Photos: 21 real celebrity mom moments we've all been through

by

Carolyn Robertson

posted in Celebrities

When's the last time you walked a red carpet?

When's the last time Michael Kors called you up and offered you a free evening gown? Or you had a team of stylists file your nails while you sat back and breastfed your baby? Or you packed up your kids and hopped a private jet to an equally private island?

Never?! Yeah, me too.

For some A-listers all of that glitz and glamor just seems to be part of the job description, so it's no wonder it can be hard for those of us outside of Hollywood to relate sometimes.

It's not all parties and pampering, though, as these pictures prove. Here are some sweet moments in the lives of famous mamas that just may look familiar to all of us.

One of the great things about motherhood is that in some ways it really is a universal experience. We've all felt the love and fear that comes with bringing home a newborn, we've all felt the exhausted frustration of being woken up for the umpteenth time in the middle of the night. We've all looked down at our gorgeous, tiny babies and felt overwhelmed and awestruck by just how much we adore them.

Another great thing about motherhood? It's nothing if not humbling. Public meltdowns, potty training and stubbornly picky eaters have a way of bringing all of us crashing right back down to earth - even the rich and famous.

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Have you had any of these mommy moments lately?

Some of our favorite famous moms get real about childbirth...

Photo: Beverly News/Rex/REX USA

Ahoy! Liv Tyler reveals new baby's nautical name

by

Carolyn Robertson

posted in Celebrities

Congratulations to Liv Tyler and her boyfriend Dave Gardner, who welcomed a baby boy to the world on February 11 - six weeks ahead of schedule.

Despite his early arrival, it was a long wait for baby #2 for the 37-year-old actress, who also has 10-year-old son Milo with her ex-husband Royston Langdon. It sounds like the new baby is a dream come true for Liv, who revealed last Fall, “If you knew me well, they were the things my heart longed for. And they all came together, like a speeding freight train, in one year.”

With her little one just 10 days old, the gorgeous mama took to Instagram to share a sweet photo of his tiny hands clutching a pendant with an anchor on it - a clue to his unusual, nautical name.

"Sailor Gene Gardner," Liv captioned the shot.

Liv with Sailor's big brother Milo

Liv isn't the only member of the Tyler family who is over the moon about the new addition. Grandpa Steven Tyler, of Aerosmith fame, hopped a plane so that he could be there for Sailor's birth.

"When I got the call that Liv was going into labor, after crying like a baby myself, I immediately dropped everything and went to to the airport to get on the next available flight," the rocker wrote on Facebook. "When I landed I kept calling my daughter MIA who was already helping Liv and she kept giving me minute by minute updates,’HURRY THE BABY IS COMING!’ I made it RIGHT in time before my second grandson entered this world. It was another (God wink) moment of a lifetime for me.”

So what do you think of the name Sailor? I think it's sort of sweet, although I admit I usually associate it with girls rather than boys. That being said, gender-bending baby names are a hot trend (Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds seem to love it!) so it seems Liv has her finger on the pulse.

Boys only! Liv Tyler is one of many celebrity moms who have welcomed only sons...

Photos: PR Photos, REX USA

Kristen Bell's epidural had 'mind-blowing' side effects

by

Carolyn Robertson

posted in Celebrities

Two months after welcoming her second daughter Delta, actress Kristen Bell still has fond memories of her epidural - despite its very strange side effects.

While Kristen's husband Dax Shepard has confessed that watching her go through childbirth has left him scarred, the mom-of-two remembers her c-section experience in a very different way.

"He told you how traumatic it was for him, but to be honest, my perspective was, as someone who has never experimented with drugs, I really enjoyed it," she said during a visit to The Ellen DeGeneres Show this week. "It was kind of a wonderful experience for me. While they were doing it, I actually thought, 'What else could we get done down there? Maybe lengthen the shins? I've always wanted to be like 5-foot-7.' Just anything to keep the epidural flowing. These modern hospitals, man! They treat you right."

Kristen does admit that there were a couple of kind of alarming side effects, though.

"It wears out of your system slowly. About six or seven hours later, I'm sitting in my hospital bed and I say to Dax, 'Well, I think the epidural has finally worn off.' He looks over and I am scratching holes in my face like a meth addict, and I'm like, 'I think it might be time to re-up. I don't know. It's definitely worn off.' He's like, 'Are you sure? You think it's worn off, hon?'" the always funny mom-of-two recounts. "The nurse comes in, and obviously she notices and offers a little bit of Benadryl to help with the itching and to put me to sleep. Well, what a cocktail, because I had a lot to say more than when I'm sober!"

Strangely enough, Kristen's drug-induced state also put her in the mood for a shopping spree. The 34-year-old Veronica Mars star, who is also mom to daughter Lincoln, says she spent much of her labor obsessing over home decor and other must-have items online: "Do you know what looks really good when you're on that stuff? Hand bags! Or throw pillows or rugs... Thank God I didn't remember my credit card number. So nothing bad happened.... Honestly, a picture of a throw pillow was as mind blowing as seeing The Matrix for the first time."

I always love hearing Kristen's hilarious take on all things motherhood, but I have to admit this is the first time I've heard of an epidural-induced spending spree. Having gone through two drug-free deliveries, I kind of envy her pain-free childbirth experience. Minus the "meth addict" face-scratching, obviously.

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Did you have an epidural? Were there any odd effects?

Kristen Bell and other famous moms reveal their birth plans...

Photo: PR Photos

Cindy Crawford's shockingly 'honest' photo goes viral

by

Carolyn Robertson

posted in Celebrities

Cindy Crawford is one of those women who seems to defy the laws of gravity.

I blame my kids for all of these grey hairs I have these days, but the creases around my eyes and the lines across my forehead? Those are all Mother Nature's doing. Time seems to have passed Cindy Crawford by, though: With her 49th birthday coming up next week, the legendary supermodel and mom-of-two looks every bit as beautiful as she did when she dominated the industry two decades ago.

Cindy Crawford with her husband Rande Gerber and kids Presley and Kaia in February 2015.

A photo that was released this week portrays the model mom in a whole new light, though. First posted to Twitter by British news anchor Charlene White, the picture, taken from a Marie Claire photo spread, shows Cindy striking a sultry pose clad in lingerie and an ostrich feather coat. Just your typical photo shoot, right? But there's something that makes this particular image extraordinary: It hasn't been retouched. No Photoshop, no technology-aided beautification, no dreaded "thigh gap." It shows Cindy as she truly is. Gorgeous and real.

See the photo here!

While Cindy has so far stayed silent on the image, which has been shared thousands of times already, Marie Claire magazine confirmed its authenticity, saying "it is real, it is honest, and it is gorgeous.... its origins are actually from a December 2013 cover story from Marie Claire Mexico and Latin America. It appears that this unretouched version is a leak."

I think it's an incredible shot. Cindy looks strong and fierce, sexy and drop-dead gorgeous. She also looks like a real woman, with lines and textures, with a body that has born two babies and lived five decades. The fact that this photo stands out as being so remarkable just goes to show how rare it is to see an honest depiction of a woman's body - even a woman that looks like Cindy Crawford - in the media.

The image has sparked a largely positive response, with women breathing a collective sigh of relief at seeing a model who looks somewhat recognizable. "She is giving me life [with] this bold shoot," Tweeted actress and mom-of-five Holly Robinson Pete. "If we don't stop glorifying the frozen faced implanted puffed up retouched beauty culture our daughters are in BIG trouble."

As a woman who has grown up in this perfection-obsessed culture, and as a mom who is trying to navigate two young girls through it, I agree with her. It wasn't all that long ago that Cindy Crawford ruled the runway - and she did it with her thighs touching. We were probably all a little better for it.

"When I was modeling, size 6 was a normal size and now it's like 2 or 0," she recently revealed of today's shrinking supermodels.

Cindy has yet to comment on this particular photo that has everyone else talking, but she did recently open up about body image and self-acceptance: "I really think - at any age - it's learning to be comfortable in your own skin," she said. "If women would treat themselves with the same kind of love they give to their friends, that would be such a great gift we could give ourselves.... What makes you the most attractive is self-confidence. That's what people see."

Photos: Gregory Pace/BEImages, PR Photos

Dolly Parton is giving kids millions of books: Find out why!

by

Carolyn Robertson

posted in Celebrities

Dolly Parton has no children of her own, but the country superstar has made a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of kids over the years - and she's done it one book at a time.

In 1995, Dolly launched The Imagination Library, a nonprofit organization that aimed to deliver books free of charge to young children in her home town in East Tennessee, USA. Through the program, registered children receive a new, age-appropriate book in the mail every month from the time they are born to the time they enter kindergarten. They range from classics to new titles, from early level touch-and-feel books to those dealing with common fears to stories that help kids as they get ready to start school. The Imagination Library even offers braille and audio format books for children who are visually impaired.

Dolly says that the initiative was inspired by her father Robert Lee Parton, revealing, "My father couldn't read and write. I wanted to do something to honor my dad because he was a wonderful human being. So it's very personal to me. Very emotional. And I'm just so happy that I can help put books in the hands of children. You can't ever get enough of that, can you?"

It seems many people agree with her, because due to the overwhelming response, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library started an affiliate program in 2000, partnering with local communities and organizations who wanted to get involved in the early literacy initiative. In the 20 years since its inception, the program has spread beyond Tennessee, across the country and to other corners of the world, too. An astounding 60,000,000 books have been gifted to over children in the USA, the UK and Canada.

My daughter with a favorite book

Think about that for a minute. Think of the excitement a child feels when they receive a gift in the mail, the joy they get from reading a book, and from sharing it with someone they love. Thanks to the Imagination Library, that has happened 60 million times. According to the organization's Web site, "Already statistics and independent reports have shown Dolly Parton's Imagination Library drastically improves early childhood literacy for children enrolled in the program. Further studies have shown improved scores during early literacy testing."

Dolly says that her hope was that The Imagination Library would in some small way help to open up new worlds for kids, putting them on the path to achieving whatever goals they eventually set for themselves: "When I was growing up in the hills of East Tennessee, I knew my dreams would come true. I know there are children in your community with their own dreams. They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer," she writes in an open letter on the Web site. "The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world."

My first impression upon learning about Dolly Parton's Imagination Library was that it's just such an incredible and inspiring initiative. My second was: How did I not know about this before now?! With my youngest set to enter Kindergarten in the fall it's a little too late for us to sign up, but I'm still so happy to know that a program like this even exists. On a daily basis, I see the joy my two girls get from books, whether it's my preschooler reading her favorite "lift-the-flap" story for the hundredth time or my 3rd grader with her nose in chapter book, lost in a mermaid mystery. That's a bit of magic every child should have the chance to experience.

My hat's off to Dolly for touching the lives of so many kids in such a wonderful way.

21 incredible life lessons from children's books...

Photo: PR Photos

Scott Foley's tips for surviving 'insane' parenting

by

Carolyn Robertson

posted in Celebrities

Scandal star Scott Foley is convinced that parenting is utterly "insane." With 3 kids under 5 years old, he's basically an expert, so we should probably take his opinion on the matter seriously.

Just for fun, I looked up the definition of insane, and this was one of the descriptions I found: "In a state of extreme annoyance or distraction." Um... check! I'd say that describes me at least 33.3% of the time. So maybe Scott Foley is onto something here.

“Fatherhood is insane. I’m lucky enough to have three healthy children. And I’m lucky enough to be woken up every day between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.” Scott, who has kids Malina, 5, Keller, 2, and Konrad, 3 months, tells PEOPLE. “My 2½-year-old, if he doesn’t ‘drop’ anything at 3 a.m., it’s a good night.”

Fortunately, Scott, 38, has some tips for all of the other dads out there in the trenches of parenting: Nap often, and tell tiny lies when necessary.

“I nap at lunch. But if I take up any longer than 10 minutes, I’m a wreck for the day,” he says. “And I make up call times. If I have to be [on set] at 9 a.m., I’ll say, ‘Sorry, babe, I got to be there at 7.’ Then, I sleep in my trailer for a couple hours.”

Oh, I really hope that Scott's wife of 7 years, Marika Dominczyk, reads this interview.

The former Alias star adds that the key to survival is keeping things low-key at the end of the day.

“We keep it together because we’re pretty simple,” he says. “This [Hollywood glamour] is all fake. We make dinner at home. We sit with the kids. We do crossword puzzles at night between watching The Bachelor and Scandal.”

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Do you have 2 under 2? Or 3 under 5? What are your survival tips?

The best, the worst and the brutally honest: Famous dads talk fatherhood...

Photo: PR Photos

Pregnant at the Grammys: 12 looks you may have missed

by

Carolyn Robertson

posted in Celebrities

If you were hoping to catch a glimpse of country star Carrie Underwoods' growing bump at tonight's Grammy Awards, I'm afraid you're out of luck. The mom-to-be says she and her husband Mike Fisher will be skipping this year's festivities because she's just way too pregnant.

“I wish I could go to the Grammys, but travel’s kind of out for me at this point. It’s tempting, but I can’t fly that far away this late in my pregnancy,” the Nashville-based singer tells E! News. “I’ll be in my pajamas watching it from the comfort of my couch.”

Too bad! To be honest, though, given the choice I'd rather cozy up on the couch than squeeze my third trimester belly into a ball gown.

Several expectant stars have attended the Grammys over the years, though. Some hit the red carpet well into their pregnancies - one even hit the stage on her due date!

Take a look at some of the best, and most outrageous, maternity looks from the Grammy awards and tell us which one is your favorite...

As for Carrie Underwood, she may not be making the trip to LA tonight, but that doesn't mean she won't be enjoying the party: “You know, I should just get all dressed up anyways,” she jokes. “I should get my hair and makeup done, and get a dress and watch it from my couch all dressed up like I’m there!”

A look back at the best and worst of last year's Grammys red carpet...

Photo: REX USA

Mila Kunis' very big baby 'skipped the newborn phase'

by

Carolyn Robertson

posted in Celebrities

Actress Mila Kunis made her first red carpet appearance this week since she and her boyfriend (or is it husband?) Ashton Kutcher welcomed their daughter Wyatt Isabelle in October. The new mom, who has credited her post-baby slim down to breastfeeding, looked drop dead gorgeous in a black Dolce & Gabbana gown at the LA premiere of her new film, Jupiter Ascending.

Mila, 31, also dropped by The Ellen DeGeneres Show this week, where she of course chatted about her brand new baby girl. The petite 5'4" star revealed a rather surprising detail about the birth: Wyatt arrived weighing a whopping 9.5lbs.

"We skipped the newborn stage," the Ukraine-born beauty said. "She was a good hearty eater so she slept well.... Newborn never happened. Newborn diapers never happened. And newborn clothes never happened.... She's 4 months old and wears 6-month clothing. Six to nine. She's a big girl, y'all."

Wow! I tend to assume that small-framed moms will have smaller babies, but clearly that's not always the case. Maybe little Wyatt will be taking after her daddy, who stands quite tall at just over 6'2".

Opening up about new motherhood, Mila admitted that, like many parents, she's a bit shocked by just how fiercely she loves her baby girl.

“The truest meaning of unconditional love is my child,” she explains. “I thought I loved Ashton, I thought I loved my parents, my dogs. I was like, ‘I know love.’ It’s such a different aspect, though. It’s not like it’s greater or lesser, it’s just in a whole other field.... If she murdered somebody in cold blood, I would love her. I would be like, ‘That’s okay.’ It’s so weird, but when she was born, I was like, ‘This is the most incredible thing that’s ever happened.'”

As for Ashton, who she gushes is already an "amazing," hands-on, diaper-changing, swaddle-mastering dad, it sounds like congratulations may be in order. Speculation that the pair have already tied the knot began last month when the Two and Half Men star posted a New Year's greeting to Facebook from "The Kushters."

“It’s my duty — I’m your friend — but it’s my duty as a talk show host to ask you the question if you’re married because he posted this so it means something,” Ellen said. "It says 'The Kutchers' so it sounds like you're married."

The host took Mila's initial response as confirmation of the nuptials, guessing, "I'm gonna say yes."

The actress did finally reply, though she stopped short of officially confirming the rumors: “I don’t know. We could just be a plural. My daughter has his last name, legally. So there’s multiple Kutchers. He has a brother.”

A brother? Not a very convincing denial, is it? I think I'm going to go with Ellen's hunch on this one and offer the maybe-married pair my tentative congratulations.

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Let's talk baby weight: How tall are you? And how big was your baby?

More of our favorite famous mom and daughter duos...

Photos: PR Photos

Gwyneth Paltrow wants you to steam clean your lady parts

by

Carolyn Robertson

posted in Celebrities

It's no secret that a woman's personal hygiene routine tends to drop off a bit when there's a baby in the house. Brush teeth? Check! Shave legs? Maybe next month. So I'd take a guess that not too many of us have set time aside for a vaginal steam clean lately.

Yes, you read that right. In a new entry on her GOOP lifestyle web site, actress, entrepreneur and mom-of-two Gwyneth Paltrow talks about the importance of cleaning out "your uterus, et al," and even advises where to go in Santa Monica to get it done. Take a read...

"Tikkun is the next level when it comes to Korean spas, combining high-tech far infrared heat with traditional Korean sauna therapies. So, if you want to lay down in a Himalayan salt brick tiled sauna, or sit in a Hwangto clay room, you get the added benefit of far infrared heat. And, in addition to the sauna rooms, there’s a long menu of massages and kick-ass body scrubs to complement the sauna time. We’re burying the lede though, because the real golden ticket here is the Mugworth V-Steam: You sit on what is essentially a mini-throne, and a combination of infrared and mugwort steam cleanses your uterus, et al. It is an energetic release—not just a steam douche—that balances female hormone levels. If you’re in LA, you have to do it."

Yes, ladies: It's past time we steam clean our lady parts. Who's with me?

Anyone? Hello?

No, I must admit that as much as I usually love Gwyneth Paltrow and appreciate her thoughtful advice on high-priced wardrobes and detox diets, I'm going to have to take a pass this time around. On my list of personal maintenance priorities, a steam douche falls somewhere in between rubbing coffee grounds on my thighs to get rid of cellulite and permanently tattooing on lipliner. In other words, it's not going to happen.

I'll leave the steam cleaning of nether regions to those a bit more adventurous. I am, however, hoping to find the time to chip off what's left of last week's nail polish by the spring. What can I say? I'm a slave to beauty.

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Steam douche? Mani/pedi? What's your fave way to treat yourself?

A few more of Gwyneth's more memorable quotes...

Photos: PR Photos

Snooki's teary meltdown: I've been there! You, too?

by

Sara McGinnis

posted in Celebrities

Snooki recently hit a rough patch of emotional turbulence. The reality star, who is mom to 2-year-old Lorenzo and 4-month-old Giovanna, recently crumpled while leaving them both for the first time.

Writing in her personal blog the newlywed shared, "So this was the first time I left both kids I left Lorenzo before but this was the first time I left Giovanna and Lorenzo, and I cried the whole way to the airport."

Trying to look on the bright side, Snooki continued, "That’s just life and I’m basically out here because I’m working for my kids. I gotta feed my two nuggets so it’s all worth it but I miss them."

Snooki then went on to give fans an update on what her two cuties have been up to lately, but not before slipping in a seemingly random bit about how Lorenzo and Giovanna won't be homeschooled or attend private school.

Immediately after writing about the airport meltdown she went on:

"They are going to go to public school like normal kids! Giovanna is only four months – babies are babies. Right now, she’s just adorable. She’s loves her mommy because I’m breastfeeding. We have a really nice connection, she’s starting to smile. It’s nice to be able to dress her in girly clothes. It’s nice to have both worlds. My son is obsessed with her. He holds hands with her and gives her kisses. He’s amazing with her. He hasn’t been jealous yet, so everything’s been really good!!!"

At any rate, I can unfortunately relate to Snooki's separation anxiety. My first batch of but-they're-not-with-me tears threatened the first evening of my waitressing gig, as the moon rose high and every fiber of my being screamed I was in the wrong place at that very moment.

The second time was when I took my very first work trip, to the Despicable Me junket. It was rather fabulous, but all I could think sitting alone in my hotel room was how much my kids would have enjoyed coming along. Flipping past Go! Diego, Go! on the flat screen was the breaking point. Sad hotel crying aplenty.

Like Snooki said though, sometimes it just has to be done.

Join the tear-fest

Have you had a separation breakdown, too?

Photos: PR Photos

Do you recall who is the godmother of Snooki's son Lorenzo? Take a look: