My ultimate life style news Follow

Celebrating your baby's first birthday is a culmination of all the fabulous firsts you've experienced in the past year. But by the time party day arrives, you probably won't be thinking about her first smile, first tooth or first steps. Instead, you'll be wondering if you should have gotten apple rather than grape juice and what your relatives will think of your babyproofed pad. The best way to stay focussed on your child and keep stress to a minimum is to keep the party plans simple. Limit the guest list to relatives and friends from your mommy and me class (there's no need to open your house to the entire neighborhood). And while you may have extravagant tastes when it comes to planning the quintessential soiree, your baby is at an age when he will be mesmerized by a plastic kazoo. Keep the mood light and festive. You can soak in sentiment (and a hot tub) after the partiers have gone home. Read on for party planning tips, games and activities, food and decorations. Then go ahead and plan your party using the urbanbaby birthday guide that provides local listings of where to find entertainment, birthday cakes and fun places for birthday parties. Party Planning Tips * Begin planning the party a month in advance. Send out invitations at least two weeks prior to the big day. * Limit the party to two hours, and plan around baby's nap time. * Test out the games beforehand with your infant or toddler. And don't forget that relatives may be bringing older kids, so have some activities on hand. If you're planning an outdoor party, have some indoor games planned as well in case of bad weather. * Buy some new toys for the guests to play with; baby (or an older sibling) may not want to share her favorites. Inexpensive balls, figurines and bubbles will suffice. * Arrange to have some extra help (friends and family will volunteer, but you can also hire a baby sitter - click here for a guide to local baby sitters). * During the party, if one guest gets cranky or starts crying, the party help can remove him from the group and try to cheer him up. * Have plenty of sippy cups on hand for the little guests. * Don't forget the festive music to set the mood! * Get a Polaroid as well as a traditional camera. * Babyproof your home extra carefully, and invest in a paper tablecloth that guests can draw on with crayons. * Save gift opening for later, when the guests have gone home. * You don't want to overload your guests with sugar, so keep the party favors sugar-free. Instead, opt for little toys that provide instant gratification, like plastic kazoos, bubbles, stickers, temporary tattoos, non-toxic magic markers, sidewalk chalk and sunglasses. Give each guest a Polaroid picture with the birthday baby. Decorated paper bags will suffice for the loot, or get creative with re-usable pouches like sand pails. For places to buy party favors, see the guide below. Games and Activities * Read a story aloud, and act it out with stuffed animals or hand puppets. * Take the cue from your mommy and me class; arrange a circle time where you can sing songs, finger play and dance. Babies love familiar routines, no matter how tired you may be of the "Itsy Bitsy Spider." * Aim for a group activity where everyone can piece together a big piece puzzle, or craft a Lego TM c