I love throwing parties. I love themes. I love decorating. I love meal planning. So, when it comes to birthday parties for our kiddos, I get pretty excited. Bambino’s birthday was going to be unique this year, as it was just the four of us here to celebrate.

Due to the pandemic, we had no elaborate plan. No lengthy guest list. No invitations to send out. And I felt a bit guilty and sad. I put off planning anything because I was disappointed that it would be the four of us. Again. Like it had been all year long. Which didn’t feel special.

So, I put on my big girl panties and pulled together a fun-themed brunch party for our immediate family. Bambino deserved the extra attention, the extra effort, and the extra love on his special day — his first birthday.

First, I must note that Bambino was OBSESSED with blueberries. He demanded them at every meal. He didn’t ask for them. He threw everything you offered him on the floor unless it was a blueberry. This might be TMI, but even his dirty diapers smelled like blueberries.

So, as I was brainstorming how to make Bambino’s birthday special, I picked a theme I knew he would love…blueberries. Please keep reading to find out how we pulled off a blueberry birthday party.

Decor

Banner

I created this one on my own to save money. First, I purchased a blank burlap banner and then I traced one letter on each piece of burlap, using a blue permanent marker to spell “Berry Sweet One.”

On a side note…I started creating this banner late at night and wasn’t paying much attention to what I was doing. I looked down; I wrote “BEER.” [facepalm] Clearly, I had other things on my mind, lol.

Balloons

Balloons are a given for any birthday party, especially with kids. And blue balloons were a perfect way to cover the floor with “blueberries.”

Streamers & Garland

First, I covered the painting in our dining room with butcher paper, then hung blue streamers and dot garland over the butcher paper as a backdrop.

Monthly Milestone Photos

I have taken a monthly photo of Bambino since he was born. Even though it was just the four of us at home for this party, I wanted to display the photos against the backdrop. As much as my husband complains about taking these photos each month, we both love being able to look back at how Bambino has grown over the year. I printed these photos out at Costco because they are super cheap, and I like the option to create a white border.

I clipped the photos to a piece of string, using blue mini-clothespins. It was the perfect addition to the backdrop.

Picnic Tablecloth

This checkered tablecloth gave me picnic vibes when I saw it, and I have since added it to our weekly rotation of tablecloths because the boys love it. If this table cloth doesn’t scream blueberries, I don’t know what else would.

Vase with Blue Hydrangeas

My recent hobby of painting vases has finally come to good use. I painted this old peanut jar white (I love the details in this jar) and then filled it with some blue hydrangeas. I love the life it brings to the room.

Food

Because our guest list for this part included two adults, a picky toddler, and a ravenous blueberry-loving birthday boy, I kept the menu pretty light.

Pancake Stack

I stacked a few mini pancakes on top of one another, then topped the stack with a slice of banana and a blueberry. Then, I used a toothpick to hold everything together with a toothpick down the middle.

Berry fruit salad

To keep things a little more interesting, I strayed away from the strict blueberry theme and invited some strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries to join this fruit salad.

Blueberry banana spinach muffins

We make spinach muffins pretty regularly here in our home, except we call them “Hulk Muffins.” For some reason, if I name food with my toddler’s current obsession, he is more likely to eat it. So back in the day, I called these spinach muffins “Hulk Muffins,” and the name has stuck. But for today, I added blueberries, and they were a hit! I was even able to freeze a bunch to bring out later on.

Blue M&Ms

I picked these out primarily for our toddler because I can get him to do most anything for a blue M&M. So, with a bowl of M&Ms on the table for Bambino’s birthday, he was on his best behavior.

Blueberry juice

As a little treat for this birthday brunch, I included blueberry juice from Trader Joe’s. It was quite sweet, but Bambino was quite a fan!

Blueberry Smoothies

I omitted these this time around, but I wish I hadn’t. My go-to recipe for smoothies is:

One serving: 1 c. blueberries. 1 banana. 1/2 c. milk (dairy or non-dairy). 1 spoonful of peanut butter. 3 handfuls of fresh spinach. Mix it all together in a blender.

Blueberry birthday cake

Each year, I make our kids a birthday cake from scratch. I am not a regular baker, and things can often get somewhat crazy in the kitchen. But, I hope as I continue this tradition, my cakes get better and better. This year, I wanted to make a vanilla cake with blueberries. After playing around with the blueberries, I chose to outline the number one and then carry the blueberries to the rest of the cake. I love how it turned out.

Activities

Blueberries for Sal

After brunch, we all sat on the rug in the living room and read Blueberries for Sal.

Blueberry Balloon Up

The goal of this game is to keep the balloon from hitting the floor. So we each take turns tapping the balloon up into the air. My husband and I will make really dramatic moves to entertain the kids, which encourages them to be silly.

Blueberry Water Balloon Target

We didn’t play this game due to the weather. But, I have saved it for a sunny day. I fill up blue water balloons. Then set out a basket as a target. Chulengo and Bambino try to toss/put the water balloons in the basket.

Overall, it wasn’t the birthday party I envisioned for Bambino when he was born last year, but it was still perfect. The blueberry theme fit him perfectly, the decorations and menu were fun to plan, and everyone had a good time. Perhaps we can recreate this party with our loved ones when it is safe to gather again.