Another birthday has come and gone for our baby, and while celebrating a seventh birthday should be a joyful occasion, it’s always bittersweet for us as parents. There’s a part of us that always longs for those squishy baby moments and the sweet, innocent days of toddlerhood. But if there’s one silver lining in all of it, it’s that we’ve become really good at cherishing the present and soaking up every moment we have with our kids.

Yes, life gets busy, and some days feel mundane or overwhelming. But no matter what, we always make time each evening to pause and connect with them before bed. Whether we’re reading stories, listening to what’s on their minds, or simply ensuring they’re cozy and loved, we never skip the chance to tuck them in. I never take for granted those quiet moments, knowing they’re safe and warm in bed, feeling loved.

Festivities

I’m not one to go all out for birthdays, or any holiday, for that matter. There are plenty of other places I’d rather spend my money. Can we please normalize a simple, classic birthday celebration? Why do we feel the need to buy piles of matching decor and accessories when most of it just ends up in the trash after one use?

For my boys, their birthday wish is simple, they pick the type of cake they want, and that’s it! We end up using the same decorations year after year, for every person. So, doesn’t it make sense to stop collecting so much junk?

Let’s face it…kids, especially boys, don’t care about the decorations. If I had gone all out and made a big Viking themed party, I would have been met with the same reaction. It’s about the experience, not the stuff. The stuff they’re interested in is the presents, duh!

To stay true to our “theme,” I decided to get a little creative and made my own version of Viking helmets for the family. Both boys were absolutely thrilled, and they’re still wearing them days later! If I had bought the costume versions, they would have cost me $13 each – a total of $78 for all six of us (my best friends, Matt & Andrew included). Instead, I used construction paper we already had at home. Can we all agree that $78 is better spent elsewhere? The kids had a blast, and it felt special.

Cake

I’ve made every birthday cake for my boys, except for when Charlie turned three. At that time, Adrien was just 4 months old, so I decided it would be one less thing for me to worry about and ordered a small, simple Lego brick cake for him. This year, I could’ve made Adrien’s cake myself, but preparing to host two rounds of guests (Matt & Andrew, and Donald’s parents) I knew I needed to let one thing go.

Luckily, I stumbled upon The Beakery on Instagram. I sent them a DM asking if they could make a Viking helmet cake, provided all the details, and just like that, the weight lifted off my shoulders. It felt so good to know I could focus on the rest of the celebration and preparing my house without stressing over baking a cake too!

I truly enjoy being in the kitchen, usually for baking, though not as much for cooking. My baked goods never get rejected, but cooking for four different mouths ain’t easy. Of course, like most kids, they love cinnamon rolls. I was planning to make them for a birthday breakfast but decided to turn them into more of a muffin form. It was a genius move! I saved so much time, and they taste just the same. I highly suggest this muffin recipe.

Adding sprinkles to anything on your kid’s birthday is a must! This breakfast may have been pretty ordinary, but tossing it on a charcuterie board made it feel special. There’s not much to it, folks…kids are simple. I totally understand going all out for milestone birthdays and wanting everything to look fun and cute, but I hope we all remember to take a moment and soak it in. It’s like people always say about weddings: “Don’t forget to enjoy it.” Now, that’s something I can’t personally speak to because I didn’t have a wedding, but that’s a story for another day.

The point is, enjoy your kid’s birthday! Watch their happiness, take in their smiles, and most importantly, take videos. Pictures are great, but looking back on a video is so much more enjoyable. We have the best video of us singing Happy Birthday to Adrien with his muffin in the morning, and his reaction is pure magic. We also have a lovely video of Matt and Andrew surprising him, but that one’s staying personal!

I’ll be back back in 4 months to post Charlies epic 10 year bash! I should get started now, I consider this one a milestone… but my kids are simple. I can’t imagine he’ll be asking for much.

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