We first discovered The Pigeon sometime ago, and the whole family instantly fell for Mo Willems’ mischievous character. We read every Pigeon book we could borrow from the library and tried a few other favorites by the same author. The expressive illustrations and the interactive tone of the stories captivated both of us—Oscar loved shouting responses and I appreciated the clever simplicity. So when it came to planning Calvin’s first birthday, a Pigeon-themed party felt like the perfect fit, even if Calvin himself didn’t quite grasp what was happening yet.
Baking is not my strongest skill, but I gave Cal’s first birthday cake my best effort. I spent the entire Friday baking and decorating, and was actually pleased with the results. I made a larger cake for guests and a smaller “smash” cake for Calvin to dig into. The whole project was a learning experience—Mom: 1, Frosting: 0—but it was worth the effort to see his face.
To add small touches around the room, I borrowed several ideas I’d found on Pinterest. I made paper lantern pigeons to hang in the window and crafted a few simple pigeon favors for the little guests to take home. These handmade decorations were quick to assemble and added a playful, cohesive feel to the celebration.
Looking back, it would have been fun to read Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus with all the kids gathered around—the story is even more entertaining with an audience—but it completely slipped my mind during the hustle of party prep. Still, there were plenty of laughs, and the kids loved the decorations and activities.
The best part of the day was watching Calvin celebrate turning ONE. He gleefully smashed into his cake and basked in the attention from family and friends. Oscar had a fantastic time too—many of the other kids were close to his age—so the house buzzed with energy, laughter and the inevitable sugar rush. After all the excitement, Oscar has already started talking about themes for his own upcoming birthday.