Is it possible that it's already been a year since your baby arrived? Your knees and your back don't lie - your baby is almost one year old. And you, naturally, want to throw a big celebration to commemorate the day. But first birthday parties are notorious for producing more tears than smiles, and no one likes a crabby birthday boy (or girl). So here are five ideas for throwing a tear-less first birthday party that everyone will enjoy.

1) Think Photo Op.

A baby's first birthday is essentially an extended photo opportunity. The pivotal event is the moment when the baby stares at the becandled cake, just before plunging his or her hand into it. The rest of the party is just filler. So plan a brief (one hour - tops) celebration with as few distractions as possible.

2) Minimize extra kids.

If your baby has cousins close by that he or she already knows well, by all means include them. But a first birthday party is not an occasion to introduce your baby to bunches of new people. Grandparents or close friends, other family members and maybe a neighbor or two - keeping the guest list short will minimize the stress on the baby and on you. And where kids are concerned, remember that the noise level will affect everyone, so go shorter rather than longer on the invitation list.

3)Visuals are key.

Back to the photo op - a happy baby, smiling delightedly at her cake, dressed for posterity, surrounded by happy guests and balloons, is the ideal takeaway from this celebration. So set up the party to go the right way by scheduling it when baby will

4) Gifts after cake, if at all.

Bright colors and noisy wrapping are so exciting for your child that he or she can come undone. Save the gift-opening for after the cake event, if you have gifts at all. Lots of parents skip the gifts altogether at a first birthday party, as they notice how overwhelmed with plastic toys they are, even BEFORE the big day.

5) Celebrate generations.

Like all family celebrations, a first birthday party is an observation of time passing. Take special photos of your baby with the oldest family members and friends in attendance, as well as photos with older cousins or friends, and a group shot with the whole party in the frame. And don't forget your animals!

You'll notice that a successful first birthday party has none of the elements we associate with older kids' parties - leave out the games, prizes, entertainment, pinatas and crafts. Most parents overdo it, thinking that complexity in a child's party equals fun. Oftentimes, it's just the opposite - the simpler, the better. And when the baby gets droopy, don't try to keep her up. After all, it's her birthday - if she's sleepy, let her sleep.

You can sleep well, too, knowing that you've celebrated a tear-free birthday party and will have lovely memories to cherish. See how easy that was?

Liz Ryan is a workplace expert and mother of five children, and the leader of the online network WorldWIT (http://www.worldwit.org). She lives in Boulder, Colorado.

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