Poor Chickpea. She came into the world screaming and then, due to a hefty dose of reflux, she continued to scream for approximately two years. She was a cranky, cranky little bug and we really did need our wonderful village of family and family friends to help raise her! She was comforted and carried and jollied along by an army of wonderful people who weren’t at all worried by her yelling and face scrunching. For her first birthday there was really no other option but a birthday party based on one of my favourite Eric Carle books, ‘The Bad Tempered Ladybird’ – PudStar and I read this book a lot in Chickpea’s first few years; it helped us! For her second birthday party she had a ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ party and for her third birthday this year she is having a ‘Dinosaur Stomp’ party – do you detect a theme?
Fortunately Chickpea is now a fabulously funny, strong willed, slightly left of centre, quirky, very individual little child – and she seems to have suffered no long term side effects from all that yelling. At one stage I was convinced the yelling would alter or fry her brain and she would be bad tempered and miserable forever. My favourite photograph from her party is this one – walking with her new walker…check out that ATTITUDE.
Ladybird party products abound but we keep things pretty simple around here with parties…food is the biggest priority! Every Australian child at some point in their life needs to choose a cake from the ‘Australian Woman’s Weekly Birthday Cake Book’ and the ladybird is a perennial favourite which no doubt you’ve all seen before! My other birthday cake creations and a rave about this book are here.
Books make the best party themes – the illustrations give you the theming, and the characters give you the dress up theme. See Ava’s ‘Pearlie in the Park’ party here, some photographs of her ‘Miffy’ party here, a ‘Possum Magic’ party here and a wonderful blog post by Anna of Hey Bubbles about her ‘Magic Faraway Tree’ party here.
Ladybird Cake Pops – the melted, fingermarked ones!
If you are kinder than I and you don’t like the idea of calling your baby a bad tempered ladybird, there are many other ladybird books…my personal favourites are below! Purchase any titles by clicking on the covers.
The title and cover of each book takes you to the Australian based online bookstore Booktopia. If you live in the US or would prefer you can use Amazon . If you live in the UK or would prefer to use Book Depository click here.
Poor little CP! Reflux is horrible. On mum and bub.
We did an Eric Carle Caterpillar party for Buggy’s first birthday. Was so fun!
Have to look into next theme… Oh, just realised Rosie’s first birthday is book- themed. Capote, though, she’s having a Tiffany’s party!
Hi. Love reading your posts. This one resonated with me particularly because I also had a baby who screamed for two years. Now she is the most wonderful daughter with a brand new Poppy-daughter of her own!
And as for Chickpea’s ‘Dinosaur Stomp’ party – may I suggest the picture book, ‘I’m a Dirty Dinosaur!’ It’s one that I wrote and Ann James illustrated.
Happily it’s also Shortlisted in the 2014 CBCA Awards.
Janeen we are INDEED using your book with her birthday coming up!!!