Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland

Happy Birthday to Bronx Mowgli Wentz, who celebrates his first birthday today!

With wishes from dad Pete Wentz and mom Ashlee Simpson-Wentz posted to their Twitter accounts — “happy birthday bx. you dont have twitter and cant read this. thanks to all my friends that recorded lullabies. cant believe its been a year,” Pete says, while Ashlee tweeted, “BX’s 1st bday tomorrow! My angel is going to be a year!! The greatest year of my life ” on Thursday.

We hope baby boy enjoys his Spongebob Squarepants birthday party this weekend — check out our Simpson-Wentz family album for a look back on Bronx’s first year.

Eagle Press

A dedicated mother — who tells Madison magazine that nights out on the town are always cut short due to her 7 a.m. wake-up calls from her 5 ½-year-old son Ryder Russell — Kate Hudson’s parenting (and negotiating!) skills were recently put to the test.

Calling her son “such a smartypants,” the actress laughs that her mother Goldie Hawn’s predictions that her grandson would be nothing short of a future “director…in charge” have been proven correct!

“We went to this birthday party recently where all the children were getting their faces painted and everybody was saying, ‘I want to be Spiderman’ or ‘Batman’ and the girls were saying, ‘I want to be pretty,’” Kate says.

“And Ryder said, ‘I want a red face and I want white around the eyes, I want a white mouth, I want spikes, and I want yellow dots on each spike.’ And I said, ‘Honey, what is that?’ He replied, ‘My creation.’”

And when the face painter “didn’t do it exactly the way he wanted it,” Ryder was the first to notice!

Minding his manners, Ryder kept his disappointment to himself, but was quick to point it out later during a phone chat with dad Chris Robinson. “I said, ‘Tell Daddy about your face.’ And he told Chris, ‘She did it totally wrong,’” recalls Kate. When prompted further by his mystified mama, Ryder elaborated, “They’re not mountain peaks, they’re hills. They’re not peaks, they’re not sharp.”

While Kate reassured her son the work of art was top-notch, her comforting words didn’t quite do the trick! “I said, ‘Honey, but they look great,’” she insisted.

“And he said, ‘No mum, look — they’re hills.’ Oh yeah, he knows what he wants!”

Source: Madison

– Anya

Expecting a daughter via surrogate next month, The Young and the Restless star Michelle Stafford celebrated her baby shower with nearly 70 friends and family on Saturday at the home of Kirstie Alley.

With a theme of “fun, fantasy and fairies,” Michelle and pals Jenna Elfman, Marisol Nichols, Jennifer Aspen and Tracey Bergman gathered at the Tupperware-sponsored party for a traditional English tea, enjoying sandwiches from Chado, scones from Julienne, their choice of over a dozen teas and clotted cream, homemade by Michelle’s mother.

Recounting her “three-year journey through hell,” the two-time Emmy winner gifted those who had helped her most with a Tiffany & Co. ring, saying, “Every time you see my daughter do something good, you’ll know that you were a part of that.”

Guests then played baby Pictionary before leaving with a vanilla bean cupcake topped with a glittery lavender-tinted frosting from Yummy Cupcakes and a Tupperware Cupcake Keeper.

Michelle and Jenna Elfman – Johanna Petersen/Denice Duff

See more photos from the shower below!
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Although she made her name as Posh Spice in the Spice Girls, Victoria Beckham was in anything but posh surroundings earlier this month during a two-day trip to Clay County, Kentucky. Visiting on behalf of Save the Children USA and accompanied by her 10 ½-year-old son Brooklyn Joseph, Victoria was on hand to gain a better understanding of childhood poverty in the United States.

By her own account, the trip was both eye-opening and inspirational. The 35-year-old fashion designer and songstress explains that what she saw in Clay County — among the poorest counties in America, with a median household income of $19,728 and a childhood poverty rate of 47.8 percent — only served to reinforce for her “the hope and promise inherent in every child.” She adds,

“That’s why we have to make sure every single child has a fair and equal start in life. Seeing Save the Children’s innovative programs in action, I know that we can begin to reverse the childhood poverty crisis. I’m pleased Brooklyn is learning that, by helping and joining other children, he can play a role in making his generation the greatest yet.”

While in Kentucky, Victoria and Brooklyn visited homes where they shared information on literacy and nutrition with parents. At two elementary schools, mother and son took part in a book bag exchange, handing out tote bags filled with books, as well as a soccer lesson where they distributed shoes and backpacks donated by Adidas. Later, they read to a group of toddlers and even met with teachers and principals to learn more about the unique challenges being faced by poverty-prone school districts.

Courtesy Save the Children

A member of the International Save the Children Alliance, Save the Children USA serves 50,000 children with programs designed to teach healthy lifestyles while simultaneously boosting academic performance. As the organization notes, poverty all too often brings with it a litany of other problems, including poor cognitive and emotional development, illiteracy and obesity. Save the Children’s comprehensive approach works to ensure the overall physical and emotional well-being of those children who are most at-risk within the United States.

For information on how you can contribute, click here.

In addition to Brooklyn, Victoria is mom to Romeo James, 7, and Cruz David, 4 ½, with husband David Beckham.

– Missy

See two more photos below!
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Party time! Celebrities and their kids headed to The Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles on Sunday for Yo Gabba Gabba! Live: There’s A Party In My City.

Below, actor Jason Bateman and wife Amanda Anka took daughter Francesca Nora, 3, to the show, where they met up with DJ Lance Rock.

Jeff Vespa/WireImage

Click below for photos of Busy Philipps and Birdie, Christina Aguilera and Max, and Josh Homme and Camille.
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Some stories for your Thursday afternoon:

• Tips on keeping your Thanksgiving “bacteria-free” — Health.com
• 10 hints for having little helpers in the kitchen — lilSugar
• Ways to “reward” (not bribe!) your kids — BettyConfidential
• Many of the nation’s mall Santas are lobbying for swine flu vaccines this season — USA Today
• Will breastfeeding prevent babies from catching H1N1? — CNN

Whee! Suri Cruise’s stuffed friend captures her attention as she swings near the Charles River with dad Tom Cruise in Boston, Mass. on Monday.

See more photos of Suri, 3 ½, and parents Tom and Katie Holmes in their family album.

Ian Nolan/Splash News Online

Little Marc Jacobs Swimwear Line

Winter is looming large on the horizon, but if you’re already daydreaming about fun in the sun with your little one next summer, Marc Jacobs just might play a part. The world-famous fashion designer’s Little Marc Jacobs line is expanding to include swimwear, with a scheduled launch in 2010.

Make no mistake, these suits and beachwear are a splurge — boy styles range in price from $40-$80 while girl styles retail for $72-$88! But if high fashion is a soft spot for you and your tot, you won’t be disappointed.

While the kid suits won’t quite mirror mom and dad’s, they’ll draw from the Marc by Marc Jacobs apparel and accessory line for inspiration, including the use of Little Miss and Mister Marc signature cartoon graphics as well as the designer’s fun “kissing fish” print.

The items will be available in sizes 2-10.

Look for the Little Marc Jacobs new swimwear line in specialty stops and better department stores, as well as in Marc by Marc Jacobs stores, nationwide.

– Missy

Gilbert Flores/Celebrity

With daughter Ava Elizabeth on his arm, rocker Richie Sambora attends the premiere of New Moon, held Monday evening at the Village Theater in Westwood, Calif.

Ava, 12, is the Bon Jovi guitarist’s child with ex-wife Heather Locklear.

New Moon, the second film in the Twilight series, is in theaters Friday.

Daniele Venturelli/WireImage

Portraying children’s author Enid Blyton in the new BBC biopic Enid was a labor of love for Helena Bonham Carter, who shot the film in 15 days on a shoestring budget. Her enthusiasm for the project was not matched by her 6-year-old son Billy Ray, however! Helena tells the UK’s Telegraph,

“[He] threw my script to the opposite end of the room just before I started filming, saying, ‘I like you but I don’t like what you do ‘cos it takes such a very long time.’”

Although she, herself, was not a big fan of Enid’s writing growing up she is quick to point out that she is reading it to Billy now “whether he likes it or not.” She adds,

“And he does like it. All the things people criticize her for, such as repetitive language, he loves it. It makes it really easy to read.”

Helena is also mom to Nell, 23 months, with partner Tim Burton.

Source: Telegraph

– Missy