We hosted Hugo’s first birthday party last week.

Let me first say, I’m not much one for birthday parties. First of all, I’m incredibly emotional around my kid’s birthdays. Those days bring to mind a cacophony of emotive reflections: the incredibly beauty of their births; the life changing bombshell of their arrivals; the symbolic closure of another chapter of their childhoods; the fleeting transience of time. I’m always a tearful disaster around my kids’ birthdays.

Then, the pressure of selecting a theme, of creating perfectly hand-crafted party favours, preparing on-trend (and on theme!) refreshments, and doing it all within the confines of the predetermined colour scheme, well, it’s almost too much to manage.

So, I put off Hugo’s party till about the last possible second, and then resolved to do as little for this party as humanly possible. In line with my character, it wasn’t until about 8 PM the night before his party that I decided on a theme, did anything about decorations, and resigned to my fate of having to select party favours.

So, we went with leopards. Because leopard print is my boyfriend. And also because Hugo, in his ever astounding wisdom, has decided that leopards are his “thing.” As we walk around the mall below our building, he spots a giant leopard poster and starts roaring every times he sees it. I do not know where this has come from. But, I’ll take it.

We intended to have a pool party, because who doesn't love a pool party? And also a pool party would get me off the hook for organizing activities and games. But we woke to dark skies and rain rain rain. So, as a last minute fix, I gathered up a bunch of printer paper and all the markers in our apartment, and set out a colouring station. And the kids were fine with that. And anyway, they made their own games, elaborate and unknowable to the adult world, somehow involving umbrellas and a lot of bossy shouting. Hugo meanwhile, well, he slept through most of his party. Anyway, here are some pictures if you'd like to see.

A First Birthday