Dd has had birthday parties for every year ranging from a big family one for her 1st (we were living with my parents at the time and they invited everyone, then on to toddler group invitees and now school friends.
Poor ds's birthdays on the other hand have been a bit non event. We planned to invite his cousins and NCT group people to a small party. However there was a mix up with my brother's little girl's christening (church double booked them) and the only date they could rearraneg was his party day so we stepped aside and just had grandparents round for tea a few days before.
His second birthday last year we arranged for several little friends to come round, then the day before dd came down with an awful vomiting bug so we had to cancel. We did re-arrange a week later but as it was during half term several couldn't come so again it was immediate family only.
This year I have no-one to invite. We don't go to NCT anymore as he is a bit old and we stopped going to toddler group as he wasn't enjoying it. He starts nursery after half term. His cousin had a third birthday party yesterday in a hall etc. I feel sorry for the little lad. I could just invite his 2 cousins and 1 friend who he used to go to sing & sign with, will start his nursery shortly after him and whose sister is in dd's class at school but does that look a bit sad just inviting one non family person.