BABY BOY TURNS ONE
Amanda Griffin’s son Kyle celebrates birthday with a Peter Rabbit-themed party
Flying in and out of Manila on a regular basis can be quite a struggle, especially when you’re traveling with your family of six. This has always been
Amanda Griffin-Jacob’s challenge, and she’s used to this scenario. But what if she’s remotely planning her youngest son’s first birthday party from Singapore? How does one make sure the party is a success?
“Since I don’t live in Manila full time, I wanted to have a really special and memorable first birthday for my youngest child. I kept it relatively small for the space. The space had more capacity. I invited around 80 adults and 50 kids. This number doesn’t include the nannies. I believe around 70 adults and 40 kids were at the party. Anytime I have any kind of event in Manila I always figure in a drop rate of at least 25 to 30 percent,” Amanda explained, crediting Party Starters for helping her with the planning.
PASTEL BLUES AND GREENS
The youngest of four children, Kyle Antony Griffin-Jacob was born Aug. 1, 2018, with his family celebrating his first birthday last Aug. 3, Saturday, at Manila Polo Club. Though it took four months to plan, the setup by Indy's Playground came out exactly as Amanda envisioned. Baby blue and white hydrangeas filled the entrance and the stage, matching the color theme of Amanda’s favorite childhood book series, Peter Rabbit. “We love reading Peter Rabbit to Kyle,” she added. Life-size baby blocks spelled out the four-letter name of the birthday boy took centerstage, with beautiful hydrangeas sprouting in between the blocks. Illustrated standees of the main characters from the Peter Rabbit book were displayed on stage as well. The venue was a breath of fresh air, and it was dressed up with the feel of vintage English country vibe set in the spring season.
PARTY DETAILS
Amanda made sure that the party was intimate enough for everyone to have a chance to catch up. Children should be happily preoccupied, giving the parents time to unwind and relax. “It’s really important that there were activities for all age groups. Particularly since it was a birthday party for my one-year-old baby, I had a dedicated area for babies and toddlers, complete with a baby sensory area (which included a wading pool of cooked pasta and marshmallows) and IFam swings and slides provided by Baby Town.”
FIRSTS OF MANY LASTS
Most parents, especially mothers, can relate to this. It’s when a couple finally decides that their youngest will be their youngest, and Kyle is that baby. Amanda shared, “He’s a dream. Everything is bittersweet as all the firsts are my lasts. I’m such a sentimental person and knowing that he is my last baby makes everything so much more special but a little sad at the same time.” The doting mom reminisced that Kyle is the sweetest baby, and enjoys being with her the most. She fondly refers to Kyle as “my little koala.” When asked what her wish is for this adorable little man, “I wish that he remains kind to everyone and everything. I wish for health and soul fulfilling happiness,” she said.
‘He’s a dream. Everything is bittersweet as all the firsts are my lasts. I’m such a sentimental person and knowing that he is my last baby makes everything so much more special but a little sad at the same time.’