Hello November Goodbye Hair

November is one of my favorite months because it kicks off the holiday season with my favorite holiday - Thanksgiving. I love getting the family together and cooking a traditional Thanksgiving meal. I insist on doing all the cooking and for the most part make everything from scratch. This year it was going to be a challenge with Nathan. How was I going to get it all done?

My husband is not a fan of turkey and always asking that we replace it was ham, as in honeybaked ham. This was the year his wish came true. I wanted to have Thanksgiving, after all it was Nathan's first. But I knew couldn't do it all. So Honeybaked Ham instead of turkey. Basic recipes instead of fancy food network recipes. Minimal side dishes and yes, perish the thought, store bought pumpkin pie. My nephew Ricky would have been so disappointed with the lack of gourmet cuisine, but luckily and sadly he did not come for Thanksgiving. Stayed at grad school instead. My sister Manali decide not to drive up from So Cal. Also missing this year were paternal grandparents, who were in India, and Umesh kaka (uncle) and Varsha kaki (aunt) who were in Michigan. But the rest of enjoyed it despite the absences since Nathan was the main attraction.

Before we began with the Thanksgiving celebration, we performed Nathan's Mundan Ceremony. A mundan ceremony is Hindu rite in which a child receives his first haircut. They ceremony is performed before the child turns 2 or after they turn 3. The child's hair is shaven off to signify freedom the past and moving into the future. The hair is then offered to a priest for him to bless. We actual sent the lock of hair to India for Nathan's grandparents to take to the temple to have it blessed by a priest.

In Nathan's case we only grew his hair out for a few months. The ceremony is performed by a foi (aunt - specifically one of Keyoor's sisters). Nathan's Ritafoi performed the ceremony. She only did a symbolic cutting of hair. The next day we took him for a crew cut. Thought about making him bald but what if his hair grew back funny.

Nathan wore a traditional Krishna outfit that my Ketki masi (aunt - Mom's sister) sent from India. He looked so cute. You know Nathan means Lord Krishna. Certainly he is as mischievous. Check out my November pictures to see how cute he looked.

After the ceremony it was time to chow down. Each Thanksgiving we go around the table and say what we are thankful for. As no suprise everyone was thankful that Nathan was finally home. Nathan loves to eat so he enjoyed all the food. Again check out the November pictures to see how he enjoyed the day. I think he know it was all about him.

It was the perfect day. See the December pictures if you want to see Nathan with a crew cut.