The shout of, ?Happy Birthday!? brings all of us a little tingle of excitement. Birthdays, even when we try to pretend they are depressing, are really a bit of fun. For our children, birthdays are far more than a simple passing of time; they represent important milestones and bring that child one step closer to adulthood and the freedoms it offers.

The most celebrated of childhood are the ones with the greatest meaning.

The first year of life is truly amazing. At no other time in life will so many changes take place in such a short measure of time. Newborns who can barely lift their eyelids will be racing around and smashing their cupcakes with tiny fists by the time they turn one. No wonder so many parents mark the occasion with a huge party.

Either the fifth or sixth birthday will be the one that makes the child ready for school. Suddenly all baby and toddler effects are gone, and your little one is ready for formal learning in the classroom. Not only that, but this birthday is one of the most magical as your child is young enough to believe in birthday magic, but old enough to help plan the party exactly the way she wants. Look for decoration and invitation ideas on The Doll Palace.com.

There is no greater milestone for many children than entering their teen years. Even if a thirteen-year-old acts no differently than their twelve year old friends, there is a certain status that comes with entering the hallowed teens. The beginning of the teen years makes party planning a bit more complicated. Look for decoration and invitation ideas on .

In some cultures the fifteenth birthday marks the coming of age, but in most sixteen is the magic number. Girls have Sweet Sixteen parties and boys start to move out from under their parent's thumbs. Not only are these older teens beginning to experience a bit of grown-up freedom, they also qualify for a driver's license in many states and countries.

Turning eighteen lets the world know that you are no longer a child, you are an adult. Eighteen is the magic number for many things including the right to vote, buy tobacco or lottery tickets and, for males, to register for the draft. It is an exciting year for teenagers, but scary at the same time. Eighteen often is the age where children leave their home to begin their own life.

At twenty-one, it is official that you no longer have a child on your hands. Your child is an adult in every sense of the word and has every right and privilege the world extends to him. Alcohol, car rentals and more are now available and with the passing of this year, all manner of childhood passes along with it.