As she planned her daughter's first birthday, there was no question Dayna Devon was going to roll out the red carpet. In part, the cohost of the entertainment-news show Extra wanted to make up for her own less-than-stellar childhood birthdays. "My parents were the best, but they were both busy working," she says. "Sometimes things slipped." Like parties: "We sent out invitations late one year, so only one person came!" The old-Hollywood theme was also an obvious choice, given Devon's career. Emmi had been in the spotlight even in utero, with various celebrities rubbing her mom's belly after interviews. Now it was her turn to walk—or toddle—down the red carpet.
To adopt the classic-Hollywood theme, Devon and her husband, plastic surgeon Brent Moelleken, set out to transform their Los Angeles backyard into a vintage movie set. The first stops were the dollar store and the thrift shop for Groucho glasses, top hats, and costume jewelry. "Small things that don't cost a lot can make such a big impact," Devon says. On the big day, kids crowded around a suitcase full of sparkly dress-up finds while a Chaplin impersonator entertained the crowd. The cast of characters (the guest list) wasn't limited to children, with dozens of teenagers, parents, and grandparents joining in the party. "There are so many people involved in raising a child," says Devon, who recently gave birth to Emmi's brother, Cole. "We wanted this day to be for them as well." And yes, Devon knows her daughter was too young to understand what all the hoopla was about (though she did seem to appreciate the feather boas). But she hopes Emmi will feel the love when she sees the photos in the future: "I want her to know that each year was monumental and magical."
