Jessica Alba's preschooler won't give up the crib

by

Carolyn Robertson

posted in Celebrities

Like most moms, Jessica Alba has those moments when she wishes her daughters Haven, 3, and Honor, 6, would stay little forever. Like most kids, though, the girls seem pretty determined to grow up. Except when it comes time for bed.

Jessica admits that her youngest daughter has absolutely no interest in ditching her beloved crib and moving to a big girl bed. And while some parents agonize over the transition out of the crib, the Honest Company founder says she's in no rush to see it happen.

“Oh my God, she loves her crib," Jessica reveals. "She wants sleepovers because her sister has sleepovers so I try to do sleepovers with Mom. She says, ‘Okay Mommy, I’m done. I need to go back to my crib now.' She’s so restless — she wants to talk so she’s super into her crib. It’s really cute and I’m like, ‘Yes, stay a baby forever.’”

My kids were out of their cribs at 2 years old, but that wasn't really by design. It was around that time that my youngest started having sleep problems... again. She'd scream every night come bedtime, then would get up in the early morning hours and bounce around in her crib like a kangaroo. I'd wake up at 3am to the sound of her crashing against the rails, the springs creaking under her weight. Then one night she jumped so hard she actually broke it. So we set up the big girl bed - and invested in a tiny indoor trampoline - and that was that.

I do understand Jessica wanting to keep her girls little for as long as she can, though. As fun and fascinating as big kids are, my heart aches at the passing of each milestone. So I carry my four-year-old probably more often than I should, and I shush my husband when he tries to correct her funny mispronunciations. I can't stop the clock, but maybe I can trick myself into thinking it's slowed down just a bit.

Jessica Alba seems to agree: “[Being a mom is] my priority. I feel like they’re growing up too fast, and I want to freeze them in time,” says the 33-year-old actress-turned-entrepreneur. “I don’t think that’s going to happen because every day they’re just getting taller and sometimes more sassy.”

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When did your kids ditch the crib? How did it go?

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Photos: PR Photos, Beverly News/Rex/REX USA

Alyssa Milano 'breaks the internet' by breastfeeding

by

Carolyn Robertson

posted in Celebrities

Kim Kardashian's bum-baring Paper magazine cover didn't manage to "break the internet," but breastfeeding moms just might do it if actress Alyssa Milano gets her way.

It's been a week since North West's mama revealed her very provocative, very naked pose on Twitter, sparking a huge response from both Kim's Hollywood peers and the general public. Some people loved the controversial photo shoot, many more didn't. Some were grossed out by the greasy baby oil factor, others over the fact that Kim is, after all, "someone's mother." And then the internet, which didn't quite break after all, responded by providing many, many, many memes inspired by the shot.

Alyssa Milano was one celebrity who added her voice to the sea of opinions. While she had no problem with Kim's booty shot - "I mean...it really is an unbelievable ass," Tweeted the mom-of-two - she couldn't help but point out the double standard. After all, it was only a couple of weeks ago that her most recent breastfeeding selfie was met with mixed response.

Wait! I don't get it. No disrespect to Kim but... people are offended by my breastfeeding selfies & are fine with her (amazing) booty cover?

— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) November 12, 2014

It seems that Alyssa's Tweet struck a chord, inspiring many moms to take up the cause and post nursing pics of their own. The Mistresses star's Twitter feed is now full of dozens of shots of breastfeeding mamas, along with captions like "Respect to anyone who chooses to breastfeed and post photos. This one is for you @Alyssa_Milano" and "#Support @Alyssa_Milano let's #BreakTheInternet and make breastfeeding as natural as it should be! #breastfeeding."

As for Alyssa, an outspoken attachment parenting advocate, she seems thrilled that her Tweet has become a call to action. She sent this out to her 2.7 million followers just this morning:

There are a whole lot of boobies on my Twitter stream. Thanks for sharing, mamas. Thank you for your support. #normalizebreastfeeding

— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) November 17, 2014

Alyssa may be leading the charge at the moment, but she's far from the only high profile mom who is trying to "normalize" nursing. Gisele Bundchen, Miranda Kerr, Alanis Morissette, Pink and more have shared their own breastfeeding selfies online, too.

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What do you think of the "breastfeeding selfie" trend? And of Alyssa's comment on Kim K's nude shoot?

Some other celebs who have spoken out about breastfeeding...

Photos: PR Photos

Hilary Duff shares the real story of her "post-baby-body debut"

by

Sara McGinnis

posted in Celebrities

Hilary Duff has a thing or two to say about both losing the baby weight and what it's like to find you've unknowingly made a "post-baby-body debut."

"The second I had Luca, I went to go get my hair blown out at the salon, and I hadn't stepped outside in, like, 15 days," the songstress and mother of a 2-year-old sweetie recently explained to Health magazine.

"I was learning how to be a new mom, and I needed to go get my hair done. Then they're like, 'Hilary Debuts Her Post-Baby Body!' I was like, I'm not debuting s--t right now. I'm just going on an errand run! There is way too much pressure on women these days. It took me a whole 10 months to build a baby."

Opening up about her long journey to shed the weight she gained while pregnant with Luca, Hilary Duff shared, "Oh my God, everyone was so hard on me because it took me a year and a half to get my body back!"

The pressure felt all too familiar to the former Disney darling.

"When I was 17, I weighed, like, 98 pounds," she confessed. "I was totally obsessed with everything I put in my mouth. I was way too skinny. Not cute. And my body wasn't that healthy—my hands would cramp up a lot because I wasn't getting the nutrition I needed. That constant pressure of wanting something different than I had? I regret that.

"I feel like there was way too much time spent thinking about that. This is the body that I have. I have a very athletic build, and I am so proud of what my body has done for me. I had the best, healthiest, strongest pregnancy. And I feel good about myself. But I feel like I'm always in a 5-pound battle, because being 5 feet 2, everything is going to show on me!"

Sounds to me like Hilary Duff has come a long way in how she thinks about her body.

I, too, am at a point in my life where I'm able to overlook my physical 'imperfections' more easily and be thankful for the strength I do possess. Part of the change in thinking came through pregnancy and being a mom, but I think age has played an even bigger factor for me. How I look is just not as important to me in my 30s as it was in my 20s or teens, and I'm loving caring less.

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Have you gotten to a point of acceptance with your body? If so, how did you do it?

Photo: REX USA/Beverly News/Rex

More celebrity moms who've been photographed out and about looking more casual than red-carpet ready:

Duchess Kate's busy weekend: The bump! The boots!

by

Carolyn Robertson

posted in Celebrities

You would think that weeks of extreme pregnancy sickness might leave a girl looking a little worse for wear, but the Duchess of Cambridge was positively radiant as she put in two official royal appearances over the weekend.

The first took place on Saturday, when Kate joined her husband Prince William on a visit to the Valero refinery in Wales. Royal watchers hoping for a first real glimpse of a baby bump were out of luck, as the 32-year-old expectant mom kept her growing belly under cover in a pretty baby blue Matthew Williamson coat.

And can we talk about those boots for a minute? We've seen Kate wear this killer black suede knee-high pair before. I want them! Unfortunately, though, I won't be getting them as it looks like the Aquatalia Rhumba boots retail for around $700.

The next day Kate attended a much more sombre event as she joined those gathered for the annual Remembrance Ceremony at London's Cenotaph war memorial. Standing alongside Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, she looked on as Prince William and his grandmother Queen Elizabeth laid a wreath at the service, which marked 100 years since the end of the First World War.

Though Kate and William haven't - and likely won't - commented, there has been plenty of speculation as to whether 15-month-old Prince George will be getting a baby brother or sister. Some sites are actually suggesting that the Duchess' decision to wear baby blue this weekend was a subtle hint that she's expecting a boy. Interesting theory, but I somehow doubt that she coordinates her outfits to match the gender of her unborn child. So for now it seems your guess is as good as mine.

Speaking of little Prince George, it sounds like he may soon be making his first trip to the USA. The Daily Mail reports that the trio will be traveling to New York City next month, where the Duke and Duchess plan to visit with conservationists and launch their new charity, United for Wildlife.

"Kate has never been to New York and she is really looking forward to it now that she is over her illness," says a source. Hopefully they'll have time to squeeze in a quick visit to FAO Schwartz while they're there.

Look how he's changed! Prince George's adorable photo album...

Photos: REX USA

Alyssa Milano takes heat for 'multi-tasking' breastfeeding pic

by

Carolyn Robertson

posted in Celebrities

Alyssa Milano just stole a mommy move right out of Gisele Bundchen's playbook.

Last year Gisele, who is of course no stranger to controversy, sparked yet another round of criticism when she posted a photo online that showed her breastfeeding her daughter Vivian while being tended to by a team of stylists: “What would I do without this beauty squad after the 15 hours flying and only 3 hours of sleep #multitasking #gettingready,” she captioned the pic.

Cue the outrage. "This is not multitasking," wrote one commenter, who echoed the sentiments of many others. "Multitasking would be breast feeding while cooking dinner, cleaning house, washing dishes, etc."

Interestingly, actress and mom-of-two Alyssa took to Instagram this week to share a picture - click here to see it - that is virtually identical to Gisele's.

"First day back at work! Shooting for @marieclairemag with @linhhair and @collierstrong and wearing my @marissawebb! #blessed," she captioned the black-and-white shot, which shows her breastfeeding her baby Elizabella while in the midst of a hair-and-makeup session. This isn't the first time Alyssa, an attachment parenting advocate, has shared a nursing photo - she posted one last week, too.

Other famous breastfeeding moms...

Gisele isn't exactly everyone's favorite famous mama, but most folks seem to like Alyssa Milano. So I was interested to see the reaction to her "multi-tasking" moment. Would we collectively hate it, too?

In a word: Yes. While the Mistress' star received some support from her fans and followers, the broader online response was far less positive.

"I don't see her multi-tasking. She's sitting there with her boob in her child's mouth," reads the top-rated comment on US Weekly's post on the pic. "Show me a time where she's breast feeding, cooking dinner, cleaning the house and taking care of another kid on top of that. THEN you can say she's multitasking. So annoying."

Personally, I had no problem with Gisele's picture, and I have no problem with this one, either. Is this my reality, feeding my baby while a team of paid professionals apply my eyeliner and brush out my curls? Um... no. The thought of it actually makes me laugh, it's so far removed from my life. This IS life for these moms, though.

Gisele and Alyssa both seem to be devoted, hands-on moms. They could easily have handed their babies off to nannies, but they decided to keep them close, even if that meant bringing them along to work. Sure, they're fortunate to even have that option, and their work is a little more glamorous than mine. Their attempts at multi-tasking may not involve emptying the kitchen garbage or scrubbing spilled food from the baseboards, but I do think there are some parts of motherhood that are just universal. They still have to juggle commitments, they still have to set priorities, they still worry and wonder and love their babies like crazy. The fact that they sometimes do it in full hair and make-up makes no difference to me.

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Does Alyssa Milano's "multi-tasking" breastfeeding photo bug you?

This isn't the first time famous moms have come under fire...

Photo: PR Photos

Robert Downey Jr's adorable birth announcement

by

Carolyn Robertson

posted in Celebrities

Congratulations to Robert Downey Jr and his wife Susan Levin!

The pair welcomed a baby girl on Tuesday, November 4, and if his initial and very adorable Facebook announcement is any indication, the Iron Man star is already head over heels with the family's new addition.

“After 9 months of intensive development, Team Downey is pleased to announce our 2014 fall/winter project," Robert writes. "Principal photography commenced 11-14 and will continue until she says, ‘Dad! You are embarrassing me … I’m 30, this has gotta stop.'”

As for the details, the 49-year-old actor shared a few of those, too: "Avri Roel Downey joined the party @ 3:22 a.m. on November 4th … she’s 7 lbs even, spans 20 inches, and is accompanied by a variety of Susan’s traits that have seemingly overwritten my ‘junk DNA...' I’ll post pics here + there when I’m not too busy staring."

Cutest ever.

Baby Avri joins big brothers Exton Elias, 2, and Indio, 21, who is Robert's son from a previous marriage.

The news comes just days after Robert and Susan put in a red carpet appearance at the BAFTA Britannia Awards in LA, where he received the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film. Accepting the honor, he paid tribute to his wife, who looked nothing short of gorgeous in an emerald green gown.

“How is she still so darn pretty and functional and mood-stable?” he asked the audience, going on to joke that "the second pregnancy has been extraordinarily tough for me. Self-prescribed mandatory bed rest was of some benefit. At least my milk is finally coming in.”

Congrats again to them on the happy news!

Avri is an unusual name, reported by some sources to mean "A noble and wise ruler." I've never heard of it before now, but it's already growing on me.

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Do you like the name Avri Roel?

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Photo: PR Photos, Matt Baron/BEImages

New dad Ashton Kushter owes someone an apology

by

Carolyn Robertson

posted in Celebrities

It's only been a couple of weeks since Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher welcomed their baby girl Wyatt, but fatherhood has already been a very big eye-opener for the 36-year-old Two and a Half Men star.

“It’s unbelievable. It’s the greatest thing on Earth,” Ashton recently told Conan O'Brien. “We’re really privileged that we have time and can afford to take time. So we don’t have a nanny or a night nurse or any of the stuff. It’s just the two of us.”

One thing Ashton very quickly realized when he became a father? He owed his own parents a long overdue apology! "As soon as this child was born, I immediately wanted to call my parents and just apologize because I never knew how much they loved me."

I felt exactly the same way after I had my first baby. I was a pretty good kid growing up, I don't think too many of my parents' grey hairs can be blamed on me. When I became a mom, though, I had an epiphany: Once upon a time they were the ones who were up all night, who worried about every little fever and celebrated every tiny milestone. They suffered through teething, they dealt with tantrums, they went through the first-day-of-school angst. It all suddenly seemed so obvious, but up until then I'd been too busy being their child to really realize what it meant to them to be my parents.

As for Ashton - who says he'll go by "Papa" - and Mila, along with mastering the finer points of swaddling and diaper changing, the tech-savvy new parents were quick to register every possible domain that involves Wyatt Isabella's name.

“We got the Twitter handle, the Instagram, everything... I don’t want a porn site with my daughter’s name on it. It is unacceptable to me. It’s not going to happen," he says, adding, "We got her an email address. We write her emails.... One day she’ll be able to look at it and see the kinds of things people had to say."

Now that's thinking ahead! Wyatt's first solids are still a long ways off, never mind her first status update. I shudder to think of all the ways that social media will change between now and then.

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Can you relate to Ashton's first interview about parenthood?

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Photo: PR Photos