I did the 4th birthday on a budget - R485!!!!

Jewel - yes my mother made it. a plain round chocolate cake. covered it in icing. i looked for a HM picture online printed it in colour pasted it on cardboard.

Aspoestertjie - i could not care what other ppl think!!! the first birthday is for the family and let them compete and you can sit back with a glass of wine and enjoy.

just remember when doing a party yourself that it takes a lot of time!!!! i was off the day before and that was not enough time. i made the party boxes at the office, but out the stars.

I absolutely love this!

My LG is turning 1 in Dec, and I am not going to spend alot of money so other kids can enjoy the stuff my LG is too little to enjoy.

Unfortunately, both my SIL's has children under 3 and it has turned into such a terrible competition. I honestly hate it.

I have decided to do everything myself, like you did. I would maybe get a Jumping Castle, but they tend to be cheap.

I get so fed up with the showing off, that I am going all self-made. Seems like much more fun to be able to do all this for your kids. Atleast then I will be able to look back one day and show my LG that Mommy baked that cake for her.

Now all I have to do is learn how to actually bake a cake......

4 months and counting

Wow, the kids do look like they had fun

The magic wands looked very pretty.

Did ur mom bake that Hannah Montana cake? It is beautiful. I also went all out for my lil boys 1st bday party. He turns 2 next month & Im also having something small at home, with a cake & some goodies for the kids.

They looked good, but did not taste very good, too much baking powder!!! but the kids ate them. decorating them was awful. to get icing into the little corners and keep the shape!!! but i did it!!!

Amandalynn still have sweets left over and it should still last for this month!!! a party and 2 months worth of sweets for R81.

Looks like the kids had a great time!! I LOVE the magic wands - so clever. WELL DONE!!!!!!!!! I assure you the kids don't care if you spent R5oo or R5ooo on the party - as long as there are sweets, cake and balloons

i see the first party not as celebrating the childs first birthday, but a celebrating that you made it past your first year of being a parent.

Me too!!! The first party usually is more for the adults anyway.