Real talk: Halloween is my favorite time of year. Why? Well, I love a theme party, I love making things *and* I love dressing up in a creative costume. FYI, those three things aren’t exclusive to just Halloween ;)

At my media company, Brit + Co, Halloween is basically a 12-month affair. No matter the time of year, we’re either planning or executing something related to the fall holiday. Due to that fact, I have been able to dress up in a countless assortment of costumes in every stage of my life — yep, I’ve done more than my fair share of maternity looks, too.

With that said, my favorite Halloween costume ideas have been those where my son, Ansel, was able to dress up alongside me. Celebrating such a fun holiday with your kids is a great bonding experience.

Two of my absolute favorite “mommy and me” costumes came from a Halloween shoot we did last year. Of the six (!!!) costumes Ansel and I wore, my two favorites were the cop/donut and the movie usher/bucket of popcorn. We both loved these outfits so much because they were super playful, easy to DIY (perfect for us moms who have very little free time) and ultra-comfortable to wear. Bonus perk for the popcorn bucket costume: it was made using a baby carrier — perfect for when your little one isn’t yet at the walking stage.

PRO-TIP: No matter how elaborate the Halloween costume, make sure your little one is as comfortable as possible in it. I know you want to get an Instagram photo that racks up all the likes, but you also don’t want to sacrifice your kid’s comfort (leading to endless tears) because of your social media game. Whatever you do, try your best not to use itchy or synthetic fabrics when buying or DIYing your baby costumes. And definitely soothe their dry, sensitive skin post trick-or-treating with JOHNSON’S® HEAD-TO-TOE® extra moisturizing baby cream before allowing them to indulge in their first Halloween candy haul. Treat your skin while you’re at it, too.

Hopefully these mom & baby costumes will inspire you. With my second son born in May, I now have an even greater challenge in the costume department -- TWO kids costumes! Which set of characters should we be this year as a family of four!? Stay tuned to my Instagram feed to see what we create.

I would love to know what you’re dressing up your kids as this Halloween! Tweet me: @brit