I couldn't justify throwing a party that my 1-year-old wouldn't remember. My husband and I went to a fancy dinner instead.

The author said she couldn't justify putting a lot of effort into a birthday party her child wouldn't remember. Instead, she and her husband took the opportunity to go on their first date since having a baby and to celebrate how their lives had changed over the past year.Courtesy of Renate Flanagan.

Before I was a mom, I had no clue how big birthday parties had gotten for 1-year-olds.My husband and I couldn't justify throwing a party for our son that he wouldn't remember.Instead, we did something we would remember, and celebrated with our first date night post-baby.

Before I had a baby, I had no clue that birthday parties for 1-year-olds were even a thing.As my friends started having children, I got invited to their kids' first birthday parties. I was surprised when the invitation mentioned a food truck and had links to an online gift registry.

I was caught off guard by how extravagant they seemed. I think every family should be able to establish their own traditions and celebrations, but I wanted something different for my family.There's a lot of pressure as a parent, and it starts earlyOn social media, it almost seems as if having a pregnancy announcement photo shoot, a gender reveal party, a baby shower, and a baby belly photo shoot are obligatory for an expectant parent.

Then the first year of your child's life culminates in a themed birthday party that looks like it jumped off a Pinterest board, complete with a picture-perfect smash cake.I did none of those things.Already feeling bad about the number of disposable diapers my future child would use, I prioritized getting secondhand baby items whenever possible instead of registering for new stuff.

I have a few snapshots of me with a prominent baby belly, but they weren't part of a staged photo shoot that I hired a professional for.The author said she didn't book a professional photographer for baby bump photos or a pregnancy announcement. Instead, she took casual photos of herself and her husband doing everyday t