No rest for the wicked around here (no surprise then that I’ve been awake for years and years and years). They never tell you when family planning that the really important age gap is actually the distance between each child’s birthday in a calendar year.
Around here, Maxi and The Badoo are just one month apart on the calendar year. I honestly thought my problems were going to be the mere 17 months age difference between Maxi and Cappers, but no. One month between birthdays is my real gap pain point.
With siblings, you either want to run them out on the same day each year (as my friends have done… many jokes, people, many jokes) or you want a gap of at least 2 months between each child. This enables ample time to party plan for each birthday, build suspense for the big day and find a place to put each child’s new toys away.
Due to our lack of family planning foresight, we’ve no time to spare around here. I’ve rolled myself up out of the hay and pumped out 12 princess castles in the dead of night ready to distribute (if that even makes sense… I am tired).
I am dead pleased with them.
♥
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Katrina (capturing moments) says
Oh wow, I had honestly never thought of this before! I guess I am fortunate as I have one in June and one in October. So a nice big birthday gap (they are 20 months apart – and yes, I was more worried about the close AGE gap). If we have a third we may give it some more thought now 😉
Sally says
A six week gap with Christmas and New Year in between… it is awful!
Anonymous says
I have 13 months between my first two – who are now 6 and 5. Their birthdays are in December and January too – with Christmas in the middle to add to the fun. Third child has her birthday in August though – much more civilised!
Averil says
My two boys birthdays are 12 days apart in January, silly me! And we have me, my husband and my daughter all in the space of 2 weeks in May- totally get what you mean!
Anonymous says
I hear you! In our house we have 3 birthdays, our wedding anniversary, and Mothers Day all in the space of 6 weeks. Not very clever of us…
Mum on the Run says
Here you go again!!
I’m excited!
Hmmm.
This little one has the exact same due date as my Magoo.
4 years apart to the day (I get the jokes, don’t worry!!) and different genders.
I’m up for two parties in the space of a week, aren’t I?
Are you for hire, love???
🙂 xxx
Jodi says
Oh I feel your pain, I had three kids in three years – if that doesn’t make give you a giddy rush NOTHING will!
For the record they are June, September and December – the big boy who is the 28th December KILLS me every time, we have taken to having his birthday party with friends BEFORE Christmas just to ease the burden and the post-Christmas crazy town!
Claireyhewitt says
I have just a month between them too, but Christmas and New year in the middle – disaster. I also realised this year too that for Popps I need to get her invites out before the end of the school year – otherwise I don’t see the kids/parents to hand them out. This means I am really going to have to do both of them at once.
Bad planning is one a fortnight before Christmas and one a fortnight after.
Sarah says
With 13 months between my youngest two I have two in a month as well – actually 3 as my eldest sons birthday is two weeks before my youngest, mine falls in the middle of them both and then my daughters is a couple of weeks after that.
Mothers Day is a moveable feast in the UK but often falls around the time of my Birthday.
My mother went one better – there is less than a year between my sister and I and our Birthdays are 6 days apart so for those 6 days we are the same age.
Karen at MomAgain@40 says
Stunning party invitations!! Very creative!
Our age gap is 15 years, with 6 months in between parties! (I couldn’t have planned it better! 😉 )
Loz and Dinny says
I clearly was not good on the family planning – daughter born 23 May then three years later twin boys either side of midnight 24 and 25 May – The boys turn two this year … I am already feeling a little sick at how this birthday bonanza is going to pan out in future years ….
Npamz says
They’re beautiful! If you think family planning wasn’t your friend, my boys are 3weeks apart in months and just short of three years,…but what makes it bad real bad is that I will have a 21st and an 18th the same year – all due to number two arriving ahead of time! Great job mumma!!!!!!
Catherine says
You’ve out done yourself there, these are perfectly pink and pretty princess invitations:) We’ve got about 4 months in between birthdays here between the girls but Miss 8 is just a month after Christmas and it always lands on the first week back at school. Poor little possum hasn’t had too many friend parties because unfortunately I’m not organised to plan two months in advance to hand out invites:(
Miss Pink says
Love these.
I also love that your parties are short. I’ve been telling people Bluey’s party ends an hour and a half after it starts and my mum keeps telling me that I should make it go longer, but honestly, an hour and a half of other people’s children is plenty in my opinion. Long enough for a couple of games and some cake.
bleu has a party to go to this weekend that goes for 3 and a half hours! That’s insane!
LionessLady says
I love that I know what your party theme is going to be by what you start pinning on pinterest! Totes love the invite – adorabubble! And clearly I was much better at spreading out the sex in my house – April, October and December are out birthday months. In saying that though, the December one freaks me out cause it’s all about baby Jesus by then so we have to put the festive season aside until at least the 5th of December!
Brenda @ Mira Narnie says
Ok – this will freak you out, coz it still freaks me out….my kids are 2 years, 2 months, 2 days and 2 hours apart!!!!!!!! I’m sure some astrology person will be able to tell me the significance…if any!!
ps – I’m with Lioness up there – so totally knew were planning some sort of princess shindig! love the castles invites xx
Sonia LifeLoveandHiccups says
I have been eyeing off all your gorgeous pics on Pinterest totally envying you getting to plan a little girls party. I cannot wait to see what you come up with this time as I know it is just going to be devastatingly beautiful xx
Cal says
You have a valid point indeed! We have a two month gap. Could be better, but it is manageable.
Laura D says
Those castles are fabulous! I have 6 days between my 1st & 2nd childrens birthdays (with a 2yr gap). There was supposed to be more of a gap but No.2 came 12 days late. We already had my sons 2nd bday planned so as the days ticked by I was getting worried!
When you add in birthday cakes for their actual birthday, school/kindy/playgroup and their party it becomes one giant crazy cake fest blur where by the end of the week I don’t want to see cake for another 6 months! Thankfully that’s how long I’ve got…my 3rd child is a September baby 🙂
Marianne says
Gorgeous castles – you are clever.
I messed up big time on this one as my three boys all have their birthdays within a six weeks period – the third coming just a week after the second, so I had years of birthday burnout!
Miriam says
We managed 6 months but as our parties don’t get quite the dedicated time and love you invest so it’s easier in that regard too!!
Bean's Mummy says
WOW! Lucky parties ARE your thing & you love it, otherwise it would be NUTS. We only have one Bean in our house, so I’ve been thinking about her 2nd birthday party in August, oh, since about Feb. Hehe. x
Bean's Mummy says
BTW love the princess invites they are gorgeous! I can’t wait to do princess & fairy & ballerina stuff for Bean…if she’s into that stuff I guess.
Fay says
Gorgeous invites. I only have the one child so I don’t need to worry but if I was to have another then I’d want their birthdays as far apart as possible!
Ady says
Awesome invites!! My kids are 5 years apart agewise and 5 months between their birthdays. The boy is older now and just wants to hang out with his friends and go watch movies. The girl is the perfect age for princess parties!
Christie says
Very sweet invites, that looks like a party I’d want to attend!
We are the masters of poor planning here with birthdays in October, November, then there’s Christmas, and then another birthday in January. We got smart with the fourth child and had him in July.
I know, I’m a slow learner!
BigLittle says
Loving your invites. Only one kid so no worries so far…. 🙂 Lisa x
Simoney says
WOW, those are the cutest invitations EVER! You are so good, Maxabella.
I can’t help feeling a little smug, er, I mean GRATEFUL that completely without any planning or foresight whatsoever my three sprogs are nicely spaced exactly 4 months apart.
Genius.
Don’t be jealous though, it was a complete accident and owes nothing to any cleverness on my part. I had no idea I would turn out to be a complete birthday party nut.
xxx
Megan says
the invites are beautiful -my 5 year old would love them!! Not very good family planning around here either- I have three children and their birthdays are within a space of 4 weeks! And two of them – my baby Jack and my eldest are only 3 days apart- Jack was actually due nearly 2 weeks before my eldest’s birthday but he ended up being 12 days overdue hence the close birthdays!! It’s a VERY busy month thats for sure!
Kylie says
Ha that’s funny 🙂 but yes it’s true. My girls are 3 years and 3 months apart but I still can’t handle them both having parties in the same year… we go turn about here. The little one had her 12th birthday sleepover at the beginning of May and the big girl will have her 16th birthday party next year in February. Your invites are so gorgeous 🙂 Kx
Jen says
lovely invitations 🙂
Photographer Mum says
I have a 20 month gap and a 16 month gap but 2 of my kids (oldest and youngest) are 2 weeks apart on the calendar. And to top it off, one is 2 weeks before Christmas and the other is Christmas Day. Serious lack of family planning foresight here.
My sister and I are only 4 days apart on the calendar, but she is 8 yrs my junior so we never had a combined birthday growing up.
Posie Patchwork says
Super pretty. I know families who have children all on the same day too, yes, speculation they have sex once a year. Funnily enough my husband is born exactly 9 months after his father’s birthday, his sister, exactly 9 months after their mother. Hello, i’d say birthday sex but it’s my in-laws!!
Clearly we’re rabbits as we have children in March, July & December twins, tee hee. Mind you, all 4 are in school holidays, ditto my husband & i, so we escape many party throwing opportunities by being away. I gave up annual parties when mine hit about 3rd grade, it’s too much, so when they have them, they’re awesome, love Posie
Wombat's Picnic says
I have the exact same problem! My littlest (4) and middle (8) are 4 years apart in age but their birthdays are only 4 days apart! Took all my energy to get middles party together in April (well, early May by the time the party date actually rolled around). Poor littlest keeps asking about her party, which won’t be til June. Not sure I can get away with that for much longer! Invites do look fab though:) Cyndy
Cat from Raspberry Rainbow says
Love your invites!
My poor mother, as my brothers birthday is the day after mine! With an 8 year age gap too, not as if she could combine them either! The day of my birthday, with me turing 8, and her heavily preggers, she took me and a group of friends to McDonalds for my party…..then the next day my brother was born! I can fully appreciate all she did for me now I am a mother.
I am lucky, I have an April and September children, lots of time time between (thank goodness!!!)
ally says
Awesomely cute (and very pink!) castles
We have a week between the girls…at the end of November…terrible, terrible planning..even when we made them have a joint one..cos then we had 50 fairies here on one day
And we never find a space for the pressies before Christmas…or ideas for Santa.
Aaaaargh!
SJ Scott says
Amazing invitations! I wish you were my Mom~
Notchka says
Ha! I only have the one child, but her birthday is a mere 5 days after her father’s and a couple of weeks before Christmas. That whole end of the year tends to be madness. I have accepted this. Love what you’re doing – your mad, but its amazeballs to look at.
karencharlton says
We have 6 days between Boys 1 and 3, and then a gap of 6 weeks before Boy 2’s birthday. I call it “birthday season”. It’s like Christmas, but prolonged. We’re lucky it comes in the middle of the year, it gives us a 6 month break before Christmas hits and our toy storage needs to be shuffled around again.
Kate says
Wowzers!!! Those invites are super duper awesome!!
And nope, I only do spring babies apparently, so we are always cramming. x
emma @ frog, goose and bear says
Princess – can’t wait! One month apart – absolute killer! My sister and i are all three weeks apart. My sisters are 3 days apart and i am three weeks later. My mum was as big on parties as I am and it was our FAVOURITE time of year! Must have been pretty full on for her though! Thankfully mine are very well placed in January, August and November, however the Christmas thing bang in the middle of November and January I could do without…..
Enjoy – love the invites!
Kathryn says
my girls are 13 months apart too. Up until they turned 5 they shared a party, and now they alternate years – one year one has a party and the other has something special with just one or two friends. The idea was to have one easy event but I find myself spending an awfully long time on the small event anyway.
Your invitations are gorgeous.
Homes says
Wonderful idea for an invitation card. My son had a birthday party a month ago and I have made beautiful “treasure island cards”. Enjoy the party, I am sure it would be great!
Miss Mandy says
I’m jan, march, july. well spaced. but if I had my time again, and could control it, I’d happily opt to have them all in the same month. Dealing with ‘sorry it’s not your birthday, your’s is in six months’ is hard work.
Tas says
3 kids; 2 months apart then I get July to February to recover…
Tas
::The Beetle Shack:: says
You are a FAR better woman than I bron. I’ve got 2 months and I still cant swing it!
oh the shame!
xo em
Kate Sins says
if i had a little girl i’d be copying those invites, but my little boys are already saying ‘but muuuuuuuuuum, that’s for girls…’ so no princesses for me 🙁
nine days… you reckon a month is bad? try nine days. my brain can’t cope with separate parties just yet. and they’re just three-ish weeks after christmas… have to start planning in november or it just doesn’t work.
Nat - Muddy Farmwife says
Love those invites.
My eldest is the same day as my husband, they’re in Feb, then I have one May and two in August. The two in August is going to be hard, a first and third birthday this year. Obviously I wasn’t thinking about the party planning at the time!
Dre @ no frills mum says
Love the invitations! I have my Miss Ruby turning two on the 4th July and I’m due with our second bubs on 29th August!
Hopefully I’ll be over the first party before the next comes along! Good luck with yours!
Jane says
Oh Bron, you trouper! We have a fortnight between Joshie’s and India’s birthdays, only to be followed by Christmas 3 weeks later. I *get* what you’re saying! J x
simona says
wow, they look so professional!
invitation for baby shower says
very vice! perfect for my little girl`s party…
Jen says
My twin girls are on sept 15 and my son is sept 17. No, we didn’t plan very well but in my defence my girls were 8 weeks early. We actually have crazy September… With 9 birthdays including mine and my husband!! So I think we win….. lol!
Ellie says
I have 2 born on the same day 3 years apart so I know ALL the jokes..LOL.
The third one was nice and arrived in the other half of the year.
It brings me great anxiety when it rolls around to November and I start thinking/planning for their birthday/party.
Ellie says
Just wanted to add that when my son turns 21 my daughter will be turning 18.
It gives me heart palpitations thinking about that year.
Happylan says
I have three merciful months between my two, but my oversight was on four days between my birthday and my daughter’s. Meaning most of my birthdays will probably be spent in party prep mode. *Pouts* Where is my princess party? :(. Also, combined 50th and 21st anyone? Fun!!!