OP, this is very common in my home country.

You can make a thank you card at tiny prints or snap fish with a cute pic of your DC and let people know that you appreciate their sentiments.

I have heard of this before. I remember the birthday announcement concept from "Miss Piggy's Guide to Life", way back in the 80s. This is the closest I could find to a synopsis of her advice on the Internet:

?Chapter 10: Manners ?The proper way to eat a variety of foods is discussed, as well as how to help others avoid the tragedy of missing your birthday and how to handle lapses in manners by others (which usually involves physical violence).

OP, check on tinyprints.com. They have an entire selection of 1st birthday invites as well as announcements - you may find some wording there. Good luick.

I agree with the idea of sending a picture and maybe enclosing an update of what your DD has been up to over the past year. I think that kind of "newsletter" could be printed out, as long as you handwrite an additional note on it that's personalized to each recipient. I have to agree with the PPs who said that they find a formal announcement of the 1st birthday...unusual at best. No offense, OP, it's just outside the norm of social convention, but maybe the folks in your circle would feel different. Sorry for your losses, OP, and congratulations to you on baby's first birthday.

Anonymous wrote:I like the idea. I was thinking of doing the same thing myself, in lieu of a party this year. But after reading this blog and seeing some of the nasty responses I'm thinking twice. People always go to the dark side with "gift grabs" .. Maybe the person just wants to keep people in their lives updated, families spread over the country don't get to see children as often. Ever think of that nay sayers?

Do it, it's a lovely idea, just keep it classy and find a creative way to work it in with the season of the year and well wishes to folks-

Everyone agrees this is great - it is the how people disagree on.

I like the idea. I was thinking of doing the same thing myself, in lieu of a party this year. But after reading this blog and seeing some of the nasty responses I'm thinking twice. People always go to the dark side with "gift grabs" .. Maybe the person just wants to keep people in their lives updated, families spread over the country don't get to see children as often. Ever think of that nay sayers?

Do it, it's a lovely idea, just keep it classy and find a creative way to work it in with the season of the year and well wishes to folks-

Anonymous wrote:You could just mail out pictures with a note written on the back of the photo to each person...a bit more work, but you can just have a generic line.

I agree with this. It's more work but I'd also include a handwritten card. It's easier to do an "announcement" type thing but personally I think that's strange and looks like a gift grab. If your point is just to reach out to people and share news and a beautiful pic, an "announcement" type thing is bizarre, IMO. For wording on a card or the back of a picture, how about something like "Greetings from {child's name} on her first birthday! We can't believe it's been a year already. Just wanted to get in touch and say {we love you/we hope to see you this year/hope you're having a great summer}."

I've personally never sent out birthday announcements. It does seem like a request for gifts, but if you want to, they are out there, so others must send them as well

We have a bunch of out of town family and friends and I get wanting to update everyone on your child! What we did was set up a photo gallery everyone can access. It has pictures with quotes, "I turned 6 weeks old today, I went into a pool for the first time, at my 4th month check up (include stats)." The ones who don't know what a computer is, grandparents, etc, we have a photo printer and print off a few shots here and there and on the back we put the same quotes and send them off.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:wow, i can't help but be snarky here....do all of you have ugly kids? why are you so against OP sending out pictures of her lovely one year old daughter?

Did you read the responses? Not one person said they were opposed to OP sending pictures and, in fact, many suggested alternative ways of doing so. Everyone is opposed to a "birthday announcement" as propsed initially by OP.

OP, I would send cards to people expressing your appreciation for their support in this tough year and also updating them on your DD's milestones and inclusing pictures. So sorry for your losses.

I agree that OP would be best served by taking cues from old-fashioned correspondence! A cute photo of her daughter in a brief, personalized note is a great way to connect with people who have been kind. Sending out a formal, generic birthday announcement seems strange--and it also doesn't help connect with people individually.

Anonymous wrote:wow, i can't help but be snarky here....do all of you have ugly kids? why are you so against OP sending out pictures of her lovely one year old daughter?

Did you read the responses? Not one person said they were opposed to OP sending pictures and, in fact, many suggested alternative ways of doing so. Everyone is opposed to a "birthday announcement" as propsed initially by OP.

OP, I would send cards to people expressing your appreciation for their support in this tough year and also updating them on your DD's milestones and inclusing pictures. So sorry for your losses.

wow, i can't help but be snarky here....do all of you have ugly kids? why are you so against OP sending out pictures of her lovely one year old daughter?

silly as can be

Send out pictures if you must, but avoid this nonsense, as it makes no sense.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could just mail out pictures with a note written on the back of the photo to each person...a bit more work, but you can just have a generic line.

PP here. My mother used to send out our pictures every birthday or school year. I don't think its weird at all.

OP here (again).

This is a good suggestion - and I get some of these from my friends - but I'm still not sure what wording to include.
Maybe just, 'Janie on her first birthday.'

I think just: "Janie on her first birthday July 2010" is plenty.

Why don't you do it as a letter, instead of an "announcement"? The announcement will absolutely be taken as a gift-grab, even if you don't mean it to be. Do you really want all of these "outpouring" people to get the wrong impression?

I understand what you're trying to do, and I think an "update letter from our family" with a picture of DD's face covered in cake is totally appropriate.

Sorry you've had such a sucky year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could just mail out pictures with a note written on the back of the photo to each person...a bit more work, but you can just have a generic line.

PP here. My mother used to send out our pictures every birthday or school year. I don't think its weird at all.

OP here (again).

This is a good suggestion - and I get some of these from my friends - but I'm still not sure what wording to include.
Maybe just, 'Janie on her first birthday.'