If there's one thing that's controversial among parents who blog, it's whether or not it's appropriate to post pictures of your children online. Some parents worry that it isn't safe, while others are concerned that their children will view it as an invasion of privacy when they get older. Still, there are plenty of parents out there (including Dooce, arguably the most famous parenting blogger) who have no problem using photos and/or real names.

Seventeen years ago, these kinds of issues hadn't ever been discussed. So when photographer Kirk Weddie called his friend Rick Elden to see if he could take some shots of Elden's young son Spencer in the pool, Rick didn't think much of it. A few months later, the Elden's were surprised when their infant son showed up on the side of Tower Record's building on Sunset Boulevard, in all his naked glory. A shot of Spencer in the swimming pool had become the cover for Nirvana's 1991 album Nevermind.

Nevermind was no small album -- 26 million copies sold -- and Spencer is now a 17-year-old. Spencer says that it's "kind of cool" being the Nirvana baby. Though he's spent some time in military school for bad behavior, Spencer will likely be graduating high school a year early this summer. I'm curious what his parents thought when they first saw that billboard for the first time. Were they mad? Did they wish that they had had a chance to give permission? Maybe they were excited about their young son's fame, or concerned about his privacy. It's hard to say, things being so much different then.

If you're a parenting blogger, do you take measures to protect your child's privacy?

Source

Last year, former Family Ties actor Brian Bonsall made headlines when he was arrested and convicted of third degree assault. You may remember Bonsall as Michael J. Fox's little brother, Andy, on the popular 1980's sitcom. After his conviction last year, the now 26-year-old Boulder, Colorado resident was sentenced to two years' probation for pouring a drink on his girlfriend, grabbing her in a choke-hold and throwing her down on the bed when she tried to leave. Nice.

Today, he's back in the headlines for failing to abide by the terms of his probation. He is accused of not paying for his court-ordered domestic-violence classes, missing his daily alcohol checks and testing positive for at least one breathalyzer test that he did take. But it gets worse. He was due in court yesterday to face those charges and failed to show. The judge in the case is expected to issue a warrant for his arrest today.

Sadly, a former child star getting in trouble isn't all that unusual. But what really gets me is the photos that accompany the article. From sweet-faced little boy to rough-looking criminal, it is enough to break any parent's heart.

Source

Nicole Kidman may be debuting pics of her new baby soon, but if she does so, it won't be for cash. The Oscar winner and her country music star husband, Keith Urban, recently welcomed Sunday Rose into the world. According to reports, they've been debating about whether to share their joy in picture format.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, if they do release pics, it won't be for a lot of money. In fact, the Australian paper is reporting, if pictures are released it will be for free.

As we all know, the Jolie-Pitt twins pictures will be worth between $15 and $20 million. The money has reportedly been earmarked for charity. Hollywood stars have had a long tradition of selling pictures of their children to publications like People and OK Magazine for hefty sums. Nice to see the Kidman Urban tribe isn't willing to share their joy only if there's payment involved.

Source

They say that experience is the best teacher, but I don't think that applies in all cases. For example, Susan Olsen, better known as Cindy from the Brady Bunch, is teaching her 10-year-old son the dangers of alcohol by binge drinking and showing up for work with a vomit-inducing hangover.

The 47-year-old Olsen was being interviewed on a Colorado radio show when she began showing signs of intestinal distress. Clutching her stomach and covering her mouth, the former cutie-pie suddenly bolted for the bathroom. When asked what happened, she proudly told the truth: she drank too much wine the night before and was dealing with a bad hangover. "Of course I threw up in the bathroom. It's better than throwing up on their face," she said. "I'm a very, very, very honest person. I also am a person who doesn't drink."

I agree, cookies are better tossed in the bathroom than on the table. And honesty usually is the best policy. But what about her 10-year-old son, who was with her in the studio? When asked if she was at all bothered by the fact that he witnessed this display, she she insisted she was not. "That's the way kids learn," she said.

The way that kids learn what, exactly? That mom can't hold her booze? That getting drunk the night before you have to work is perfectly acceptable as long as you are honest about it? And if she really never drinks, what prompted her son to invite listeners to come "watch her drink like a pig" at a local bar?

Source

Spice Girl Melanie Brown has a working wish list that a lot of parents would envy. She says that before she will agree to take a job, her prospective employer must agree to some basic ground rules: her children must be allowed to accompany her to work and she must be allowed to finish up for the day in time to put the kids to bed.

My first thought was that she is pretty lucky to be in a position to make such demands. She gets to have a career and not miss a minute with her kids. But then I thought more about it and realized that if Mel gets her way, 9-year-old Phoenix Chi and 1-year-old Angel Iris are likely spending all day, every day, on a set or wherever it is that Melanie makes her money (what does she do these days?).

While on some level, I guess I do envy her ability to have her working parent demands met, I wonder how the kids feel about it. Is she really doing what is best for her children by dragging them to work with her? Or is she being selfish in trying to have it all?

Source

So, the long wait has ended. Not only did Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt finally have those babies yesterday, they bucked a trend and released their names immediately. Surely you have heard by now that the newest additions to the ever-expanding Jolie-Pitt family are Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline.

It is no surprise that the couple got creative with their baby names. You didn't expect a John or a Mary, did you? And while Knox may be the most unusual name of the two, it is the choice of Vivienne that surprises most. It is downright traditional in an early 1900's kind of way. The French feminine of Vivian, their new daughter's name is obviously a nod to Jolie's late mother, French-born Marcheline. Compared to her sisters Shiloh and Zahara, Vivienne's name may sound a little boring, but I think it's beautiful.

As far as Knox Leon, it would appear that the Jolie-Pitt's are fond of the letter X. As in Maddox, Pax and now Knox. I don't know what that name means to the French, but apparently there is a Knox somewhere in Brad's family tree. It's nice enough, but my first thought was gelatin. Followed by Barney Fife (but that's Don Knotts). If they plan to have more babies (does anyone doubt they will?), where else can they go with this X business?

Source

This week we saw two celebrity babies born -- Sunday, daughter of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, and Levi, son of Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves. We hardly even blinked at the somewhat unusual names, because by celebrity standards, they're pretty tame.

Up until the 1950s, popular baby names were pretty stable. In fact, Mary and John were the most popular names for a girl or boy for over 70 years. But in the 50s and 60s, parents started to get a little more creative. Live Science has a list of the top 10 baby names then and now. You still won't find Bluebell Madonna, Everly Bear, or even Apple on the list, but you can see that -- especially for girls -- names have changed considerably.

Source

OK! magazine, the publication that Jamie Lynn Spears revealed her pregnancy at sixteen years old, features the teen mom and three-week-old Maddie Briann on their cover this week.

And in spite of troubling reports of teenage pregnancy pacts and the efforts of shows like Baby Borrowers to de-romanticize having a baby at a young age, Jamie Lynn wants everyone to know that "being a mom is the best feeling in the world!"

Source

Boy, those Hansons really know how to make babies! Between them, the MMMboppers have 6 children, including the newest addition, courtesy of Isaac and his wife Nikki.

The eldest Hanson brother and his wife welcomed little James Monroe on July 1 in their hometown of Tulsa. He weighed in at 8 pounds, 11 ounces and joins 1-year-old brother Clark Everett Hanson. "The addition of Monroe to our family is incredible and exciting," said 27-year-old Isaac. "With Monroe and Everett being so close in age, it will be great to watch them grow up together."

Monroe and Everett. Notice that both boys go by their middle names. Why do you suppose they gave them first names they had no intention of using?

Source

Little Levi Alves McConaughey just made his mommy and daddy a wee bit richer. The newborn son of actor Matthew McConaughey and Brazilian supermodel Camila Alves earned $3 million for his first photos, which the proud parents have sold to OK! Magazine.

Whether or not you agree if it's appropriate for the parents to be pimping out selling the photos of their young son to the press for some cold hard cash, there is one thing upon which I think we can all agree: that baby is cute. No doubt, given the serious hotness of both his parents, this will be the first of many times he graces the pages of a magazine.

Apparently the real winners in this deal are the folks at OK!, who allegedly also get first shot and the family's first Christmas and the wedding should McConohottie and his girlfriend decide to tie the knot. I find that very, very odd. I mean, I sent pictures of a holiday photo of my new family at Snapfish and sent those around to friends and relatives, but having OK! parade them around to millions seems a little out there to me. What do you think?

Source

He may be the presumptive Democratic nominee, but Barack Obama is also a dad to Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7. And while he may be able to make inspiring speeches that cause his supporters to cheer, he's also really, really good at embarrassing his daughters, reports Malia.

His crime? Shaking her friends' hands. "You don't really shake kids' hands that much," she told him, "You just wave or say hi." I can relate, Malia. My dad used to tell really bad jokes when I was your age.

The Obamas typically keep their girls out of the media, but they've allowed Access Hollywood a glimpse into their lives as a family. Malia reports that she was excited to see her mom in a tabloid magazine like Angelina Jolie, and wonders what decorating her room at the White House might be like. The show airs tonight, but you can get a sneak peek here. The Obama girls are not only utterly adorable, it's nice to see them all interact as a family.

Source

Even before her father's death in 2006, Bindi Irwin seemed destined to join the family business. The Crocodile Hunter's daughter had made several appearances on her dad's shows and was obviously comfortable with her exotic and sometimes dangerous co-stars. But it was her moving speech at her father's memorial service in 2006 that probably sealed the deal for her future as a television star. At eight-years-old, she was well-spoken, calm, and showed a maturity beyond her years.

I was impressed and so was the Discovery Kids Channel, who gave her a show of her own. Bindi the Jungle Girl may have earned Irwin an Emmy award, but now she's getting real proof that she's a star: a doll in her likeness. Developed by Wild Republic, the Bindi Irwin talking doll is a 10 inch replica of the little girl all decked out in her khaki finest. Sporting her trademark bangs and pigtails, she comes with accessories including binoculars, a camera, outback gear, as well as a cockatoo, wombat and python. Plus, she says things like "Crikey! Let's go help wildlife," and "You can make the world a better place."

The dolls will go on sale in September for $15 to $20 each, with some of the proceeds going to help fund efforts to breed endangered species and rescue animals. Beat that, Barbie!

Source

It seems like she was only just starting to show off her baby bump, but earlier this morning Nicole Kidman gave birth to a baby girl. Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, who received both of her parent's last names, weighed in a 6 lbs, 7.5 ounces.

Daddy Keith Urban is looking forward to the wild ride of new parenthood. "The unknown excites me a lot," he said recently. Nicole, of course, is already an experienced mother. She shares parenting duties of Isabella, 15, and Connor, 13 with ex-husband Tom Cruise.

Sunday was born in Nashville, where her parents have settled, though she'll also likely spend plenty of time in her mom's native Australia. Nicole was one of those pregnant woman who just glow, and looked so happy in every picture taken of her during her pregnancy. Congratulations to the new family!

Source

Former boxing heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield hasn't fought a match in a while, but he is still making the newspapers. Unfortunately, he's in the legal notices section and the news isn't good. Holyfield's $10 million estate in Atlanta, Georgia is facing foreclosure and is about to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

If that wasn't enough to make the champ want to punch someone, he is also facing deadbeat dad charges from one of the mothers of his children. Holyfield has been married just twice, but admits to at least nine children fathered out of wedlock. One of those children is a 10-year-old son with Toi Jenese Irvin. Irvin has gone to court claiming Holyfield is behind on his child support payments and now owes her $9000. She also says that Holyfield hasn't maintained a health insurance policy on their child despite a judge's order to do so.

It sounds like Holyfield is having some serious financial issues and the foreclosure and the child support issue may just be the beginning of things. Irvin's lawyer is aware of this and wants to make sure his client is at the top of the list when what's left of Holyfield's money is disbursed. "My concern is there may be a lot of other mothers not be getting paid, and I would like my client to be at front of the line," says her lawyer, Randy Kessler. And Kessler means business. If Holyfield doesn't pay up, the lawyer wants him tossed in jail. "This is such a small amount given the scope of what he has," Kessler said. "If Evander Holyfield can get away with it, anybody can. There are guys making $15,000 a year who go to jail for missing a $100 payment." Yeah, he's got a point there. I don't know what happened to the reported $200 million Holyfield has earned over the years, but perhaps he should have set a little of it aside to take care of all his kids.

Source

Professional skateboarder Tony Hawk finally got the girl. The baby girl, that is. On Monday, Hawk (is that not the perfect name for a skateboarder?) and his wife Lhotse welcomed their first child together, a daughter they named Kadence Clover. Pretty name, but they had better get used to hearing "how do you spell that?"

Little Kadence weighed in at 8 lbs., 8 oz. and measured 21 inches long. She is the first child for Tony and Lhotse as a couple, but the fourth child for Tony. 40-year-old Hawk has been married twice before and has three sons from those unions - Riley,15, Spencer,9, and Keegan,6.

Congratulations Tony and Lhotse!

Source