Francis Specker/Landov

Motherhood has given Ashley Jensen “a real respect for womankind,” the 40-year-old actress tells the Independent in her first interview since welcoming son Francis ‘Frankie’ Jonathan, 5 weeks. “Giving birth is amazing, and such a great leveler.” She elaborates,

“It doesn’t matter who you are — whether you’re Mrs. Beverly Hills with your botox, or someone living in a caravan in Idaho. You both go through that.”

Likewise, most moms will find themselves bleary-eyed and shell-shocked by the rigors of caring for a newborn and Ashley has been no exception. Conceding that she’s “stumbling from day-to-day,” Ashley — who is breastfeeding — singles out “getting to grips with feeding and not sleeping” as the hardest parts of motherhood thus far.

Setting up a routine has been beneficial, however. “It’s very all-consuming,” she notes. “I had to feed him before I came out, which is why I was a little bit late, even though he wasn’t really due for a feed.” She candidly adds,

“And now I’m worried about whether my breasts are going to start lactating! You can’t be away from him for too long.”

Already back on the set of Accidentally on Purpose, her new CBS sitcom, Ashley says that the transition to working motherhood was made easier by the network and by her costar Jenna Elfman. “I’ve got a dressing room so I can take my little boy in with me,” Ashley points out. “And it’s great on set because Jenna is pregnant too. She’s about to have her second child in March.”

While Jenna’s pregnancy was written into the show, Ashley — who worked up until the week before Frankie’s birth — says hers was not. “It was a case of hiding behind a series of giant handbags and flower arrangements,” she says.

When asked whether she and husband Terence Beesley have considered the possibility of Frankie growing up with an American accent, Ashley jokes: “That is a worry, lets face it.” She goes on to note, however, that baby boy will “probably have a mixed-up accent anyway,” citing her Scottish and Terence’s English heritage. The observation leads her to reveal,

“One of the biggest changes for me has been that I have started thinking about the future more. You have to. If we do stay in LA, we were thinking that perhaps he could go to the French School, which is a great school with a European influence. But then we thought, ‘Hang on, he’s only four weeks old!’”

Source: Independent

– Missy

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When she auditioned for a role opposite George Clooney in the new film Up In The Air, Vera Farmiga was four months pregnant, and by the time she was hired she was eight months along.

In a new interview with the Los Angeles Times, the 36-year-old actress — now mom to Fynn, 10 months — says that expectant motherhood was beneficial to the part in more ways than one.

Citing a certain “empowerment that birth brings,” Vera admits she was “feeling very womanly” when the film was made. “All of a sudden, I had breasts and they had purpose,” she notes before adding that there were drawbacks as well. Vera elaborates,

“On one hand, yes, in normal, non-hormonal circumstances, I would have an easier time clicking in to the character’s suave coolness, sensuality and confidence. Focus was difficult. When your milk comes in and you know your child is hungry, and you’re wearing a silk shirt and you’re staring at George Clooney doing his close-up, having to interrupt and say, ‘Hold that thought!’ And go do that.”

The scenario presented itself “many times,” Vera admits. “If you look at it again, you can probably see angles when I contort my bosom and my torso just to disguise what was really happening,” she explains.

Still, Vera says she harbors no regrets about the timing.

“Truly, I’ve never felt more womanly than at that time in my life. And that probably added to the performance in delicious ways.”

Fynn is Vera’s first child with husband Renn Hawkey. Up In The Air hits theaters December 4th.

Source: Los Angeles Times

– Missy

Courtesy Ladies’ Home Journal

Home is where the heart is and for Nicole Kidman, it has led her to establish her roots alongside her husband Keith Urban and their 16-month-old daughter Sunday Rose in Nashville, Tenn. While the small town feel and country living is a far cry from her days in Hollywood, the actress has come to prefer it that way.

“I love living here,” she tells the December issue of Ladies’ Home Journal. “I feel protected here, especially now that I have the baby.”

Allowing country crooner Keith to step into the spotlight hasn’t been an issue for Nicole, who admits watching him shine when it comes to his successful albums and tours is “much bigger than what I’m doing right now.” Often joining him on the road — the couple insist they are never apart for more than four days at a time — both Nicole and Sunday are privy to Keith’s stellar voice each morning!

“I hum a little. When your husband’s a huge singer, the last thing you do is sing with him.”

That isn’t to say Nicole’s career has taken a complete backseat to her family. Only weeks after giving birth to Sunday, Nicole packed up her daughter and headed to Italy to film her latest movie Nine. Having baby girl on set proved to be a good distraction! “Kate [Hudson] had her son there,” Nicole recalls, “and Penélope [Cruz] and Fergie were like, ‘I can’t wait to have a baby.’”

Settling into life with an infant on set was nothing short of a new experience for all! Come time for costume fittings Nicole — who was nursing at the time — found herself with a few newly acquired curves. “They’re not very big, my boobs, so they just became normal size,” she notes.

“I loved it! When you’ve had a slightly androgynous body your whole life, having breasts is a nice feeling.”

And while she may make light of her experience, having the chance to carry a child isn’t something Nicole takes for granted. “I loved bringing life into the world,” she raves. “To be completely responsible for this baby growing inside me. I’m grateful for that experience.”

Her trip to Italy was only the beginning for Keith and Nicole’s daughter. The glitz and glamour that accompanies her parents’ careers has certainly left a lasting impression on Sunday, who has logged thousands of air miles with the pair. “Sunday’s third word was ‘wow’ and I say that word a lot,” says the Australian native who, in addition to a farm in Nashville, has property — and a handful of alpacas — in her homeland.

“I hope when I’m 80 I’ll still be saying it. I’ve been given extraordinary opportunities, with huge dreams fulfilled. I’m 42 and my eyes are still wide open.”

Click below to read about Nicole’s mom’s group and children Isabella and Connor.

Despite her celebrity status, Nicole still manages to keep a normal routine for her daughter, including a weekly morning play group in her home with ten other children and their parents. “This is my way of having 10 kids,” she laughs, before adding she is hoping to eventually expand her family further with Keith.

For now, Nicole is concentrating her efforts on nurturing her personal life which includes Isabella Jane, 17 next month, and Connor Antony, 14, her children with ex-husband Tom Cruise. With the two spending the majority of their time in California with their father, Nicole has purchased a home close by for frequent visits.

“Once your kids become teenagers, a lot of parenting is knowing when to speak and when not to speak,” she muses.

“I have to step back and let them live their lives.”

Source: Ladies Home Journal

– Anya

Courtesy Women’s Health

Nothing reshuffles priorities quite like motherhood, and Ashlee Simpson-Wentz wouldn’t have it any other way. Proud to be a “really young mom” to Bronx Mowgli, turning 1 this week — her first child with husband Pete Wentz – the 25-year-old actress and singer tells the December issue of Women’s Health that career now comes second to family.

“Pete and Bronx come first,” she explains. “It has humbled me.”

“I believe in letting life happen. There’s good, there’s bad, and then there’s great. If you learn from those things, you grow. I’ve really done a lot for 25, and there’s still a lot to come.”

There were no jitters about pregnancy, a state of being Ashlee says she never felt compelled to “second-guess.” Quite the opposite, being an expectant mother was “the most calm I’d ever been in my life,” she reveals.

That sense of serenity extended to her approach to shedding the 50 pounds she gained while pregnant, something which — by her own account — happened with relative ease, with the help of a personal trainer. “I wasn’t in a rush to get back to this body for anyone else,” she insists. “It was more like, ‘I wanna look good [for me]. I wanna feel good.’”

Her secret weapon? Baby boy himself! “[I do] Bronx Pilates,” she explains. “And these [points to her biceps] are from holding him. He’s in my arms all the time.”

While exercise might have come naturally to Ashlee, diet was another matter entirely, and a home-delivery meal service often left her feeling unsatisfied. “It was hard, because I’m an eater,” she admits. “If I want a grilled cheese sandwich, I’ll eat a grilled cheese sandwich.”

Proclaiming that she “likes curves” — noting that she “had E’s!” during the five months she breastfed her son — and “what defines sexy is not someone’s weight,” Ashlee is quick to point out that her husband accepts her for who she is, no matter the size.

“Pete isn’t worried about stretch marks. He always makes me feel sexy.”

Source: Women’s Health, December issue

– Missy

Frazer Harrison/Getty

Proudly proclaiming herself a “very good” mom, Kimora Lee Simmons says the proof rests with her children, themselves. Ming Lee, 9 ½, Aoki Lee, 7, and Kenzo Lee, 5 months, are “fun,” “sweet,” “well-behaved” and “mannerable” kids, the 34-year-old Baby Phat CEO tells OK! “It’s a successful thing we’ve got going on.” Kimora adds,

“The most fulfilling thing in my life is to be a parent and a mother…That’s what I was made to do. There’s times when I’ve been the mom and the dad. I’m very good at it; that’s what I do. It’s my thing.”

Although she admits she is “scared” to juggle her various professional commitments and her ever-growing family with husband Djimon Hounsou, she hints that a fourth child is likely. “I’m young, so why not?” she asks before adding, “I don’t put a number on it, but I wouldn’t mind — whatever happens. If it’s four or five, I wouldn’t mind.”

“I think I’ve been blessed enough to take care of them and blessed enough to have the wherewithal to deal with them, and the mental capacity and the patience, so I don’t see why I couldn’t or why I wouldn’t. I love it. It’s the most rewarding thing of my life, and I think Djimon feels the same way.”

That’s not to say that a pregnancy announcement is imminent, however! “I would like a little moment to be free to eat what I want and have a little drink and to enjoy my body post-baby, since the baby has moved out,” she points out. “We always call it the baby condo that they left behind — you know, the belly. Before I get a new occupant in the condo, I’d like a little moment of freedom.”

Kimora promised that when she has news, she’ll share it!

“I’ll let you know — I can’t keep a secret, I have a big mouth. And if I don’t have a big mouth, I’ll have a big belly, so you’ll see one or the other. But so far, nothing yet.”

Click below for Kimora’s thoughts on the differences between baby girls and baby boys.

Ming and Aoki are enjoying their new baby brother, and lend a helping hand whenever possible. “They’re into changing the diaper, helping warm the bottle or if I’m breastfeeding, bringing me my little baby pillow,” Kimora shares. “They’re very supportive.”

When pressed to offer up a theory on why the girls have been so welcoming, Kimora suggests that the age difference plays a part, as well as the fact that Kenzo is the only boy. “The baby’s a completely different world,” Kimora notes. “It’s night and day.”

“He eats differently, he’s rougher, he wants to sit up, he wants to walk. He’s strong-willed and strong-minded. It’s a different personality. He’s not sitting around and wanting to play with dolls all day. He’s not to the age where he’s playing with anything all day, but he’s definitely a stronger, more active infancy. You can tell. It’s how he eats – it’s very different.”

Although life as a mom-of-three is “a lot of fun,” Kimora admits that she often feels “drained and exhausted” –  a state of being she says most “Hollywood moms” aren’t entirely honest about. “I’m not the Hollywood girl who’s going to tell you I’m juggling it all and everything’s fine,” she promises. “Like, I had a breakdown today, and I cried when I missed the alarm lady.”

“I have three children. I am not Hollywood perfect; ‘I just won an Oscar yesterday; I’m writing my fifth bestseller book.’ No. I’m a busy woman. I’m juggling a lot.”

As for body-after-baby, Kimora again says that staying realistic is key. “I think it’s way too much pressure to put on women to be perfect and get back to perfect shape,” she opines before asking, “Perfect shape for whom?”

“I feel perfect the way that I am. I’m very happy, very healthy. I think I’m taking great care of myself. I don’t really put a number or size on it. And it’s OK. I don’t think you should push it and overdo it.”

Djimon is a “hands-on” dad, Kimora says, changing diapers, giving baths and taking baby boy for walks. “Anything that has to do with his son,” she explains, “there’s nothing that he wouldn’t do.” That heightened level of involvement is traceable to Djimon’s African heritage, according to Kimora, where “spiritually and in the upbringing, it’s a little different.”

“They’re used to taking care of lots of kids in the family, and being very hands-on with the family, and pitching in wherever it’s needed, whether it’s in our home or in our family life. He’s very supportive. He takes the girls to school sometimes; he picks them up. He’s at every parent meeting and in every performance as well, unless he’s out of the country on set.”

Calling Kenzo the “common denominator in the family,” Kimora says that her newest addition has “brought both sides … together.” She elaborates,

“He’s helped us grow and have a bond and an attachment that we would not normally feel. A baby brings everything together. Life that probably was OK is even better. There’s nothing better than kids to me.”

Ming and Aoki are Kimora’s children with ex-husband Russell Simmons.

Source: OK!

Charles Gallay/Getty

It doesn’t take much for Marley Shelton to feel sexy these days. “At this stage, anything besides sweats, since I’m in mommy mode,” the new mama of 9-week-old daughter West tells Celebrity Baby Blog.

That said, on hand at the launch party for Stella McCartney for GapKids, Marley wasn’t concentrating on her own fashion sense — she was all about stocking up for baby girl! “I have a two-month-old so I bought her one of the blazers,” she said.

“She has to wait until she’s one, but I’m so excited for her to rock her first Stella McCartney blazer.”

Marley will soon be celebrating a milestone of her own — getting back to her pre-baby weight.

In addition to spending her time hiking in the Hollywood Hills, the actress reveals that, for her, the key lies in nursing.

“Breastfeeding is my magic bullet. It burns a ton of calories so that’s kind of what I’ve been doing.”

Despite the upcoming holidays, there will be no topping the greatest gift of all for Marley: motherhood. “Being a brand new mom, I’d have to say my daughter is the best gift I’ve ever been given,” she raves.

West is the first child for Marley and her husband, producer Beau Flynn.

– Anya with reporting by Tiffany Matloob

Update: We’ve now added the full interview and photos — plus one exclusive outtake that didn’t make the magazine! See the images and read the article in the extended post.

Originally posted October 21st: Weeks after welcoming their first son, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden — along with their 21-month-old daughter Harlow Winter Kate — are showing off the latest addition to their family, Sparrow James Midnight Madden.

Justin Coit for PEOPLE for use on CBB

Click below for the full interview and lots of great photos!

Sparrow James Midnight Madden is only 8 weeks old, but he’s already learning that his big sister Harlow Winter Kate has Mom and Dad broken in nicely. When they welcomed Harlow just 21 months ago, Nicole Richie and her boyfriend of almost three years, Good Charlotte frontman Joel Madden, became cautious new parents.

“Harlow was born into a home with two adults. We were so quiet with her; we made everything silent,” recalls Nicole. Times have changed. “Sparrow was born into a family,” says his bemused mom. “He’s gotta hop on the train!” Chimes in Joel: “And Harlow’s screaming all day long.”

The family home in L.A.’s lush Laurel Canyon may be Harlow’s world, but the more mellow Sparrow — who arrived in the wee hours of Sept. 9 — is perfectly happy napping in it. “He’ll sleep through anything,” says Joel.

Meanwhile his rambunctious big sister is taking her first stab at a music career. “She knows the words to her favorite songs,” says Nicole, 28, as she cozies up to Joel, 30, on their living room couch on a recent rainy afternoon. “She sings on key!” adds Harlow’s rocker dad.

The proud parents opened up to PEOPLE’s Lisa Ingrassia about their new bundle of joy — and how they’re embracing the chaos that comes with being a quartet. “It’s a juggling act, but it’s fun,” says Nicole. “I’m right where I belong.”

Justin Coit for PEOPLE for use on CBB

Harlow was a big surprise. Was your pregnancy with Sparrow planned?

Nicole: We’re not planners!

Joel: We were leaving it up to the stars. We weren’t not trying — and it ended up being perfect timing.

How was your second pregnancy different from your first?

N: The first pregnancy was really easy. This pregnancy I was sick the first three months; I was tired.

J: At 2 in the morning, she’d be like, “Can you go get me Taco Bell?” I gained weight during the last pregnancy. When she told me she was pregnant again, I was like, “I’m just getting back in shape!”

N: When I found out I was pregnant with Harlow, my whole life changed. Now, we’re already parents. The pregnancy was exciting, but it wasn’t at the same volume. It’s more exciting now that he’s here.

Justin Coit for PEOPLE for use on CBB

How did you prepare Harlow for her brother’s arrival?

N: I brought her to every doctor’s appointment and kept her in the know. I’m glad I had a girl before a boy. She’s very girlie. She just loves him so much. Now every morning she wants to go give him kisses.

J: She’s very gentle with him. Sometimes she likes to play with him, but he’s going to have to get used to that! She’s already dropped a toy on him. He’s very tough.

Justin Coit for PEOPLE for use on CBB

How did you pick Sparrow’s name?

N: We have different tastes in names. Sparrow was one we both liked. I liked the way it sounded with Harlow, and there’s the Captain Jack Sparrow connection.

J: It reminded me of the Johnny Cash song “A Boy Named Sue.” My worry raising a son in Hollywood is what will he have to struggle for? I wanted to give him a name that he’s going to have to stand up for. I love it; I think it’s a beautiful name.

Justin Coit for PEOPLE for use on CBB

How are you adapting to being a family of four?

N: When we took our first pictures and I saw all four of us together, that was the first time I was like, “Wow, it’s the four of us.” It’s fun. If Harlow is with me, I’ll say, “Let’s put Sparrow to bed,” and she’ll come play while I do that.

J: Because he’s with Nicole most of the time, I’m spending so much time with Harlow. I’ll say, “Tomorrow Daddy and Harlow are going to go on a date; what do you want to do?” Sometimes it’s go to the zoo, or go see ponies. Sometimes she wants to go sit in her own chair at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. We’ll just sit there and talk.

N: She’s said, “Go to a birthday party,” which can be difficult.

J: I’m like, “I’ll try to figure that one out!” Nicole had her birthday right after she had Sparrow, and Harlow and I threw her a birthday party — she was so excited.

N: So she got an Elmo cake. It had nothing to do with me!

Justin Coit for PEOPLE for use on CBB

How is having a baby boy different?

N: I have to give Joel credit — he’s doing most of the diaper changing. Changing a boy is different.

J: He can spray you!

N: Also Harlow was never cuddly as a baby. But Sparrow is very physically attached to me. Sometimes all he wants is for me to hold him.

Justin Coit for PEOPLE for use on CBB

What is Harlow’s personality like?

N: Harlow will come out of nowhere, hug me and say, “I love you Mommy.” It just melts me.

J: I’ll take her out to eat and say, “Have whatever you want!” She’ll say, “Carrots!”

Justin Coit for PEOPLE for use on CBB

What do you admire about each other as parents?

J: Mothering comes naturally to Nicole. She loves it. The kids always come first — and she makes it all look easy. As a dad, there’s no better feeling. While I’m working, it all piles on her. She is taking care of the kids, and it never gets to her. She doesn’t feel like she’s giving anything up — she is wholeheartedly their mom.

N: Joel’s the best dad. He’s so delicate with Harlow — it brings tears to my eyes.

J: Harlow’s very easy — she has me wrapped around her finger.

Justin Coit for PEOPLE for use on CBB

Has your social life changed as your family grows?

J: You don’t lose old friends, but the time you can spend with them is limited. Our interactions revolve around getting together with people who have kids.

What’s your secret to losing your baby weight so quickly?

J: She doesn’t work out, she doesn’t diet. It’s so easy for her.

N: Thank you, honey — if only the whole world saw me through Joel’s eyes! I’m breastfeeding, so that sucks the life out of you.

Justin Coit for PEOPLE for use on CBB

What lies ahead for your family?

N: I’m dedicating this time to bonding with the kids and putting all of my energy towards my family. Harlow is on her way to potty training. It’s happening naturally — I include her in whatever I’m doing, and she wants to do it.

J: You pee in front of her?

N: Yes, do you?

J: No!

Any talk of tying the knot?

N: One day I would love to get married. It’s not something we’re talking about now. If my kids ask me to get married, I’d get married.

J: Nothing needs to change — it’s a great feeling.

N: The only thing you want is for your kids to be healthy and happy, and they are. I couldn’t be happier.

Justin Coit for PEOPLE for use on CBB

Source: PEOPLE, Nov. 2 issue

Nicole wears Jennifer Meyer Jewelry Gold and Diamond Letter Necklaces in ‘H’ and ‘S’ ($1500 each). Harlow holds a blabla Mini Coco Doll ($34).

Posted in Babies, Breastfeeding, Celeb Style, Dads, Exclusive, Main, Parenting ]]> http://celebrity-babies.com/2009/11/06/meet-sparrow-james-midnight-madden/feed/ 250 smichaud1271 http://celebrity-babies.com/2009/11/04/seal-says-wife-heidi-klum-can-do-it-all/ http://celebrity-babies.com/2009/11/04/seal-says-wife-heidi-klum-can-do-it-all/#comments Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:54 +0000 Missy http://celebrity-babies.com/?p=72052 ]]>

Alexandra Wyman/WireImage

Halloween is always a big day for Seal and wife Heidi Klum, and this year — despite welcoming their fourth child, daughter Lou Sulola, just three weeks beforehand — the couple showed again that they are game.

Chatting with reporters while dressed as crows at Heidi’s 10th Annual Halloween Party at Voyeur in West Hollywood on Saturday, Seal spoke lovingly to Celebrity Baby Blog about the family’s newest addition.

“It’s a funny thing, having another child, because you have three kids who you love dearly and you think to yourself how could you possibly find any more love to give anyone else,” he notes.

“The first time you hold your baby in your arms there is this overwhelming sense of otherworldliness that is very, very difficult to describe.”

Although the couple are no doubt tired, Seal says that Lou makes it all worthwhile.

He explains,

“Sleep deprivation is kind of pretty much neutralized by what I call the amnesia gene. They look at you and you forget that when you have more kids.”

Earlier in the day Seal took the couple’s older three children — Leni, 5 ½, Henry, 4, and Johan, 3 this month — trick-or-treating for the first time.

The boys dressed as skeletons, Seal said, while Leni dressed as a skeleton-witch hybrid.

“She tends to be very strong-headed, a bit like someone else I know,” he joked, “She was a great witch at school in the parade last week.”

The 46-year-old singer was less forthcoming when asked to spill Heidi’s body-after-baby secrets.

“You know I’m not going to do that,” he laughed before conceding, “she just has a knack for all of these things.”

“There isn’t actually anyone quite like her. I certainly haven’t met anyone like her. She just has a knack for it. She is the person that can pretty much do anything and I’ve got used to that within a few months of marriage…she’s the woman, she can do it all.”

Click below to read about how the three older Samuel children are adapting to life with Lou.

Heidi, by contrast, was quick to shoot down the suggestion that she has reclaimed her pre-baby body outright. “I wouldn’t say I’m back in shape yet,” she demurred. “Everything changes when you get older. It was different when I was 31 with the first one and now being 36 with the fourth one.”

She later admitted that “get[ting] back into it immediately” helps, adding,

“I think that if you wait too long and it sticks there it stays that way forever. I have to be motivated.”

Although she doesn’t “exercise too much,” Heidi said she will hit the treadmill occasionally as well as take walks up and down the driveway. With her bustling brood, however, time is always scarce.

“When you have three children and two boys, they’re very active because they want to do a lot of things. But when you breastfeed, when you eat right, you move around a little bit, that usually does the job.”

Leni, Henry and Johan have been receptive  to — and conscientious of — Lou, Heidi revealed. “They are very good with her,” she said. “They know to wash their hands all the time and they know not to lean into the stroller.”

Lou resembles both her parents, according to Heidi, just like her siblings. She explains,

“To be honest they all look the same when they are little. They all have a beautiful full head of black hair. Beautiful dark eyes and full lips. They all do look the same and then they morph into their own faces.”

Because she is nursing, Heidi said she is handling the overnight feedings — for now. “I have the goods right here,” she laughed. “I wish I could say ‘Here baby, do that now,’ but I do that.”

Although she’s been through this scenario three times before, Heidi says it’s “always new again,” just like with each of her four pregnancies. “Even though when you’ve done it before, for the fourth time it’s still going to the hospital with the same worries,” she notes.

“I hope everything is going good, I hope the baby is going to be okay, I hope there’s no complications. Even though you’ve done it, and I had three easy ones, you’re still there with the same worries. Then they come out and you look all the time, is the baby breathing? Is everything okay?”

– Missy with reporting by Michelle Ward

Fame

If Minnie Driver gets her way, son Henry Story, 13 months, won’t be an only child for long. “Hell yeah,” the 39-year-old actress tells OK! “I want more. I gotta work this year, and then I really want to have more kids.”

Her enthusiasm hasn’t been dampened by the “hardcore” first year of life with baby. “Making these really important choices on extraordinarily little amounts of sleep is the most challenging part,” Minnie explains.

“Protecting your newborn baby, being able to feed them, being able to feed yourself, being able to keep the clothes clean, being able to keep the place clean … it’s really challenging when you’re sleeping for maybe two-hour increments and then waking up and breastfeeding. Well, I was.”

Adding that “the first year is not for the faint of heart, but it’s amazing,” Minnie says that motherhood has taught her to be “incredibly present” because “these babies change on an hour-to-hour basis.” Case in point? Henry’s own growing list of milestones to date  — a list which now includes walking, talking, and snuggling with dog Bubba! Calling her son “a little piece of heaven,” Minnie shares,

“Mama was his first word, Dada, then ‘tar’ — which is guitar, and Bubba, which is the dog. And now he blows kisses at the ladies in the supermarket. He’s a big flirt. Big blue eyes, big white blond head of hair. He’s very handsome.”

Minnie’s new film Motherhood is in theaters now.

Source: OK!

– Missy

Alexandra Wyman/WireImage

In an expansive new interview with About.com, actress and author Jane Seymour dishes on the highs — and occasional lows — of being a mom to twins.

When in-vitro fertilization resulted in two miscarriages, Jane says that she and husband James Keach had “almost given up,” but then a third pregnancy resulted in three embryos. One “never really formed,” and the end result were twin boys John and Kristopher, now 13.

Born six weeks prematurely via emergency c-section after Jane developed pre-eclampsia, the babies weren’t out of the woods yet.

“Johnny turned blue twice when we got home because we really wanted to come home soon and that was a big mistake,” Jane recalls. “So then we had to take both of them back to the hospital and I had to stay with them overnight, a couple of nights, monitoring them for sucking, swallowing and breathing.”

Breastfeeding was a challenge for mom, too. Noting that “the beauty of the human body is you have two feeding apparatus,” Jane says that the boys “invariably … wanted to eat at the same time.” As one would finish up the other would be readying to nurse.

“I was referred to as the ‘Dairy Queen,” Jane quips. “I was literally on tap all the time.” When she found herself struggling to even eat enough food to sustain her milk supply, Jane supplemented with formula — to good results.

“[It] worked just perfectly for us. It was no problem with them adjusting to a combination. I always tell people, ‘Don’t feel you have to do one thing and not another.’”

Click below to read about why Jane was on ‘pins and needles’ during the twins’ infancy.

Because she needed to return to the set of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman three weeks after delivering, and because the boys had unique health issues, Jane sought help at night. “I had someone helping me…so that if I could — if I had a chance — sleep even if it was for an hour and a half in increments,” she explains. “I had somebody that could watch the children because they were both on heart monitors.”

Indeed, Johnny and Kris needed round-the-clock observation for the first four months of their lives. “If they even wriggled, the heart monitor would go off and somebody would have to be right on top of them and immediately make sure that they were breathing and that they hadn’t turned blue,” Jane explains. “We literally were on pins and needles for a number of months when they were young.”

As the boys grew older they not only grew stronger — they also grew closer. “They would love to sleep together in the same crib and then in the same bed,” Jane shares. “In fact to this day, although now they are almost fourteen and they will fight, they only really have had their own bedrooms, separate bedrooms, in the last year.”

Calling the act of parenting twins “a wonderful adventure,” Jane notes that “even though they sometimes say that they hate each other, clearly they love one another.”

“There is a bond that twins have that is unspoken and quite formidable.”

Still, it’s a bond that even Johnny and Kris need reminding of from time to time. “I keep telling the boys, ‘You’ll always have this unique connection that the rest of us don’t have,’” Jane explains. “For the rest of your life.”

“If it means you’re doing a sport, you’ll always know what the other one’s about to do. And if it’s something you’re doing that’s musical, you clearly know how to play together. And you also pretty much know how to make one another mad, how to make one another sad, and hopefully how to make one another happy.”

In addition to the twins, Jane is mom to Katherine, 27, and Sean, 23, with ex-husband David Flynn.

Source: About.com

– Missy