We’ve all heard the truism that you only turn 16 once. You only turn 18 once. You only turn 32 once. But, of all the ages, you really only turn 1 once. The first birthday is a special time for parents, family members and friends to reflect on the past year that the little ball of joy has been in their lives and to make memories that they will share with the birthday boy or birthday girl in the future.

If you’re struggling to think of how to make your baby’s first birthday as special as the occasion demands, here are a few tips.

Guest List

The first birthday should be shared between the parents, family members and close friends of the family. Don’t stress out about whether or not to invite your coworkers, church group, college roommate or the person who makes your coffee every morning. Stick with close friends of the family and the immediate family members. Inviting other babies is not necessary but if one of your friends or family members happens to have a baby, encourage them to bring their child. A good rule of thumb for figuring an acceptable number of children to invite is to take the age that your child is turning — in this case one — and add one to that number. So two babies should be the max number of tiny guests at the party. Otherwise your child might feel overwhelmed.

Menu

I’ve heard some parents wonder aloud if their child can handle cake on their first birthday. Unless your child has an allergy that would keep them from being able to digest it, cake should be fine. If you’re looking to keep things healthy, try making mini carrot cupcakes or bran muffins with icing and sprinkles on them.

Activities

Your child probably hasn’t mastered the finer points of pin the tail on the donkey so allow them to play with their favorite toys and, of course, leave time for them to be held by all their friends and family members. For the older guests, make a station for birthday cards. Your child will be able to open a card from their first birthday each year. This is a great way to commemorate the first birthday.

Melissa is a guest blogger who likes to write about party planning and how to throw the perfect themed birthday party using Mario Bros party supplies.