For once, I think I’m inspired by Christina Aguilera.

Forgoing the over-the-top birthday parties that some celebrities choose for their children (Tom and Katie reportedly spent $100,000 on little Suri’s 2nd bash), Christina and her husband, music executive Jordan Bratman got together with friends to celebrate little Max Liron’s first birthday.

Since Christina gave birth just one day after her good friend Nicole Richie delivered her daughter, Harlow Winter Kate, the ladies decided to celebrate together. Together with their beaus (Richie’s boyfriend is Joel Madden of Good Charlotte), the starlets invited a conservative 40 guests to the party.

Rather than $15K worth of butterflies and flowers (only the best for Suri), Christina decorated her Beverly Hills backyard with pink, green and blue balloons tied to the trees. And they decided to forgo the Wolfgang Puck catering in favor of a more kid-friendly spread (as in, peanut-butter and jelly) by Along Came Mary.

But really, I think my favorite part of the party is that the theme was lifted from one of my favorite childhood books, Where the Wild Things Are. The big surprise came when costumed characters from the book arrived!

Now, to be fair, it would be cool for little boys to have the kind of personalized mini-cars that Brittney Spears had at her boys’ joint party. But I think a book-inspired theme is more my style (and in my price-range). And since I am rushing headlong toward my own baby’s first birthday, maybe I’ll keep that in mind. I might skip on the catering and make the sandwiches myself, though.

Yesterday, my mom and sister put on their ‘Martha Stewart’ hats. They threw a little birthday lunch in honor of my son’s and niece’s birthdays; both turn nine this month.

My mom made homemade chicken noodle soup, which I also enjoy making once the cooler weather sets in. She, however, made the noodles for the soup from scratch! She also baked muffins and cider donuts from scratch. Wow.

My sister came with her 13 month old in tow and a gorgeous chocolate birthday cake she baked, from scratch of course, decorated with mini M&Ms. She used to have her own baking/cake business. At some point during the lunch, she took out the pouch of animal finger puppets she sewed by hand, for her son to play with. She is truly domestically gifted.

Before my sis had a child of her own, she made an unbelievable birthday cake each year for her nieces and nephews (my boys included, of course). I took photos of every single one over the years, as some of them blew me away. One year, she made a three-dimensional train cake for our little train-lover. Photos of our family’s faces were somehow superimposed onto the cake; it looked like the birthday boy was the conductor and his brother, dad and mom (me) were passengers. This is just one of my sister’s many baked creations that have made my jaw drop.

She also sewed each and every Halloween costume for her nieces and nephews over the years. The green dragon costume she created for my middle son was unbelievable, with an extremely long tail spiked with scales. We received compliments each and every year about our boys? hand sewn costumes.

Now, I’m not totally inept; I’m crafty, you could say. I created a Crabby Patty for a Sponge Bob costume one year, made from Styrofoam balls, pieces of felt, an exacto knife and my handy-dandy hot glue gun.

My Crabby Patty, however, pales in comparison to my mom’s and sister’s domestic accomplishments. This Halloween, I will be creative about costume ideas and get out my glue gun if I need to but I won’t be sewing up any award-winning homemade costumes.

I can’t wait to see the costume my sister will make for her son’s first Halloween (last Halloween, he was only one month old, so that didn’t count). His ‘down on the farm’ – themed first birthday cake was unbelievable.

Will your kids be wearing homemade or store-bought costumes this Halloween? Do your homemade cakes look like they came from a bakery, like my sister’s? I hope I’m not the only domestically-challenged mom on the planet!

As my nephew is about to celebrate his first birthday, I?ve started to think about all of the parties we?ve held for our boys over the years.

While it can be fun to celebrate your kids? birthdays in a variety of places (trust me, I?ve been to ?em all), my favorite parties are always those spent at home. I value the time and effort that parents put into hosting their parties.

When it comes to party planning, I have learned that some things are worth splurging a bit on and others are usually a waste of money. Party hats are cute and may reflect your party?s theme, if you have one, but they are almost always worn for five minutes and then quickly forgotten. The same is true of theme- or character- oriented plates and napkins. I learned pretty quickly that basic colorful plates and napkins work just fine; kids are usually much more interested in the yummy cake on top of their plates than the design beneath it.

Party favors, on the other hand, usually get reluctant kids to say ?goodbye? when the party?s over. They are souvenirs from your child?s special occasion. I really like the theme-oriented party-favor boxes sold by BirthdayExpress.com.

It takes more effort to make up your own goody bags but can actually be fun, especially if the birthday child is involved.

Sometimes the biggest party-favor hits are one larger prize to take home. We had a sports-themed party in our backyard for our son?s third birthday. We sent each child home with an inflated ball. They were similar to beach balls but were instead footballs, soccer balls and basketballs. They seemed like something the kids would enjoy playing with for a few days. They were definitely a hit.

Inflatable toys such as this can be purchased from Oriental Trading Company. The website and catalog are full of fun party and craft supplies at reasonable rates?which brings me to another activity at that third birthday: The kids made sports door hangers for their rooms (although I think I may have given the girls pink and purple hangers with flowers to decorate).

We lined up several long tables for the kids to eat and make crafts on, and covered them with paper (from a big roll). We put several small buckets of crayons on the tables and the kids had fun doodling.

At later parties (when our sons were at least five), I wrote something like ?Ben is 5!? on a large piece of poster-board, in colorful letters. Each guest was asked to sign the poster as a memento of our boys? special day.

I?d love to hear all of your ideas for babies? and preschoolers? birthday parties!

I’m planning a big birthday bash for my soon-to-be 1 yr. old. I embrace simple parties, but this is a combo party that will be celebrating her christening as well so I decided to make it a big one. I told myself, she’s only going to be 1 once, she’s my first daughter and I’m allowed to indulge.

As I booked a venue, ordered the invitations, inquired about catering, favors, and on and on and on, I slowly started to get a sinking feeling in my stomach. I added up the total and had startling moment. What have I gotten myself into?!

Planning a party is hard, but the logistics of a big party, plus the added expense is even harder. I’m almost to the finish line of her party. If I were to do it again, I probably would still have a big party but I’ve learned my lesson. I’d do several things differently.

I’d buy cheap software like Hallmark Card Studio which is only $9.99 and make my own invitations. Or even better, send an e-vite (electronic invitation). I would have bought a second-hand christening dress. I wouldn’t have bought her a birthday outfit but have dressed her in one of her pricey outfit gifted by doting grandmas and grand-aunts that have yet to be worn. I would stick to a simpler menu, and maybe held the big party at a relative’s place. One thing I did do was gratefully accept my parent’s help in the planning process and their offer to cover some of the expenses (thanks Mama and Papa!).

I’m still looking forward to the event though, even if we still have to contend with cake and other odds and ends. We’ve got family and friends flying in for the occasion and that at least, you can’t put a price on. My baby is about to turn one, oh boy.