Just yesterday you were preparing for your baby's arrival, and now you suddenly find yourself planning her first birthday. From a new kind of flip book to future messaging, take inspiration from these nine ways to document the most memorable moments of her first year. As she grows up, they'll mean even more to you!
Congratulations, you've made it through the first year of parenthood! Ask any new mama – who just yesterday brought home a newborn and is now planning baby's first birthday bash — and she'll tell you how fast a year can fly by. Baby's first birthday is a once-in-a-lifetime affair and as parents, we all want to make it a memorable one — but where to start? From smash cakes to party favors, we've got you covered. Put on your party planning hat and get inspired to throw the party of the year with these 27 creative first birthday party ideas.
Baby's first year of life flies by in a flash — and what better way to celebrate a first birthday than to take a look back at the past 12 months? One Year in a Flash was this creative mama's theme for her daughter's first birthday party. From custom invitations to one-of-a-kind portrait party favors, every detail of this "flashback" party was super sweet!
Click through to see how she put it together and get inspired to celebrate your little one's first year of life.
Source: Hostess with the Mostess
Is mama's little angel a December baby? Planning a birthday during the holidays can be downright exhausting. Mama's got a million things to do — and buy! We're loving the idea of a Winter Candyland theme for baby's birthday since you can have your holiday decor double as party decor — and save some time and money. That also means mama can justify spending a little extra on holiday decor this year — it's for the baby's birthday!
Check out this Winter Candyland-themed first birthday and get inspired to put together baby's own Winter wonderland.
Source: Fresh Chick Designs and photography by Jackie Lindfors Photography and Apple Velvet Photography
Did you remember to wish someone a happy birthday today? Chances are you know someone who is celebrating their milestone today, the most common birthday in America.
When I was eight months into my pregnancy last year, my doctor and I sat down to discuss the birthing options for my second child. Having had a c-section with my first, and wary of a VBAC with this one, we pulled out the calendar and picked the date 10 days before when I was actually due, called the hospital, and booked it. Little did we know that my son would be celebrating his birthday with about 968,000 people — 218,000 more than the number of people who typically celebrate their birth on an average day of the year. While LilSugar has special birthdays plotted out every four years for her leap year baby, l'll plan celebrations for my Oct. 5 guy along with 967,999 other moms in America!
There's no rule that says a baby can't have sweets until her first birthday, but many parents use the milestone to give their lil one their first taste of sugar. Though a mama can't always control when her tot gets her first sugary taste, an Australian study found that 25 percent of moms deliberately feed their children cookies, cake, and juice in the first six months of life, which can lead to dietary issues. When did you introduce your offspring to the sweetness of sugar?
Source: Flickr User kirinqueen
Bug out on baby's birthday! A LilSugar Twitter follower recently asked for ideas on throwing a ladybug birthday bash for a one year old. There are lots of black and red bug birthday decorations to choose from, but why not make your ladybug the center of attention and throw a garden themed fete with flowers, green grass, and legged confetti crawling throughout?
Looks like we're not the only ones drooling over baby birthday cakes! Lauren shared this delicious look at her niece's first birthday cake and cupcakes in our Kiddie Soirees group.
My SIL is immensely talented in the cake and cupcake department! For my niece's first birthday, they threw an Alice in Wonderland-themed tea party. The decorations were simple with hanging paper lanterns, drinks marked Drink Me, and, of course, a bunch of red roses. For the cake, she made a pink polka dot mini cake just for my niece and for the guests we ate rabbit down the hole cupcakes! 
To see the wonderful cupcakes, keep reading.
Every birthday is sweet when it's your child's, but there's something extra special about celebrating baby's first year on the planet. Picking the perfect cake is breeze, but picking a keepsake gift can be stressful. Starbucks recently asked for support in our Q & A group, saying:
My baby girl's first birthday is coming up. What did you guys get your babies for this special occasion?
Share your suggestions for starbucks in comments! If you have question for other mamas, ask it in our Q & A group for a chance to be featured on LilSugar.
If the kids are awake is it time to get the party started? A baby's first birthday is often planned around nap time and the child's mood since nobody wants the wee one to take a snooze before they blow out the candles on the cake! Saturday and Sunday are popular days for soirees since most parents are off work and older kiddos are out of school, but is there ever a time that is too early to start a fete? Some families kick off their festivities with breakfast or some park fun. All things considered, what do you think is the most appropriate party time?
