Parenting

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Some traditions are worth the extra effort, and for Lori Loughlin’s family the most important of all takes place at the dinner table. “I make sure that we share dinner together every night,” the 44-year-old 90210 star reveals to Cookie magazine. “I love to cook, and my kids are old enough to help out in the kitchen — from helping to mixing the ingredients to setting the table.” Although what she describes sounds serene, Lori says that she’s been known to have a frazzled mom moment or two. She elaborates,

“I find that whenever I leave the house with my daughters, I always need to take a million different things, and there are times when I get to our destination and realize that I forgot the most important thing. One time, I was the ’snack mom’ for my daughter’s class, and when I got there, I realized I’d left the snack on the kitchen counter at home.”

Describing herself as ”flexible” yet “firm” with daughters Isabella Rose, 10 ½, and Olivia Jade, 9 ½, Lori reveals that the only issue which divides she and husband Mossimo Giannulli is bedtime. “I tend to be more diligent,” she explains, “but my husband is more easygoing.” When the kids don’t have activities on the weekend, their ritual is “very laid back” according to Lori. The girls will spend time playing in their rooms before meandering down to the kitchen for pancakes…where even more fun awaits! Says Lori,

“It’s the small things my kids do that make me laugh. I get a kick out of watching my daughters act silly while playing a game or taking over the kitchen.”

Source: Cookie

Courtesy JET

Where some Hollywood stars may shy away from their celebrity status, Russell Simmons is all about embracing the fame for a good cause.

“Celebrity is valuable,” he tells JET in their July issue. “You can use it to benefit others.”

While Russell stays true to his word with his dedication to countless charity projects, he is equally as determined to instill the same qualities in his daughters Ming Lee, 9, and Aoki Lee, 6 ½.

“I tell them that giving is part of your receiving process; life is about giving.”

The girls witness a great example of giving when it comes to the relationship between their father and mom Kimora Lee Simmons.

When the couple divorced last year, Kimora was granted sole custody of the children with Russell entitled to visitation; however, the two have been known to make a few adjustments to the schedule.

“Obviously we have an arrangement, but Kimora is very gracious when it comes to the children,” he shares. “Whenever there is something special, additional days that I want, she is very accommodating.”

With Ming and Aoki living in Los Angeles with Kimora, the doting dad is thrilled when he has the chance to visit California and spend time with his girls — so much so, he laughs, that the trio often forgo their extracurricular activities, much to Kimora’s chagrin!

“They have so many activities, I admit when I have them, we cancel activities and do special stuff. Kimora gets upset when we do that, but we try not to do that too often.”

Now, full swing into summer, Russell reveals that the kids spend most of the weekends with him in New York. During that time, it is his youngest daughter Aoki who keeps the proud papa constantly on his toes! “[She] loves the stage,” he says. “When she has a chance to make a speech, no matter where it is, she can’t wait.”

The same, however, does not ring true for Ming. “[She] is a little more shy, more of an artist. She is a painter; she is not too much into the stage, although she can perform,” Russell notes.

“They are both in front of the camera so often, but it is work for her.”

The girls recently became big sisters when Kimora and actor Djimon Hounsou welcomed their first child together, son Kenzo Lee. Despite finding new partners in life — Russell is dating model Noemie Lenoir, and hopes to one day expand his brood — the two remain devoted to their children. “Kimora and I talk about pretty much everything,” he explains. “We are the best of friends. And that’s very helpful to the girls.” The friendship even extends to Djimon!

“We talk a little bit, of course. We talk about fatherhood and his experiences and everything. I hope to make a movie with him soon. He is a very calm, sweet person and a great stabilizing force in the way things have been between me and Kimora, so that’s great.”

Source: JET; July 6-13 issue

– Anya

Jeffrey Ufberg/WireImage

If you’re waiting for Saturday Night Live: The Next Generation, you aren’t alone! Former SNL alum Maya Rudolph is right there with you. Maya’s vision of the cast would include her daughter Pearl Bailey, 3 ½, along with the children of her former co-stars Ana Gasteyer (Frances, 7, and a 15-month-old son whose name has yet to be released), Tina Fey (Alice Zenobia, 3 ½) and Amy Poehler (Archibald ‘Archie’ William Emerson, 8 months). “If all those babies got together, that would be a trip. I’m sure Lorne [Michaels] is already all over it. “We’re looking at 2012 …”

Maya, 36, credits Ana for starting the baby boom that hit the late-night comedy show after she had her daughter Frances. “She made it look so easy … I thought I was next, and I was, but I wasn’t telling anybody in my first trimester.” Before Maya could share the news that she was pregnant  with everyone, “Tina came into my dressing room, and she was like, ‘I have something to tell you. I’m pregnant.’ So weird.”

As much as she loved working at SNL, Maya knew that she couldn’t juggle the demands of the show and being a new mom.

“If I could work on Saturday Night Live for the rest of my life, I absolutely would. But I was torn between, like, actually being a parent and being able to get up with my child in the morning, and staying up every night until 8 or 10 in the morning … eventually, you know, you have to get some sleep.”

As their kids are starting to get older, Maya hopes to have some playdates for Pearl and Alice! The pair “did get together once, but they were so small … They weren’t even making eye contact yet, just wriggling around like bald-headed beauties. Now it would be a different world.”

Maya is currently pregnant with her second child with director Paul Thomas Anderson, a delivery surprise due in early November.

Source: The Star

– Angela

Juan Rico/Fame

When Ray Romano admitted to Matt Lauer during a recent appearance on the Today show that he once suffered from first-time fatherhood jitters, he wasn’t kidding! “I got real nervous after the baby was born … I didn’t do anything right,” he recalls with a laugh. Reminiscing about daughter Alexandra’s arrival 19-years ago, the Everybody Loves Raymond actor happily shared his first lesson in parenting. “My daughter was born at St. Vincent’s Hospital right here in New York,” he says.

“I went to pick them up, my wife and child, and [with my] newborn baby in my arms, [I] go outside [and say], ‘Where’s my minivan?’ I parked in a tow-away zone so we had to go to Queens in a yellow cab. My daughter came home in a yellow cab.”

While the 51-year-old was once forced to battle his nerves, four kids later and Ray is ready to dish out advice to future fathers. “My advice is just let the woman tell you where to go and what to do,” he suggests. Keeping the conversation light, the comedian also told the morning show’s producers that getting “as much sleep and as much sex” before baby arrives is key! “Because that’s over [after baby],” he jokes.

That said, Ray and his wife of twenty-two years spent plenty of time together once the actor’s show wrapped in 2005 — so much time, in fact, that Anna found herself presenting her husband with several job offers. “She was signing me up for like, Dancing With the Stars. How about Celebrity Rehab? I’m not on anything!” explains Ray.

With much of their childhood spent watching their dad’s successful sitcom run, it is no surprise that Ray’s children are contemplating a future in the business. “My boys, interesting enough, they want to get into it and they’re the shy ones,” he reveals. Noting that his “outgoing” daughter “wants nothing to do with showbiz,” the proud papa admits she — usually — spends her time dodging the celebrity baby bullet.

“I once asked my daughter … ‘Does anybody in your class ever say they watch the show?’ And she was like, ‘Yeah, and then I never talk to them again.’ I’m like, ‘Why?’ She wants nothing to do with it unless there’s Justin Timberlake concert tickets she needs and then it’s like, ‘Daddy, make a phone call.’”

Ray and Anna are also parents to twins Matthew and Gregory, 16, and Joseph Raymond, 11. His new movie Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is now in theaters.

Source: Today

– Anya

Mike Coppola/FilmMagic

The news that Elisabeth Hasselbeck and her husband Tim were expecting their third child was quite the surprise. No one was quite as shocked, however, as the couple themselves! Two months into the pregnancy when she discovered the real reason behind her sudden tiredness, The View co-host was elated to find out her family would be expanding. “It was shocking, but a good shock,” she tells Entertainment Tonight. “Certainly, you can only plan so much in life.”

Her delayed response to the tell-tale signs of pregnancy is not coincidental, Elisabeth notes. Already mom to 4-year-old Grace Elisabeth and 19-month-old Taylor Thomas, the busy 32-year-old has little time to focus on herself. “‘Oh you’re pregnant and isn’t this special’ — that all happens with pregnancy number one. After that you’re too busy, you don’t even realize you’re actually pregnant,” she laughs.

“It’s not as, shall I say, pampered the third time around.”

While her mind may occasionally forget baby-on-the-way, her cravings indicate otherwise! “I did the cha cha cha diet: chips, chocolate, and cheese straight through, that works for me!” she reveals. Happy to indulge herself now, following the birth of her children, Elisabeth buckles down to regain her body after baby. Her efforts don’t go unnoticed; When she returned to her seat on The View shortly after welcoming Taylor, her fabulous figure had viewers seeking advice on shedding the pounds. “People ask me, ‘How did you lose the weight?’” she shares.

“I did not lose the weight. I know exactly where every pound is in Central Park that I ran off. I can point to a staircase and say, ‘I ran those thirty times … flight after flight.’ They’re not lost, they’re still waiting for me to find them one day, I’m sure.”

With baby due on August 11th and Tim scheduled to work for ESPN as an analyst, Elisabeth is not looking forward to what her postpartum life will entail. Her solution? Call in the troops or, in her case, both her mother and mother-in-law! “I’ve already booked out our moms for August. ‘Hey Mom, you’re coming here [and] Betsy, you’re coming on August whatever,” she says. “I have the moms on call because I honestly could not get through that period after [the baby arrives]. It’s hard for me after. I wish it were easy, I’d have 12!”

Even with the extra set of hands — in addition to support from Tim, an “incredible husband, father, and best friend” — the soon to be mom-of-three frequently suffers from a sense of guilt as a working mother.”I’m still always feeling guilty over something,” Elisabeth shares. Although the pangs of guilt vanish when she is spending quality time with her brood, her responsibilities to her show have her juggling her career with the constant demands of motherhood. One thing that won’t change, she says, is that her family holds the top spot on her list of priorities.

“They always say there’s a ball up in the air. So, make sure that one’s not the kids. They’re my priority, they really are over everything.”

Click below to read about how Elisabeth makes life easier by bringing the kids to work.

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Fatherhood found actor Greg Vaughan when he least expected it! He and wife Touriya weren’t trying for a baby, but soon after their marriage found out that they were expecting. “Shocking is a good word for it,” laughs Greg. Chatting on the phone with a friend who had just become a father, the General Hospital star noticed Touriya was beginning to cry in the kitchen. “I looked at her and I asked, ‘Honey, are you okay?’ And she’s like, ‘We’re pregnant.’”

Greg was so taken back by his wife’s confession that he told his friend, “‘Dude, I know you just had a child, but I’ve got to call you back.’ I started that call talking about my friend’s child and all of a sudden, I’m about to be in that same position.”

While he wasn’t planning to be a father so soon, it didn’t take Greg long to become excited! “When you see the sonogram, that’s when you feel it. When you see that picture and you feel it kick and hear its heartbeat and you talk to it, you feel, well a little strange. But you’re making the connection, and when you physically welcome your child into the world, it’s life-changing.” Son Jathan James‘ birth was “one of the greatest moments I have ever experienced,” Greg recalls.

“Fatherhood is so rewarding and emotionally fulfilling in so many ways. I can’t tell you how much I look forward to coming home to my family and seeing my son and how he looks at me.”

The former model is enjoying watching his son, now two, grow. As he gets bigger, the comments about how Jathan is “the perfect blend between” Greg and Touriya increase! “He did get my chin … He’s got my wife’s hairline. In fact, he’s very similar to her in her baby photos and she hates to admit it, but she’s like ‘I looked like a boy when I was born,’” Greg laughs. “But he’s a good mix.”

Jathan is not only a good combination in looks, but also in the languages that he speaks! Touriya speaks six languages and she is in the process of teaching her son Dutch.

“He knows the basics: hands, fingers, toes, nose, mouth, ears, eyes, head, forehead, hair, arms, legs, knees. He knows where they all area. If you say it in Dutch, he can point to every one of them. Now we’re learning the alphabets. We say it in Dutch and then in English, and count one to 10 in Dutch and English.”

Greg, 35, is enjoying fatherhood so much, could there be a possibility of more children in his future? “Let me put it this way,” jokes the actor. “We’re never not working on it.”

Source: Soap Opera Digest, June 23rd issue

– Angela

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Although her daughter Lailaa Nicole is just six weeks old, WNBA star Candace Parker says there’s already an informal college recruiting frenzy taking place. “When I first told [University of Tennessee] Coach [Pat] Summitt that I was pregnant, she was like, ‘Where can we send the papers?’” Candace tells TIME magazine. “I had to remind her that my husband [NBA star Shelden Williams] went to Duke, so he’s pushing for her to go there.” All joking aside, life as parents has been “great” for the couple, who married last year.

“My baby is the joy in my life. Obviously, I’m suffering from lack of sleep, but it truly is a blessing to be a mother.”

As promised, Candace is working hard to return to her team — the Los Angeles Sparks — by the end of July, and has stated her intent to resume practice over the next two weeks. “I don’t think it’s going to be easy, by any means, but I think it’s possible to come back better than I was,” she says. “I understand my body a lot more. I focus a lot more on stretching and taking care of myself.” Inspiration — should she need it — is everywhere, Candace adds.

“My teammates have done it. Tina Thompson came back the same season she delivered her son. Lisa Leslie waited a year. They’re still at the top of their game.”

Sources: TIME, Twitter

– Missy

Whittle/Kaminski/Splash News Online

Having lost their father at such an early age, Natascha McElhone says she knows that memories of Martin Kelly “will ebb at some point” for the couples’ sons Otis, 6, and Theodore, 8 ½. Fortunately, new baby Rex Coltrane, 8 months, is in a unique position to help. “I think the little one will start to ask questions just at the stage when memories are fading,” Natascha says in a new interview with Red magazine, “and hopefully that will bring them back to life again.” For now, Martin has stayed “very alive” in the 37-year-old actress’ London home. “We talk about him all the time,” she says, adding,

“There are pictures of him everywhere and his office is still exactly as it was. The boys go in there and raid it — they love the fact that they’re not going to get told off.”

Natascha also invokes Martin’s memory when the boys are in need of encouragement, or more recently, when they need to straighten up! “I’ll often say to them ‘That would really make Daddy laugh’ or ‘He’d be so proud of you,’ but the other day my eldest son was being trying,” she recalls. “I said to him, ‘I think Daddy would have a few words to say to you about that.’”

“He was so shocked, because I’ve never used Martin in that way before — it’s always been for positive stuff. But it just came out. I felt dreadful about it, but then I thought, ‘No, that’s probably much more real than always using him to commend. Of course Martin sometimes lost his rag with them — I’d forgotten about that.”

Click below to read about how hormones kept Natascha strong.

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Roger Karnbad/Celebrity Photo

For Gildart Jackson and Melora Hardin, making You was truly a family affair. The couple — married since 1997 — not only feature their two children Rory Melora Jackson, 7 ½, and Piper Quincy Jackson, 4, in the film, they even cast their nanny! Although Rory and Piper got “a different taste of family life” during the 18-day shoot, the experience was “an adventure” in ever sense, Gildart blogs for The Huffington Post. “Making a film is a wonderful, rigorous, all consuming, intense, frenetic, thrilling voyage and as I look back what made our trip even more wonderful was that we were sailing together as a family,” he writes, and now Rory and Piper “know that they can set sail, weather the storm, reach their destination and return home.”

“Individually, and as a family. I am proud of this gift. As I am proud of the movie. And now, of course, our kids will always have You — our movie — to watch, to show their friends as they grow up, to remember what it was like when our family set sail on the high seas.”

The life of an actor provides great flexibility for a growing family, Gildart notes, and the couple are thankful that Melora’s role on The Office has been well-received. “I don’t work as much as she does, but from the family perspective this is a great thing,” he explains. “I get to spend a lot of time with the kids. And, actually, so does Melora even when she’s working; she has a trailer and regularly brings the kids to the set.” The pay isn’t too shabby, either! The couple consider themselves “fortunate enough to be able to afford a nanny when we both need to be doing other things,” Gildart writes, adding,

“I think our lives as actors dovetail very well with our lives as parents.”

You is an independent film written by Gildart and directed by (and starring!) Melora; It is available for purchase via iTunes, Amazon.com or at the You official site.

Source: Huffington Post

– Missy

Jill Johnson/JPI

When the time came for mom-of-two Alison Sweeney to shed the weight she gained while pregnant with daughter Megan Hope, 5 months, she drew from her experience as host of NBC’s The Biggest Loser. “I’ve learned a lot about nutrition and how to count my calories” as a result of the show, she tells PEOPLE. Of course, juggling a diet and exercise routine with two small children and a busy career is tough, but Alison says she found a great ally in the EA Sports Active package for the Nintendo Wii. Not only does it save the 32-year-old Days of Our Lives actress the trouble of having to find a babysitter,  it is straightforward enough that son Benjamin Edward, 4 ½, can play along as well. “It’s just a good example of how you can really get it done at home,” she says, adding,

“You don’t need to have a big fancy gym membership. One of the things we talk about on The Biggest Loser all the time is just how difficult it is financially to lose weight sometimes. And that isn’t an excuse anymore. There are really reasonable options.

Alison revealed that she gained less weight with her second pregnancy than with her first, in part by reaching for fresh fruits over processed sweets.  She acknowledged, however, that indulging each and every craving is a right of passage for most first time expectant mothers. “You deserve to be spoiled – but within reason,” she cautioned.

Life with two has been twice as nice for Alison and husband David Sanov, who have enjoyed the learning curve that comes with a subsequent child. “There is a relaxation of just knowing you’ve been through it, knowing you survived and your kid survives and you can handle it,” she notes. Megan — as a result — is an “easygoing” baby who is “ready to rally” at a moments’ notice. ”Because we’re taking Ben to soccer or we’re taking him to school or whatever it is,” Alison explains, “you do kinda relax into it, which was nice.”

“It made me feel like, okay, I got this.  I can handle this.”

As for Ben, who will graduate from preschool later this month, the role of big brother continues to be greeted with enthusiasm — for now! ”Obviously she’s not stealing his toys yet or whatever, so I imagine the other shoe will drop,” Alison said. “But right now he is so loving towards her…We’ve been so blessed with that.”

Source: PEOPLE

– Missy with reporting by Jessica Wedemeyer