1st Birthday Cake & Party for under $25!

The 1st Birthday, the big number 1!  For some good simple baby fun, focus on the 5 senses to create a total sensory experience for baby.   

Sound. Sight. Touch. Smell. Taste.  

Sound
Play music, clap for baby, provide lots of fun crinkly wrapping paper to tear and shake

Sight
Use bright colors and eye catching patterns for wrapping paper, ribbons, balloons, and plastic table cloth

Touch
Let baby explore the cake, squish it, and make a good mess with the cake frosting

Smell
The vanilla in this cake makes a delicious aroma sure to fill the whole kitchen

Taste
Cake! Good healthy cake

All of this life is new, and it’s so fun to watch her take it in with such excitement. Balloons are new, cake is new, tissue paper, trees, lakes, and rain is new! The wonder on her little face, a crinkle of the nose, a tiny little giggle of pure sweetness. This is the essence of simple joy. 

Creating a Fun Birthday Space for baby

For a simple birthday space to play, and make a fun smash cake mess, drap a plastic table cloth over a chair and cover it with a few balloons.table cloth, and fold bright colored tissue paper (without tape) around some of her favorite toys.  What? We wrapped toys she already had? I know, but she’s 1 and she likes the familiar toys, and we are doing the #vanlife thing right now, space is a luxury!  

Who’s 1 year old? You’re 1 year old!

1st Birthday Supplies List

$3.00 1 multi colored tissue paper 
$2.00 1 box of candles 
$3.00 1 sparkly princess (or prince) crown
$2.50 1 plastic table cloth
$2.00 1 bag of balloons
$0.00 3-5 of baby’s favorite toys
$3.50 Berries
$3.00 Heavy whipping cream
$1.50 Bananas
$1.00 Greek yogurt
$3.00 ish remaining cake ingredients (measured)
__________
$24.50 ish 

Natural Baby Berry Smash Cake

recipe adapted from Beka Whitaker’s healthy baby smash cake 

Makes 4 double layer slices

Ingredients 

4 bananas
1/2 cup berry applesauce
1/4 cup Berry Greek yogurt
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1 teaspoon cinnamon 

Directions

1. Mash & mix wet ingredients 
2. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl
3. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients 
4. Pour into a parchment paper lined 8″ round baking pan
5. Bake 350 35-40 min

When cooled, turn cake upside down onto a plate carefully peel off the parchment paper. Slice cake into 8 triangles. Slather bottom 4 triangles with whipped cream, top each with a second triangle, more whipped cream and berries.

Will she remember this first year of life on the scenic route? Maybe, maybe not. But when her face lit up when we dipped her toes in the ocean at 5 months old, and  took her through a powder covered winter wonderland forest at 8 months, camped in the peaceful quiet hills above Malibu at 11 months, and  saw a carnival on her 1st birthday, I don’t see how we could of done it any other way. While she may not of had her own room this year, she has seen much more of the world then she ever could of, had we not traded in the stable life of suburbia, for this wandering world of exploration. 

If it teaches anything, let it be- how little be need to be happy.