The sculptor Daniel Edwards always like controversial subjects. I mean, remember the nude statue of Britney Spears giving birth to her son Sean Preston? Or Suri Cruise’s baby poop in bronze? Or Paris Hilton’s unborn twin fetuses?

This time it’s Angelina Jolie and her twins who inspired Edwards. If you remember, Jolie posed for the cover of W magazine last year while breastfeeding her then newborn twins. Inspired by that photo, the latest piece is called Landmark for Breastfeeding, depicting a life-sized nude Jolie sitting on a park bench and double breastfeeding two babies. According to this ABC report, Edwards depicted one baby as African-American and the other not. Sorry, I can’t confirm this. I can’t really tell from the photos. But I can tell that Jolie is breastfeeding the babies using the so-called “football hold”, something which I’ve tried with my twins, too (not very comfortable for the mom, believe me).

The work is supposedly on display at the Mainsite Contemporary Art Museum in Norman, Oklahoma starting September 11 but will be traveling to London soon for an exhibition

According to Edwards, his new work is meant to raise global awareness of breastfeeding and encourage women to breastfeed in public. Edwards claims to be a social activist, using his works as social commentaries. But he also loves controversy, thus choice of celebrity subjects.

What do you think?

Do you think Edwards is sincere about supporting breastfeeding? Do you think the sculpture is serving its noble purpose?

It’s unlikely that anyone will be surprised if Angeline Jolie and Brad Pitt decide to make their family a little bigger. They now have six children; three adopted and three biological. According to recent reports Jolie may be considering adopting a child from India.

She met the cast of the hit film Slumdog Millionaire and was reportedly asked by one of them why she hadn’t adopted a child from India. She was quoted as saying, “Well, I’ll let you into a little secret, we will soon.” Britain’s Sunday Express revealed that Pitt and Jolie visited the Priya Darshini Orphanage in India in 2006. The report stated that they were busy at the time and were unable to go through with the adoption then.

This news comes hot on the heels of reports that singer Madonna is looking to adopt another child. I can only wonder if this may be the beginning of a trend. Given the efforts being made by many organizations to encourage adoption this would be a good thing. However, like all such issues there are pros and cons.

It is surprising though the level of scrutiny that seems to accompany such adoptions. Yes, they are celebs, but surely such a private matter should be treated a little differently. Some celebrities who have gone the adoption route include Tom Cruise, Calista Flockhart, Hugh Jackman Rosie O’Donnell and Lionel Richie. Some have suggested that celebs who adopt use it as a means of remaining in the spotlight.

If these reports turn out to be true, many people must be wondering if Pitt and Jolie will continue to expand their family. I am supportive of the idea of giving these children the chance to be raised with a loving family. I can’t help but wonder, as I am sure many others are, whether they will adopt from somewhere in the US at some point. If anyone needs a reminder, they have Shiloh who is two, and the twins Vivienne and Knox who are now seven months old. Maddox is seven, Pax is four and Zahara is three.

I wish this couple luck with any future family plans. Anyone who has to raise one child knows how tough it can be let alone six. But children are a blessing and once they can be properly cared for and loved, I guess maybe eight isn’t enough for some of us.

The cover of this week’s Life & Style Weekly magazine features Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and their six (and counting) children. The headline reads: “New home for the kids”.

This refers to the family’s new home in Lloyd Neck, NY, a tiny hamlet on Long Island. The home, called Sassafrass, is an English Tudor style 22,000 square foot house that’s worth $60 million.

The estate includes 48 acres with horse stables, two helicopter landing pads, woods with hiking paths, a formal garden to play in and its own barber shop. The house has eight bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. The guest house has six bedrooms and there is a house for staff, such as nannies and housekeepers, with 11 bedrooms.

The area looks quaint, with many nice parks and playgrounds as well as a cute town with nice little shops.

I understand that a couple in the limelight like Brad and Angelina need their privacy but certainly this can be obtained on fewer than 48 acres and with fewer than 22,000 square feet. The pair claims that the new home is “for the kids”. That’s great but I really don’t think that a large home is what children need in order to be happy. As long as a place feels like home; as long as it is where children feel safe, cared for and loved, they will thrive.

When I was a kid, we lived in a small house in Shorewood, Illinois for about five years. I remember this house fairly well. I didn’t think of it as being small or large…it was my home, which I shared with my family, ate my meals, slept at night and shared a bedroom with my two sisters. Several years ago, my sister returned to our former little cottage. She told me she couldn’t believe that we had lived there as kids; it was a tiny shack.

Sure, maybe the place got run down and even abandoned over the years, but she couldn’t get over how tiny it was. This hadn’t mattered to us when we lived there. I don’t even remember comparing the house to others.

Kids can be happy as long as they have a stable, loving home, be it an apartment in the city or house in the country. Pax, Maddox, Zahara, Shiloh and the baby twins could certainly be just as happy in a more modest home. It kind of makes me ill, thinking about their lavish lives in contrast to the many families facing foreclosures in our country right now. I just count myself and my family lucky to have a home, whatever the size.

One celebrity or another seemed to announce her pregnancy, deliver a baby, or deliver twins almost daily in 2008. Never mind the latest it-handbag, babies are by far the most fashionable accessory in Hollywood.

Here’s a rundown of some of the highlights of the celebrity baby year!

Mom working furthest into her pregnancy: Amy Poehler on Saturday Night Live performing her infamous moose rap with Sarah Palin just seven days before giving birth to son Archie.Best Celebrity Baby Name: That’s a hard one. My favorites are Harper Rosie, daughter of Dixie Chick Martie Maguire, and Harlow Winter Kate, daughter of Nicole Ritchie.

Worst Celebrity Baby Name: Bronx Mowgli Wentz, son of Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Pete Wentz. Bronx Wentz? Try saying that three times fast.

Most Expensive Baby Photos: We don’t know for sure, but we are guessing that it’s Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s twins, Vivienne and Knox.  Photos of their first baby, Shiloh, sold for $4 million, Jennifer Lopez recived $6 million for her twins, and the sum paid for Vivienne and Knox’s snaps is reportedly a “record” we can only imagine they are the most expensive baby pictures ever. As with Shiloh’s photographs, the Jolie-Pitts donated the money to charity.

Most Normal Celebrity Moms: A parade of Hollywood stars taking their babies and toddlers to the Hollywood Pumpkin Patch. See, they are just like us. Albeit with high heels.

There’s Defnitely Something in the Water: The must have celebrity trend? Not it-bags, not a baby – the most fashionable accessory seems to be twins. Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lopez, Marcia Cross, Lisa-Marie Presley, Diane Farr, Ricky Martin,  Tony Dovolani, Nancy Grace all became parents of twins, and Charlie Sheen, Jenna Jameson and Rebecca Romijn are expecting twin babies.

Skinniest Pregnant Mom: Nicole Kidman. Aussie Nicole Kidman barely seemed to gain weight with her pregnancy. We know it’s vital to be invisible when you turn sideways to make it in Hollywood, but surely the rules are relaxed when you are pregnant? I was pleading for you to eat a burger, Nicole. Or lasagne. Mac & Cheese? Anything with cheese is good. Growing babies love cheese. And food, in general.

Most Delightful Disregard of Hollywood Standards: Has to go to Salma Hayek, for still nursing her 14-month-old daughter and prioritizing her baby above diet and exercise. Way to go, Salma!

What was your favorite celebrity pregnancy moment of 2008? What is your favorite and least favorite baby names?

There’s one thing you can say about the folks in Hollywood, they are never short of opinions. It’s interesting sometimes to see that celebs for all their fame and fortune go through pretty much the same trials and tribulations as the rest of us.

If you want to hear some Hollywood moms’ views on family then consider getting the book The Black Book of Hollywood Pregnancy Secrets. The celebs talk about keeping things grounded, being in the limelight and single parenthood. The book was written by Kym Douglas and Cindy Pearlman. To gather material they spoke to a number of celebs including Tina Fey, Kate Hudson, Katie Holmes and Angelina Jolie.

Kate Hudson, who spilt from her husband, The Black Crowes frontman, Chris Robinson in 2007, finds dating these days challenging. There are probably quite a few documented cases of other single parents having similar difficulties. Dating after divorce can be a pretty difficult, especially if there are kids in the picture. Hudson is mom to five-year-old, Ryder. “I’d rather be at home with my son cooking dinner than going out with a guy. My son is my man,” she said.

Funny-woman, Tina Fey says of parenting, “I don’t care how many covers you’re on. When you’re chasing a three-year-old around with a pull-up hoping she won’t poop on the floor, you’re just like every other mom on the planet.” The Golden Globe winner keeps things pretty busy with her work on TV’s 30 Rock, big screen movies and her recent guest spot on Saturday Night Live. I’m sure many working moms would agree with her about certain universal truths of motherhood.

Maybe the most famous Hollywood right now is Angelina Jolie. She gives some insights into her family life, and talks about celebrating Halloween in India. I’m not sure how much more we can learn about Angelina’s family, they are in fact one of the most covered by media in the world. Her fans however can get a copy to see if she offers anything new on raising children, especially with the brood she has and whether she plans to have any more.

The book will be on shelves in March of 2009.

I read recently that actress Angelina Jolie had made up her mind to never get pregnant. That is, until she met Brad Pitt. “I think one of the life-changing things that he did, one of many, is that I was absolutely never going to get pregnant,” she is quoted as saying. I wonder how many women can relate to this. I know I can.

People seem to find it strange when a woman says she doesn‘t plan to marry or have kids. But the truth is, women make this choice for a number of reasons. For me, I guess you could say I just didn‘t have that maternal instinct, and was so happy being an aunt, I thought that was enough.

When my husband and I were dating though, I changed my mind about all that pretty quickly. I can‘t really call it an epiphany or anything like that, but it dawned on me that I wanted to have children with him. I suspect there are women and men out there who for one reason or another, have determined that parenting just wasn‘t for them. Then suddenly the right person comes along and all that goes out the window.

Everyone is different of course, but for those who didn‘t always feel like they wanted children, can that one person really ignite that desire to raise and nurture a child? Is it fair to be critical of women or men who decide they don‘t want to have children?

Yes, in some cases there may be what seems like selfish reasons for not wanting to be a parent, but often it is a decision that individuals make after careful thought. One thing is certain, even someone who wasn‘t prepared to be a parent often finds that the natural instinct kicks in, sometimes even before the baby is born.

In a quote taken from a website, Philadelphia psychiatrist Elyse Rubenstein defines the maternal instinct as “an inborn tendency to want to protect and nurture one’s offspring.” She went on to say in the article that not wanting a baby previously will not make you a bad parent.

I have to agree. Just as we are all capable of good and bad, most human beings, regardless of what statistics say, are capable of feeling that bond after becoming a parent.

If you have ever struggled with breastfeeding, you can sympathize with 33-year old actress Angelina Jolie. The star, most recently in The Changeling, discussed nursing four-month old twins (and other mum wisdom) with British talk show GMTV.

To put it simply, “It’s very hard,” she said. That didn’t stop her from appearing on the cover of W magazine, breastfeeding one of her twins. The picture, shot by boyfriend, Brad Pitt, was one of many featured photos.

Despite her impression that the so-called football hold is “a lot harder than it looks in the books,” Miss Jolie still managed to nurse both babies for three months, sometimes doubling up in the football hold, and sometimes taking turns. But, as many moms have discovered, she claims it just took a lot of time, and three months was as long as she could go.

Jolie became pregnant with babies 5 and 6 while shooting the film The Changeling. Kudos to Miss Jolie for being a role model in several respects. I commend any mom who takes the effort and time to breastfeed any baby, let alone multiples. A good friend of mine has twins and she barely eeked out 6 weeks breastfeeding them. I also think nursing is especially challenging for moms who work outside their homes, and Miss Jolie is certainly a busy working mom. Finally, she also has several other children vying for her attention. I struggled for several weeks with my second child, and she was just a singleton, with an 11-year old brother, and I am working at home.? It would be tempting for me (if I were in her shoes) to take the easy road and hire a wetnurse, or at least someone to bottle feed for her.

If YOU have breastfed your multiples, you are my hero, too! Way to go! How did you manage?

Some time ago I was watching an episode of Judge Judy, and I don’t remember the details, but the lawsuit was sparked because a woman had chosen to breastfeed her baby in public. It seems to me that there will always be people who have strong feelings about this one way or another. Well I think anyone who has a problem with it should try putting themselves in the shoes of a nursing mom. I’m sure no mom actually prefers to have to nurse in front of strangers, but sometimes the situation just doesn’t leave many options.

Adding to the discussion, Angelina Jolie’s cover photo for W magazine seems to show her breastfeeding, and of course there are supporters and detractors. But is it anybodies business really? Now, I wouldn’t allow myself to be photographed breastfeeding, let alone have it splashed across the cover of a magazine, but any woman who chooses to do that should be free to do so.

Take a look at some of the shows on TV, and I’m not talking cable here. Look at some of the images we are exposed to daily. Networks are constantly pushing the envelope as far as it can go, so does the image of a baby nursing really warrant that much attention? Are Jolie and partner Brad Pitt to be blamed for allowing this picture to be published in the first place?

For my part, it’s difficult to see why something as fundamental and important as breastfeeding should cause any kind of controversy. Jane Crouse, spokeswoman for La Leche League International, a breastfeeding support group, had this to say, ‘I think we do need more role models like Angelina Jolie willing to be photographed and say, ‘Hey look, it can be done, it oughta be done.‘ I’m afraid I’m not with her on that one. Do grown women really need role models when it comes to the decision to breastfeed? Is the suggestion here that more women will be inclined to nurse their babies because a celebrity has been photographed doing it?

I don’t think La Leche is giving women enough credit. The decision to breastfeed is a personal one. While we may feel inclined to make assumptions or judgments about a woman who decides not to breastfeed, we should keep in mind that it is a personal decision. Any mother of a young baby should certainly consider the well documented evidence of the advantages of breastfeeding, but ultimately it is a private matter.

Today, People magazine published a special edition with photos of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s new twins, Vivienne and Knox.

People is running this week’s issue one day earlier to take advantage of the demand to see the new babies. The magazine wouldn’t say how much they paid for the photos, but as pictures of their daughter Shiloh sold for $4 million, and Jennifer Lopez’s twins’ photos sold for $6 million, it has to be something astronomical! The Jolie-Pitt family is expected to donate all the money to charity, as they did with the payment for Shiloh’s photographs.

In the rest of the world, British celebrity magazine Hello! has bought the exclusive rights to print the pictures of the babies outside North America. The amount paid for these pictures also hasn’t been revealed, but Hello! is also going to press one day early, will be available on newsstands for an extra week, and has quintupled it’s cover price from the equivalent of $1 to $5. Again, the money is expected to go to charity.

One of, if not the most anticipated celebrity birth of the year has finally happened. Thirty-three year old actress Angelina Jolie gave birth on Saturday night, July 12, to boy and girl twins. The babies join older siblings, Maddox, Pax, Zahara and Shiloh.

The babies were delivered by Caesarian section in a French hospital by her obstetrician, Dr. Michael Sussman. The boy, Knox Leon weighed 5.03 pounds and his sister, Vivienne Marcheline, weighed 5 pounds. A report from Dr. Sussman said that the delivery was brought forward to ensure the safety of the babies; no reason was given as to why. He said however that, ??the mother, the babies, and the father were doing marvelously well.? Proud papa, Pitt was in the delivery room the entire time and remained ?perfectly calm? according to Dr. Sussman.

The baby girl was named after Jolie?s late mother, Marcheline Bertrand. The Jolie-Pitt family had moved to France a few weeks ago to await the birth of the babies. Jolie was admitted to hospital last week in anticipation of the birth.

Like most celebrity parents these days, Jolie and Pitt have sold the rights to the first pictures for millions to a yet un-named US publication. The money received for the pictures will be donated to charity.

Congrats to the entire Jolie-Pitt clan.

The latest development in one of the most anticipated twin pregnancies in Hollywood circle has Angelina Jolie in the hospital for their birth. She has been admitted to Lenval Hospital in Nice, France and a spokeswoman for the hospital has confirmed that mom is doing well. Not much more details has been given but that her admittance to the hospital has been a scheduled one. I’m sure it won’t be long until she does give birth and the whole Jolie-Pitt clan welcome its latest additions.

Some have speculated that the choice of France as the twins’ country of birth is an homage to Jolie’s mother, Marcheline Bertrand who has passed away. But others are saying that Angelina Jolie and husband Brad Pitt, decided on a France birth because of the government’s more stringent rules against paparazzi. French Paparazzis are not allowed to take pictures of celebrities in private settings, especially not celebrities’ children. Only in celebrity events such as premiers, and awards shows, etc, are celebrity pictures allowed to be taken and children’s photos are regularly blurred or even pulled from publication.

I am no celebrity buff but I love it when celebrities do good deeds and become real role models for a change. Which is why I am writing about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt today. And no, it’s not about the twins.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the couple’s foundation donated $1 million to children in Iraq though the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict. The organization will distribute the money to four organizations who are working for the benefit of children as well as mothers who suffered in Iraq losing their families, homes, and school as a consequence of the war. Iraqi as well as American children will benefit from the donation. The organizations which would be entrusted of this noble task are as follows:

Armed Services YMCA Operation Hero Program has to task to provide counseling and educational support to military children.

Women for Women International will provide books, school supplies and other basic necessities to Iraqi women and children.

International Rescue Committee will work to repair three Iraqi schools and offer classes for more than 2,500 Iraqi students.

NineMillion.org will provide school uniforms and learning materials to more than 2,000 displaced Iraqi kids.

I like the fact that the money will go mainly to educational programs. I strongly feel that Iraq can only survive and develop by helping the younger generation learn and develop.

Well done and thank you, Brad and Angelina.

While preparing to write about the birth of actress Tori Spelling?s second child and first daughter, I decided to do a follow-up blog re 2008 being a bumper year for celebrity births.

In early march I reported that 18 celebrities had become parents. The number of celebrities welcoming new addition to their families has not abated. Since March sixth, my unofficial count has seen another 28 births to celebrities, and these are just the more popular ones.

Well-known celebrities who have given birth or whose wives have given birth since our last post are:

March

Punky Brewster star, Soleil Moon Frye, and husband, Jason welcomed a son on March 17. On March 20, director Rob Cohen and his wife Barbara welcomed not one, but three new celebs into the world. The Cohen?s triplets are two girls and a boy.

March births continued with celebrity actress Halle Berry, chef, Giada De Laurentiis, country singer Darryl Worley, singer Kellie Coffey, and Angela Kinsey, star of The Office all welcoming new additions to their families.

April

Nine celebrity births were recorded for the month of April. Those making the list are Australian actress Cate Blanchett, baseball star Alex Rodriquez, actresses Jodie Sweetin, Elisabeth R?hm and Tracey Gold, reporter Thea Andrews and Atomic Kitten singer, Kerry Katona.

May

Another civil rights leader may well be on the way with the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr?s first grandchild. His son, Martin Luther King III and his wife welcomed their daughter into the world. Actor Sean Patrick Thomas and his wife, Aonika also expanded their family during May.

May births were also recorded for rapper T.I., figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, star of Lost, Harold Perrineau, Jr., Zac Hanson of the Hansons, and twins for Coldplay drummer Will Champion and his wife, Marianne.

June

One of the most anticipated births of the year was the daughter of Fantastic 4 star Jessica Alba. June also saw actor Vin Diesel, guitarist of Joe Don of the Rascal Flatts, and funny man Jack Black welcoming their bundles of joy to the world.

Stay tuned for another updated list in August with Angelina Jolie, Ashlee Simpson, Jamie Lynn Spears, Gillian Anderson, Nicole Kidman, Matthew McConaughey, Natascha McElhone, Minnie Driver, Clay Aiken and Gwen Stefani. There are also confirmed reports that Beyonce Knowles may also be in this group.

Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie has confirmed that she and partner Brad Pitt are expecting twins.

Jolie was being interviewed at the Cannes Film Festival in France, along with comic actor Jack Black, co-star of “Kung Fu Panda,” when she acknowledged that she was having twins after Black made a reference to them.

Jolie, 32, and Pitt, 44, together have an adopted 3-year-old daughter Zahara, 6-year-old son Maddox and 4-year-old son Pax. They also have a biological daughter, 22-month-old Shiloh. The twins will be the couple’s fifth and sixth children.

The soon to be 33 year old actress Angelina Jolie who already has one biological child with actor Brad Pitt, is finding pregnancy the second time around a little more challenging. Jolie has been diagnosed with gestational diabetes according to online reports. The actress has been suffering from endema, a condition which causes swelling, as well as extreme nausea and fatigue which are generally more pronounced with multiples. She became aware of developing gestational diabetes a few weeks ago. A source close to Jolie said that ?She?s been seeing a nutritionist about it ? frequently.?

The popular actress is said to be expecting fraternal twins (a boy and a girl) with live-in love Brad Pitt. Jolie and Pitt are the parents of three adopted children, two boys and a girl.

What is Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is defined by WebMD.com as ?a condition characterized by high blood glucose (sugar) levels that is first recognized during pregnancy. The condition occurs in approximately 4% of pregnancies.? Although there are certain risk factors for developing gestational diabetes, many women who get the condition do not have any of these risks. Some of these risk factors include:

• Being overweight
• Belonging to the following racial groups: Hispanic, black, Asian or Native American
• Family history of diabetes
• Having a large baby, especially one weighing more than 9 pounds

I?m jealous of Angelina Jolie. Not because she?s famous, gorgeous and married to People?s ?Sexiest Man Alive? (multiple times), Brad Pitt. I?m jealous because she is apparently doing just what I?d like to be doing right now: moving far away with her family to get some peace and quiet in the final months of her pregnancy and into her post-partum period.

A top online celeb source reports that Angeline, Brad and their four children, Maddox, 6; Pax, 4; Zahara, 3; and Shiloh, who will turn two in May, will be relocating to the French Riviera by the summer to have some down-time before their new additions arrive (they are expecting twins). France is the native country of the actress?s late mother, Marcheline Bertrand.

The couple temporarily relocated to Namibia, Africa for the birth of their first biological baby, Shiloh, where bodyguards and local officials helped to maintain their privacy by keeping the paparazzi away.

While I can?t say that there are people waiting in the bushes to snap a picture of my baby bump, I am tiring of the attention at this point and wish I could just hibernate. I?m tired of people saying how far I?ve popped out, tired of people asking me what I?m having, when I?d hoped for a girl but am expecting boy #3, and tired of explaining why I unfortunately may not be able to breastfeed (for medical reasons).

I do suppose, though, that the privacy I crave must be magnified about a million times by a celebrity whose every move is followed by paparazzi and obsessed fans. So, I guess I wish the Jolie-Pitt crew the best and hope they can savor their precious, private moments spent away from the rest of the world. I?ll grab my few quiet moments whenever and where ever I can.

The BUZZ

The buzz going around tinseltown is that hot Mama Angelina Jolie is pregnant with her second child with Brad Pitt. The wagging tongues goes on to speculate that the duo, dubbed Brangelina, is expecting, gasp, twins!

Three different sources: photo agencies x17, Bauer-Griffin, and Star magazines, are fanning these rumors. More interestingly, there have no denials or confirmations from the Brangelina camp.

Last tidbit: Angelina showed up at the Screen Actors Guild Award last Sunday with overflowing cleavage, and a dressed which has been described as “tent-like”; presumably to hide her bulging tummy.

The BOOM

Congratulations to musical couple Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale (no cute moniker this time, thank goodness) who are expecting their second child. The reports have been confirmed by Gavin’s father. Gwen is apparently 13 weeks along. The rumors were at first denied by the couple, even at the comeback of a maternity shirt Gwen wore while pregnant with their first child, Kingston!

Personally, I’m so delighted for the couple. Not much drama surrounds them, but instead lots of love, and, oh yes, style.