Thanksgiving is a time for families to come together and that shouldn’t exclude your baby. Whether he is just sampling table foods or is a full-fledged finger-food eater, your child can be very much a part of the family Thanksgiving dinner if you plan ahead:

Plain Mashed Potatoes – Regular or sweet potatoes are naturals for babies eating finger foods or being spoon fed. Lumpy mashed potatoes are great for little fingers and if you mash the potatoes to a lumpy state, you can scoop some out and mash the rest to a finer quality if you like. Spoon fed babies probably prefer the finer mashed varieties. Avoid gravies for your little one as they are heavy and often contain a great deal of fat and other items your child doesn’t need.

Macaroni and Cheese – It might not be a Thanksgiving tradition (yet) around your house, but if you prepare macaroni and cheese from scratch for the table, your toddler will likely be very grateful. You would be hard-pressed to find a child or adult who didn’t love mac and cheese, even if it’s served on china plates.

Beans – When preparing your green bean casserole or a pot of lima beans, put some aside to keep them clean and unseasoned. Most children can handle and enjoy sauces and seasonings as they get older, but young toddlers and picky preschoolers would probably enjoy a variety that was closer to what they enjoy every day.

If you are like most parents, you have a huge collection of baby pictures, toddler pictures and then school pictures of your children. What is most often missing from the collection is a picture of the family as a whole. Family portraits can be hard to arrange as we have so many different commitments pulling on our schedules, but taking pictures together as a family on a regular basis can be one of the most powerful mementos you have of your growing family.

Book a Photographer
If you wait for the ideal time, it’s likely you’ll never find it. Instead, simply book a photographer to come out to your home on a certain day or make an appointment at a photo studio. Treat this as any of your other commitments and leave yourself plenty of time to get ready.

Look Your Best
It can be hard for new parents to look their best. All attention is riveted on the youngest members of the family and moms especially tend to get by without a lot of personal attention. Hair and nails are no longer priorities and a wash-and-wear wardrobe becomes essential. Step away from that life for a day and find yourself something flattering and nice to wear. Have your hair and nails done and spend an extra three minutes on your make-up. You never know when you’ll have another chance to make your family look this good