Page Toppers

Quotes

• Birthdays are nature's way of telling us to eat more cake.
• Birthdays are ordinary days sprinkled with stardust.
• Each birthday is a new beginning, full of promise and opportunity and the chance to make dreams come true.
• Happy Birthday to a guy who's smart, charming, and absolutely gorgeous...
  and I'd say so even if I WEREN'T your mom!
• Hope your day is filled with frolic and fun.
• I know I wished you this before, but every year I wish it more: Happy Birthday!
• It's always nice to wish the best to someone who really is!
• May happiness fill your day and may sunshine fill all your tomorrows.
• On your birthday, I'm wishing you something you've always given me...happiness, laughter and lots of love.
• A special person like you deserves the best that each day can bring.
• Today's the day we get to say
  We're happy you were born - Hooray!
• Wishing you sunshine, love and laughter.
  Not just today, but all the days after.

Five Ways to say "Happy Birthday"

English - Happy Birthday
French - Joyeux Anniversaire
German - Alles Gute zum Geburtstag
Italian - Buon Compleanno
Spanish - Feliz Cumpleaņos

Birthstones

See the Jewelry file.

Flowers for each Month

See the Flower file.

Happy Birthday to Me

Happy birthday to me.
I like what I see!
There's plenty of junk food,
and the presents are free! (Mike Artell)

Monday's Child

Monday's child is fair of face;
Tuesday's child is full of grace;
Wednesday's child is on the go;
Thursday's child is a joy to know.
Friday's child is loving and giving;
Saturday's child takes joy in living;
But the child that is born on the Sabbath day
is merry and blithe and bright and gay.

Monday's Child

alternate version by Colin McNaughton

Monday's child is red and spotty;
Tuesday's child won't use the potty;
Wednesday's child won't go to bed;
Thursday's child will not be fed.
Friday's child breaks all his toys;
Saturday's child makes an awful noise;
and the child that is born on the seventh day
Is a pain in the neck like the rest... OK!

After the Party

(William Wise)

My Birthday's in August

(Jack Prelutsky)

My birthday's in August
It's really a shame,
My party was small,
Hardly anyone came.

I wish I'd been born
In November or May,
Instead of a time
When my friends go away.

In August there just
Isn't anyone there.
A summertime birthday
Is simply not fair.

Princess Birthday Party

My three year old daughter had a "princess" birthday party. For her scrap book I made a cover page with this:
Once upon a time there lived a little princess named ____. Everyone loved Princess ____ for she was kind, beautiful, and generous. In the event of little princess' _____ birthday, invitations were sent far and wide to all the royal subjects. Everyone came to partake in the royal festivities, for ___ was the fairest one of all... (fill in the blanks with child's name and age)

I sent thank you cards that said:
My best present was your presents at my birthday party! (Rebecca Moore, Tucson, AZ)

Specific Birthdays

Age One

• Hey, I'm 1 and a whole year is done
• How amazing you're already One!
  What a precious person you've become
• Isn't it fun..._____ is one!
• It's wonderful being one
• Look Who's One!
• One-derful

Turning One

(Nancy Hart)

A year's gone by,
How time has flown,
We can't believe
how (name)'s grown!
She's such a joy
and so much fun,
Oh my! My baby's
turning ONE!

What Is a One-Year Old?

A One-year-old daughter
is so many things...
A tiny discoverer
of butterfly wings,

A hugger of Teddies,
A sweet sleepyhead,
And someone to dream for
in bright years ahead.

A special new person
Who, right from the start,
Has a place in the family
And, of course, in your heart.

And, just when you think
That you've learned all the things
That your dear Daughter is
And the joy that she brings,

A hug or a grin
Comes with such sweet surprise
That love finds you smiling
With tears in your eyes!

Age Two

• Look Who's Two!
• Look who's 2 - so much to do
• Terrific twos
• Two-rrific
• You can walk and talk now that you're Two.
  It's so much fun to play with you.

Age Three

• Look at me...I'm three
• The most amazing thing about being Three
  Your world's now filled with discovery.
• Thrilling Threes

Age Four

• Fantastic Four
• I just turned four
• Now that you are Four.
  You're not so little anymore.

Four Years Old

(Joan Walsh Anglund)

Something's happened!
It happened to me!
Yesterday, I was only three.
But when today
came through the door,
suddenly
I turned to FOUR!

Age Five

• Hooray! Hooray! You're finally FIVE.
  You thought this day would never arrive.
• Just Look Who's Five
• Wow, Now I'm Five

Five

Please, everybody, look at me!
Today I'm five years old, you see!
And after this, I won't be four,
Not ever, ever, any more!

I won't be three or two or one,
For that was when I'd first begun.
Now I'll be five awhile,
And then I'll soon be something else again.

A Verse for the Night Before a Birthday

(M. Meyer Kort)

When I have said my evening prayer,
And my clothes are folded on the chair,

And my mother switches off the light,
I'll still be four years old tonight.

But, from the very break of day,
Before the children rise and play,

Before the darkness turns to gold,
Tomorrow, I'll be five years old.

Five kisses when I wake,
Five candles on my cake!

Age Six

• I'm finally six
• Now I'm 6 and full of tricks
• Silly Sixes
• Turning SIX is a big event
  filled with fun and merriment.

Now We Are Six

(A.A. Milne)

When I was one,
I had just begun.
When I was two,
I was nearly new.
When I was three,
I was hardly me.
When I was four,
I was not much more.
When I was five,
I was just alive.
But now I am six,
I'm as clever as clever.
So I think I'll be six
now and forever.

Age Seven

• Being Seven is really Heaven
• I'm finally seven
• I'm seven - going on eleven
• Look I'm 7 - going on 11
• Simply Seven
• Wow, Now I'm Seven

Goodbye Six - Hello, Seven

(by Judith Viorst)

I'm getting a higher bunk bed.
And I'm getting a bigger bike.
And I'm getting to cross Connecticut Avenue all by myself, if I like.
And I'm getting to help do dishes.
And I'm getting to weed the yard.
And I'm getting to think that seven could be hard.

Age Eight

• Being eight is really great
• I'm finally eight
• Isn't it GREAT to be EIGHT!
• It's great - I'm 8
• Seven was heaven but eight is great
• Wow, Now I'm Eight

Age Nine

• Being Nine is Really Fine
• I'm Finally Nine
• Nine is fine
• Now I'm 9 and the world is mine.
• Wow, Now I'm Nine!

Age Ten

Today You Are Ten

(Delora Burrow-Bradish)

I can hardly believe,
That today you are ten.
I wish you were still little,
But I cannot pretend.
You have grown to be strong,
Sensitive and kind.
When I see you out playing
I can't believe you are mine.
Talented, athletic, funny and sweet,
You drink a gallon of milk every week!
I can hardly keep up.
You are growing so fast.
Ten years as your mother
Is now a thing of the past.
My prayer? My hope?
My dream for your life?
Love God. Seek His word.
Do what is right.
My heart? My ambition?
My desire everyday?
To love you and train you
To walk in His ways.

Age Thirteen

Thirteen

(Nicholas Gordon)

Thirteen is a very lucky age!
Happiness comes tumbling out the door
Instantly a-giggle with a friend,
Returning with the bounce of empty bliss.

There's no better ecstasy than this,
Even when the strange teen changes end,
Even when one finally knows the score.
No time of life's more bubbly than this stage.

Age Sixteen

• Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen
• I'm 16 - Clear the Road!
• Loving, learning, a world to be seen
  So much before you at sweet sixteen.
• Sixteen candles make a lovely light
  But not as bright as your eyes tonight. (Luther Dixon)
• Sweet Little Sixteen
• Sweet Sixteen
• Wow, I'm Finally Sixteen!

Sweet Sixteen

Fifteen years have come and gone
Your sixteenth year begins at dawn
Your life as a child almost complete
A fine young lady we all now meet
So in the days and years to come
Take time to sing and dance and hum
When you get older through life you must run
So while you are young, take time for fun

Happy Birthday Sweet 16!

If the 16th birthday is special in your family you can make it extra special. Shop far in advance and keep an eye out for things that are funny, cute, useful or unique. Most things can be inexpensive but have a few that are really nice and one that is extra special. For example: an unusual eraser, engraved items, cosmetics, billfold, jewelry, accessories, stationary, craft supplies, etc. Wrap each gift individually in bright paper and write a short verse or clue to what's inside. Tie a ribbon around each package leaving one end long. Gather the long ribbons from 15 of the packages and attach them to the most important gift. Put a big bow on that gift to cover the ends of the ribbons. Arrange on a table. If the main gift is very small you can put it in multiple boxes (you could nest it 16 boxes deep.)

A Touch of Love

You were six months old and full of fun
With a blink of an eye you were suddenly one.

There were so many things we were going to do,
But I turn my head and you were two.

At two you were still dependent on me,
But independence took over when you were three.

Your third birthday, another year I wished to ignore,
But as I lit the candles there weren't three but four.

Four was the year that you really strived,
Why, look at you now, you're already five.

Now you're ready for books and rules,
This is the year that you go to school.

The big day came you were anxious to go.
We walked to the bus, going oh so slow.

As the bus drove away and you waved good-bye
I felt a lump in my throat and a tear stung my eye.

For when the bus brings you home and you jump to the ground,
You'll be wearing your cap and graduation gown.

Time goes by so fast its hard to believe,
Why just yesterday you were home with me.

So I am holding these moments as hard as I can,
Because the next time I look I'll be seeing a man.

(can be altered for a girl) : So I am holding these moments as close as I dare,
In a twinkling, a woman will be standing there."

Birthday Album

This makes a great gift (include photo splits and pen). Create a title page for the first page. The rest of the book has two-page spreads for each birthday. Here are some title suggestions.
Decorate with balloons, cake, confetti, candles, toys, etc. Leave a few blank pages for extra photos.

Sentiments Idea from "Noni Bear"

We made a sentiments book for our friend today. We put letter stickers on the first page. It is a blue album with balloons. We used blue letters. We used a sheet that only had big letters. There isn't any apostrophe on that kind of letter sheet. We made the first page say "Cade's Birthday Book." It was my idea to make the Q into an O and cut off the tail of the Q to make an apostrophe. It looks good. But save the new O to use by itself. It looks different from the real O. So don't use the cut Q next to a real O or you can tell. But the book is nice. Cade is one. He can put one birthday picture for each birthday until he is 18. I like the blue book a lot. Cade is too little to tell us if he likes it too. I think he will like it a lot when he is big. We just got home from the party. Good night.

Birthday Pages

• Trace your child's hand and foot on each birthday. Either put the tracing with each birthday or make a separate birthday album.
• Write the words to the song "Happy Birthday to You" around the border of the page and decorate with music note stickers.
• Use candle stickers for the vertical part of the letters in the words 'happy birthday'

Obviously

I was administering an achievement test to David, a precocious six-year-old, and I began by asking him when his birthday was.
"February 20," was his quick response.
Next I asked him, "What year, David?"
He looked at me quizzically at first and then hit upon the obvious answer. "Every year."

Birthday Photo Taking Tips

Remember that a birthday is 24 hours long. Don't just take pictures of the party. Take photos of the child still in bed or pose them by a clock set to their birth time. Don't forget to take a close-up of the child, guests, favors, decorations and cake. Take photos of making the cake or getting ready. Capture the mood - what is the weather like? Is there a pile of snow boots in the entry or coats on the bed? Get a copy of the guest of honor's signature and vital statistics (height and weight).
Interview the birthday kid - what is their favorite book, movie, TV program, games, and friends. What do they like to do in their spare time, what are they involved in?

Child's photo idea

Near the child's 6th birthday have them hold a large photo of themselves as a baby. They should hold it in front of them with the top a few inches below their chin. They can be sitting or standing but it is nice if their position resembles that of the baby photo.
Either keep the negative of this photo or have an enlargement made - the enlargements will be grainy if it is too big but it does not have to be perfect for this.
Near the twelfth birthday have the child hold the 6th birthday photo and then on the 18th birthday have the child hold the 12th birthday photo.
If your child has already passed 6 you could do one at 9 with the baby photo and then one at age 18.

Birthday and Party ABC List

(Nancy W-S)

A - all..., appreciation, age ___
B - blow, birthday, balloons, brother, bang
C - candles, cake, cards, celebrate, celebration, candy, camera, color
D - dad, day, daughter, dance, dancing, dessert, decorations
E - eating, enjoy, exciting, excitement, everyone, everything
F - favors, friends, fun, family, food
G - gifts, games, guests
H - hats, happy, heart, hugs, hear, having fun
I - ice cream, I..., icing, irresistible, invitation
J - joy, joyful, juice
K - kids, keepsake, kiss,
L - laugh, love, loud
M - mom, meal, milk, music, memories
N - name, nice, noise
O - open presents, only
P - presents, party, punch, pictures, photos, play, playing
Q - quite...(a party, a day, etc.)
R - ribbon, reading cards, remember
S - sister, surprise, smell, smile, see, snacks
T - toys, taste, touch, thank you, together, treats
U - unforgettable, us, unusual, unique, unwrap
V - very...,
W - wrapping paper, welcome, we
X - x-tra (special, etc.), XXXX (kisses)
Y - your..., you are...
Z - zest, zzz's (all tuckered out), zip-a-dee-doo-dah!, zowie!

NOTE: Also use:
birth date (day, month, year); Zodiac sign, birthplace (city, county, state, country);
party food; flavors (cake and ice cream) (chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, etc.);
game and activity names;
colors (balloons, decorations, packages, etc.);
theme (Disney, cowboy, movie, music, etc.)
names (guests, family, pets); location (park, home, amusement park)
numbers (party guests, age, gifts); time

Gift Wrap Idea

Buy small gifts equal in number to the child's age (or more). Wrap each gift tightly in tissue paper. Wrap several layers of crepe paper streamer (maybe leftover from parties) around the most important gift until you have a small ball. Lay another gift on the side and continue wrapping. Add more gifts every so often until they are all covered. Continue wrapping until you have a rounded shape, then add a bow. Don't wait til the last minute - this takes longer than it sounds like it would. Also don't expect this to look really great. However kids have a lot of fun with this.