windcatcher 0 #1 December 5, 2007 Or more importantly, what things did your parents/loved ones do to show love and appreciation for you, through specific acts on your birthday/special occasions? The reason I'm asking, is because I want to start some tradition on my son's birthday, to do every year for him as a unique way of showing him just how special he is and how blessed we are to have him a part of our lives. I feel bad that I have to ask others about this, I truly wish I could come up with something on my own to make Elijah's birthdays special. I mean, I feel like as a mother, I shouldn't have to ask for something like this. But alas, my family never did make a big deal out of birthdays ( after all, we didn't have money and there WERE 5 of us kids). I just want to celebrate my son's birthday with something more than just cake and a party; something that he will look forward to every year, something that singles him out on his birthday. Some thoughts of mine were maybe get portraits taken every year on his birthday ( which may be hard to do on the exact date of his birth every year), cooking his favorite meal, etc. Thoughts? Mother to the cutest little thing in the world... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brittentay 0 #2 December 5, 2007 honestly, the most memorable thing to me every single one of my birthdays is that my mom always made what I wanted for dinner and then we always had strawberry shortcake for dessert. ALWAYS. there is a picture of me on my 1st birthday with strawberry juice all over my face. there are also 5 children in my family, and birthdays werent made a huge deal. but my mom doing that one 'simple' thing always made me feel like i was her world. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
windcatcher 0 #3 December 5, 2007 Thanks for your response, Brittentay. Mother to the cutest little thing in the world... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #4 December 5, 2007 How old is he? If he's old enough in order for this to make sense, I would say, talk to him. Take some real time, maybe an hour or two to learn everything you can about HIS view of the world, what he really liked from the previous year, who his friends are, what he's especially looking forward to in the next year, what he wants to be when he grows up; not you, not his father, not some councilor at school, but HIM. Do this over the years until he's beyond the silly stuff he sees on TV, but don't discount anything even as huge as astronaut. Then, do everything can do to ensure he actually achieves that goal whatever it is.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
windcatcher 0 #5 December 5, 2007 Umm, he just turned 8 months. Heh heh . . . I said if he's old enough for it to make sense. Mother to the cutest little thing in the world... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #6 December 5, 2007 I always got to pick what we had for dinner on my birthday when I was a kid. Usually pizza and then I got to have leftover pizza the next day!"safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hausse 0 #7 December 5, 2007 I personally never really liked the birthday traditions my family had and hence usually tried to get away from itTradition 1 was to always wake the person up in the morning with a cake and candles and singing. Since I hate getting woken up, not my favourit tradition. And the other tradition was that everybody from my immediate family called and I had to talk to them on the phone. That might sound not very nice, but it stinks to have to talk to 14 people over the phone and nobody has anything else to say but what did you get for presents and are you gonna have a party tonight. I'd much rather talk to them any other random day of the year when they actually had something important to say. So I'd say for what ever tradition you decide (and I agree that it is a really good idea) give him the choice to like them or not and if he doesn't you might wanna consider stop doing it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #8 December 5, 2007 My mom made the birthday cake of our choice and we got to pick how it was decorated. My mom would ask us a week or two in advance, and draw up some sketches for our approval.Some years the cakes were better looking than others, but my mom always tried to make it per our requests. I also learned how to bake and decorate cakes from my mom thanks to this tradition! Edited to add: My mom learned how to decorate cakes through this tradition and eventually went to take classes on it because she enjoyed doing it so much. So if you're not any good at it now, you have plenty of time with your son to learn. "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FreeflyChile 0 #9 December 5, 2007 a good friend of mine had the tradition where on the person's bday, they'd get breakfast in bed. i know 8 months is not enough for them to understand (probably wont really get it til they're 6 or so) but it's something nice that makes you feel special. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slowfaller 0 #10 December 5, 2007 Drink a bottle of scotch and explain how miserable your life is because of kids. Video tape your message for his early birthdays and show it to him when he can understand. Ok, sorry for being in a sarcastic mood. A family tradition that we did for any family member was add an extra candle to the cake for good luck and sing the birthday song like this: Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday dear [name] Happy Birthday to you May the dear Lord bless you Shower graces on you (everyone singing puts their arms out and wiggles their fingers to shower the graces) Happy Birthday dear [name] Happy Birthday to you Chris --"Someday you will die and somehow somethings going to steal your carbon" -MM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stitch 0 #11 December 5, 2007 I always have really liked the moment when the stripper popped out of the cake. "No cookies for you"- GFD "I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65 Don't be a "Racer Hater" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #12 December 5, 2007 We do special dinners also. The menu changes every year depending on the kid's mood, but they do get to pick the entire menu. When my kids were young, I started the tradition of giving them a special ornament every year for Christmas. My daughter gets the Hallmark Barbie ornaments and my son the plane ornaments. Every year I ask if they still want them (my daughter hasn't played with Barbies for years!) and every year they say yes. So, that is another tradition you can start for him.She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocheese 0 #13 December 5, 2007 Out to dinner and a movie. These days, i'm just happy to get a birthday thread in the bonfire with more than one response. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glitch 0 #14 December 5, 2007 Well... I had 5 siblings and a father 100% disabled from 'Nam. Needless to say, we didn't have much in the way of extras but my dad always tried to make our Bday special to us. Carrying that on into my own family (10/8 yr olds), my wife and I really go overboard on their birthdays (and make Xmas very low key)... Anyway, their day is their day. They pretty much get whatever they want (ie: total control of the remote/'puter/vid games, food of their choice at all meals to include where we go to dinner at *I especially like my daughters choices of Hooters and the wifey just hates it* , going and doing whatever they choose). Anyway, the point is that we do what we can to really make them feel special... even if it means to suspend punishment if they happen to be grounded or something or having to watch Drake and Josh ALL F'king day... ...by now, they couldn't care less about Xmas as far as presents go, but they count down the days till their birthday from 4 months out Randomly f'n thingies up since before I was born... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jewels 0 #15 December 5, 2007 Some family friends have an annual tradition that would be more for YOUR benefit in the beginning, but something very much for them down the road. They do annual "interviews" of the birthday child and their family and or friends and catch it all on video. Over time, the videos are put together and it's an ongoing history of what they looked like, what was important in their world at that time, what others had to say. . . . It would take a little work but I think it's a really special idea.TPM Sister #102 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2fat2fly 0 #16 December 5, 2007 Quote I always have really liked the moment when the stripper popped out of the cake. Different stripper every year? Or do you always have the same guy?I am not the man. But the man knows my name...and he's worried Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
