When you have children, it's really weird how the time flies, isn't it? New parents, you've got plenty of stress-filled, sleepless nights ahead of you, that's for sure, but no matter how much agony you're in at the time, before you know it, it's your son or daughter's first birthday.
You'd think that because your child hasn't yet mastered the art of not pooping itself, throwing a birthday party for them will be a waste, but you'd be missing out on your offspring's first big day - not to mention the opportunity to get drunk with your friends and family as your baby has a great time.
One mom out in Australia splashed the cash for her son's first birthday, but her reasons for doing so are far less joyous than you might have hoped. Jackie Lam comes from Melbourne in Australia, and last month, she celebrated her son Lachlan's very first birthday, splashing out the cash in the process.
With the festivities racking up a bill of around $13,000AUD ($9,475 USD), Jackie certainly made this a birthday to remember, but on this occasion, woven into the joyous narrative of Lachlan's birthday is a subplot of tragedy. At 31, Jackie has become a mother for the first time, but it's not for a lack of trying.
She had been trying to conceive for months, and two years ago, suffered the heartbreak of a miscarriage - something that's bound to shake the belief of any woman trying to be a mother. With Lachlan in tow, that's all behind her now, but even so, Jackie admitted her son's first birthday is a bit of a "bittersweet" event.
"We come from a Vietnamese heritage and in our culture, the first birthday is always the most significant, rather than the sixteenth or the eighteenth. In the back of our minds, we knew we wanted to have a big celebration when he turned one, but we didn’t start planning it until two months before the party."
So, how exactly does a mother spend so much on a kid's first birthday party? Jackie says that the vast majority of the spending went towards catering, but there was plenty of fun stuff too. "They were probably the biggest ticket items," Jackie admitted, with sliders, mini pizzas, and - of course - chocolate logs.
"We themed it around Where The Wild Things Are, and called it Wild One. I love inspiring imagination, especially in children. Seeing their faces – I get so much pleasure from celebrating things with the people I love."
While some people might be horrified to spend five figures on a baby's birthday, Jackie's videographer Aldin Ortinez explained to her that "there’s also a grain of truth in the saying 'love knows no boundaries'".
"I am in the wedding industry, I would know. If you stop regarding it as simply a birthday party, and put it firmly in the category of memorable once-in-a-lifetime experiences, then the answer has to be a resounding yes. Every child deserves a day to celebrate the love they bring into their parents’ lives."
It's an amazing gesture for little Lachlan, and even if he doesn't remember it too well, I'm sure he had an awesome time.
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