Toddler Tuesday: For the Love of Food & Family

Baby Goose enjoying her dinner.

Just look at that sweet baby girl!  Somehow she might even be cuter with dinner all over her face.  Maybe its the mere fact that with her messy face, hands, bib, hair and sometimes even feet that I know she's thoroughly loved the meal I prepared for her.  (Anyone that loves my food gets a bonus star in my book.)

I remember the first messy face Brother Goose picture I took.  It was one of his first meals.

Awe...look at those chubby cheeks.

I'm sure we all have these pictures of our kids (or of ourselves) a mess from the days of learning how to eat.  They are classic moments of parenthood and a right of passage as children captured around a family meal.

I am one of those people that prefers and sometimes insists on family dinners.  Even before our goslings, I would wait for Daddy Goose to get home from work so that we could have our dinner together.  (He still won't eat without me.) Growing up, family dinners were a tradition.  While at the time I did not always enjoy it, I am very thankful for the time I spent with my parents and siblings around the dinner table.

These days it is a little harder to have a family meal every night. Daddy Goose works late during the week, so many times it is me and our goslings eating at the table.  However, Daddy Goose and I make it a priority to eat together on the weekends.  Family meals are something that we want to instill as important to our goslings.  I've read many studies that say that families that eat together communicate more, kids get better grades when their parents are involved in family activities (such as meals) and kids are more likely to stay out of trouble.  Besides, we wouldn't all be able to enjoy these messy faces if we didn't sit at the table together.

Do you eat as a family?  Why is it important to you?  It doesn't matter if its at the table, on TV trays, on a picnic bench or in your backyard on a blanket.  Make meals fun, meaningful and maybe a little messy and I guarantee you'll forget about how good or bad your food is and make awesome memories that will last your and your kids a lifetime.

Here are some other fun, messy face pictures of my goslings. Join me on Facebook for more pics of my goslings and make sure to share some of your messy cuties! I'd love to see them!

Momma Goose

Not much better than watermelon on a hot afternoon.

Homemade chocolate pudding Popsicle...yum!