy. Mommy loves you, always.

My Mood Lifter

Over the months, I've taken many, many videos of Kenan, and there's one that I keep watching over and over again, especially when I'm down; it never fails to put a smile on my face. It also made me feel so thankful that we are living in this modern age blessed with modern technology and gadgets that allow us to  effortlessly capture the many beautiful moments around us.

Hope you've enjoyed this video clip!

We Are 'Model' Family!

We are on the cover of Ikea's catalogue!

Have we become models for the popular Swedish furniture company? Unfortunately, that's not the case, even though I think we look good enough... haha!  It happened that Ikea was offering free cover shoot, so I jumped at the chance to have our first family portrait taken.

Our photo session was scheduled on Sunday (12 Sep) at 3pm but we arrived a bit late. I was afraid that there might be many people and we may have to end up waiting a long while. Turned out there wasn't anyone before us and everything happened real fast - in about 10 minutes, it was all done and over. I think the team did a great job at scheduling.

During the shoot, a number of the staff, including the photographer, tried real hard to make Kenan smile and I found it quite amusing. Passersby also stopped and watched as the photo was being taken. Perhaps they found Kenan cute?

An hour late, we returned and got our copy of the personalised Ikea catalogue with our photo on the cover. I'll keep this and give it to Kenan when he is older. Thank you, Ikea, for this special gift, you've made our day!

And of course, I must also thank the forum mommy who informed us about the photo shoot! (if you're reading this, a big "thank you" to you!)

Another Tooth!

About two weeks ago, we discovered that Kenan's first tooth had erupted. Now, his second one's out too!

It may appear trivial, but as a mom, it's simple things like this which brings me joy and makes my day. More importantly, I'm thankful that I can be around to witness his new developments and milestones, rather than being told by the mother-in-law or maid or whoever else that takes care of him. I would be really jealous if that happens. And it is in moments like this that I feel that I've made the right decision to be a WAHM and all the hard work has been worth it.

First Swim and A First Tooth

Kenan finally experienced his first swim since his birth. He had his swim at Hwa Xia's Harbourfront outlet. We've passed by this shop many times and always enjoyed seeing the babies swim. So yesterday, after many months of 'contemplation', we decided to let him have a go at it. After all, they provide towel and swimming diapers. All I had to do was to give him a feed before the swim, as we were told that baby will get cranky if they swim on half empty stomach.

After getting warmed up by the staff and putting the neck float on, he was ready to go into the water. And boy, we were so surprised at how well he swam! I've 'complained' about Kenan's "sedentary lifestyle" - he doesn't roll around like his peers (he can do it though, but just refuses to); his favourite position is sitting, something that he can do pretty well after five months old. If we put him on his tummy, he would move in a circle, but that's about it. So we were really surprised that we have a 'water baby' - he moved his limbs vigorously in the water and almost caused water to splash out. He was obviously enjoying every bit of it and attracted quite a bit of attention from onlookers who were watching outside the glass window.

But we found it rather expensive. Just for that one session of about 20 minutes, it cost us $30. We paid another $2 for the swimming diaper. We decided that daddy will just bring Kenan downstairs to the pool, no point signing him up for a package with Hwa Xia. After all, he is already six months old and his immune system should be strong enough for him to start going to the public pool.

By the way, we also discovered yesterday that Kenan's first tooth has erupted! It was a really exciting moment for us as parents. When I brought Kenan to Angie's place few days back, her mom commented that Kenan is probably teething, I was still skeptical. After all, teething or not, he puts everything into his mouth all the time. Now I realise she's been really accurate with her observation. Ah, that's why she's a grandma and I'm not! And it made me feel kinda guilty that I don't even know that my boy is teething! I guess that explains his crankiness and how he's not his 'usual self' (cries more often, needs to be cradled and rocked to sleep, can't play on his own for long, irritable etc.). Sorry Kenan that mommy hasn't been as observant or understanding enough. But I really do love you. Always will.

See Me Sit

Last Sunday, we had dinner at a restaurant with my mom-in-law and our two little nephews. Since Kenan has been sitting well on the highchair at home, I decided to let him try the one at the restaurant. This wasn't the first time he's been on a highchair in a restaurant, in fact, the very first time he ever sat on a highchair was at Jack's Place over a month ago when I was having lunch with some of the forum mommies. But he didn't manage to sit long in it.

So this time, we were pleasantly surprised that Kenan sat without a fuss in the highchair throughout the meal and he seemed to be enjoying himself. I think it helps that he had two cousins to entertain him.

By the way, the highchair at this restaurant has a very retro feel. I remember my dad used to own a chair very similar to this with the same kind of multi-coloured plastic strips. He would love to read newspapers in the chair. How I miss him.....

Anyway, here are some photos of Kenan in the retro highchair.

Look how well I'm sitting in the highchair!

Oh, that looks interesting...

Hey, what are the people behind us eating?

Mommy, I'm getting bored...

Good thing I have two gor-gors to play with me!

The Weaning Journey: In the Beginning

Kenan has turned six months old! I have breastfed him for half a year and I must say it feels like an accomplishment, considering that I almost gave up after encountering some difficulties during the initial days.

Now, he is moving on to the next phase - taking semi-solids. As usual, this mommy here is a blur and scrambled to find out what needs to be done. We also just bought a high chair for him, the day before we  started the cereal. But this wasn't a last minute buy though -the store ran out of stock and we waited for the new chairs to arrive, and thank God they came in time!

And here are the photos to chronicle Kenan's journey...

Kenan tries out the high chair at Ikea. At $25, it's a steal.

(tray and support cushion are sold separately)

We have this philosophy of not spending a bomb on baby stuff, because of the high chance that the items will end up in the store room. 

On this particular high chair, we thought it's so cheap that even if Kenan ends up not liking it and we have to give it away, we won't feel the pinch!

     

From the store to the home - Kenan gets a try on HIS high chair, and he seems pleased with it!

Kenan's first food - Happybellies organic brown rice cereal

I didn't know what cereal to get but some hardworking mommies from the forum did their research and recommended this brand of organic cereal. Happened that someone organised a spree and I joined in. Thank God for the forum mommies!

Daddy had the privilege of feeding Kenan his first cereal

Kenan wants to feed himself and grabs the spoon from daddy

It was quite a mess and Kenan isn't too happy about it! *LOL*

This is the start of Kenan's journey in taking semi-solids. Already, I'm beginning to dread it somewhat, because of the amount of effort that goes into his meals - from making the cereal (I express breastmilk to mix with the cereal) to the feeding, plus all the washing that goes with it. In comparison, breastfeeding is a breeze. Yet on the other hand, I also look forward to finding out what tickles my boy's palates and what his favourite foods will be. I'm really hoping that he will be a foodie like daddy and mommy!

First Outing

Last Friday was the first time I brought Kenan out alone. I was meeting up with some mommy friends at Marina Square for lunch as well as to check out the Young Parent Fiesta.

Normally, I would have hopped onto a taxi. But I didn't know where I found the courage that day and  decided to take the MRT instead. Thankfully, Kenan was well behaved throughout the journey and the curious streak in him kept him busy as he turned his head from side to side ever so often to look at all the people around. I'm not sure if I could have coped had he decided to fuss!

And not only was he well behaved in the MRT, he could have won a 'model baby' award for being such a good boy throughout the time I was with my friends.

While at the fiesta, Drypers was offering a free photo shoot for parents and babies. I thought what better way to mark this special day. Here's the scanned copy of the photo:

Thanks Kenan for being such an angel!

Photo Contest

I did a photo collage of Kenan to take part in the Sophie the Giraffe photo contest. Here's the collage:

The contest also requires us to say what we love about Sophie. Here's what I wrote:

"We love Sophie because she is irresistably cute. More importantly, she is a great yummy, chewy companion for our baby.. and her soft squeaks delight our son to no end!"

Five Seconds!

Few days ago, I was lamenting how Kenan has yet to roll over. But guess what he did this morning?

He sat for about five seconds without any form of support!

Needless to say, I was delighted, and it was great that the daddy was around to witness it too.

Then I checked Kenan's health booklet again. It states that most babies will only be able to do that at about seven and a half months old. Wow!

So it seems like Kenan enjoys giving daddy and mommy surprises by jumbling up the sequence of his developments and keep us guessing what he will do next. Yet at the same time, I suspect he is also telling us to respect the fact that he has a mind of his own!

Ok my little boy, mommy here will learn to give you the space you need to grow at your own pace, but don't let mommy wait too long in reaching those milestones, alright? I love you, son.

Four Months and Sitting in a Bumbo

Kenan turns exactly four months old today. His neck is getting stronger and when he is on his tummy, he can hold his head up for much longer time now, though he's not exactly keen on doing it.

At the same time, I've started to train him to sit up. After all, he doesn't like to be cradled anymore and wants us to carry him in a upright position.

So we recently rented a bumbo seat for Kenan. The first time I put him into the bumbo, he looked kinda of funny as his head wobbled and I started laughing. The little fellow lifted his head, looked at me and probably decided he didn't like what he saw. He knitted his brows, the two corners of his mouth dipped and a second later, he burst into tears and started crying his lungs out! I was shocked by his reaction but quickly went to him and tried taking him out of the Bumbo but his thighs got stuck! So a second round of laughter and even louder crying ensued. It was certainly one of Kenan's more hilarious moments.

Since then, Kenan is getting used to sitting in the Bumbo but he perspires quite easily in it. When that happens, he will start to fidget and wants to get out of it. Nevertheless, the seat can be quite useful during times when I want to have him nearby and yet not have to carry him, such as during meal hours. I'll just leave him in the Bumbo next to the dining table and he would sit there for about 10 to 15 minutes, enough time for me to quickly finish up my meal. But I wonder if we should get him a high chair instead. That way, he could see more and interact with us at the dining  table. Perhaps I could rent one and let him try it out. Looks like it's time to do some online research again.

Look how happy Kenan is sitting in the Bumbo!