Happy Birthday Truett! {Personal Event/Retail}

Today was my (Katie) son Truett’s 4th birthday. Truett was born with a congenital brain deformity that impacts his coordination, reflexes, hearing, and vision. Though Truett cannot hear us, he loves to watch and is very observational. Some of his favorite muses are our family dogs, so naturally Merrymint had to throw him a Puppy Pawty! See the highlights below! 

Rachel and I started the set up by designing a backdrop. We used paper fans (coming SOON!), a custom Happy Birthday Banner from Rach Creates Designs, and our dog thing-a-ma-jigs to make the design pop! We hung them to the wall using blue painters tape and string. Quick tip: When hanging fans, have a shape in mind before you hang them. I was going for a half moon/smile shape.

Once we set up the backdrop, we set the table. We used the Merrymint Let’s Pawty Collection Plates and Treat Bowls. To extend the theme, I made Almond Joy Puppy Chow and filled doggie treat bowls for our guests (see the recipe here!) 

Truett’s puppy cake was from my favorite local bakery, Bea Sweet Treats! We continued the almond flavor theme with an almond cake. The table runner was kraft wrapping paper I found at the Dollar Tree. 

The set up for Truett’s party took less than an hour, and honestly that is what Merrymint is all about. We started this company to make it easy. Not just easy in terms of the selection, decorating tips etc, but also easy in our hearts. 

The hardest part of being a special needs parent is the loneliness. You truly don’t understand what it’s like unless you’re living it. My child cannot hold his head up, so play dates at the park are a challenge. Parties at the museum or places with lots of activity are daunting. Making goodie bags feels useless when your child can’t eat by mouth. Sometimes birthdays and holidays feel more like a reminder of the milestones missed and the goals not yet achieved.

But this year, because of Merrymint, I was reminded of what matters most. Instead of going down the rabbit hole of anxiety that comes when planning any event with a lot of details, I was able to keep it simple. Having all of the cute details laid out in a simple to execute theme was just what I needed to truly be present. I was reminded of what a joy it is to celebrate your children with people you love.

So if you’re like me, and celebration sometimes seems too overwhelming for whatever reason you have, hear me out: Celebrate anyway. You are making memories that will last a lifetime, and they don’t have to be elaborate or expensive to be meaningful.

Here at Merrymint we want to make it simple for you, mostly because we like it simple too. We are busy moms who want our kids to look back one day and remember the little ways we loved them. Maybe that’s a small party for your son’s birthday, where he lights up at his simple cake and balloons. Maybe it’s putting holiday decor on your child’s bookcase and having a countdown on your refrigerator. Maybe it’s sprinkling glitter in your yard to show the Tooth Fairy where your house is. Whatever is simple and good and fun, do that. We are here with you.