Many people say that Jennifer Hudson became a winner after losing on the popular reality show American Idol. This would seem to be true considering that she already has a hit album and an Oscar win under her belt. In fact, Hudson has achieved more than even those who have won the American Idol title. Now she has become a winner again by giving birth to a baby boy.

Introducing David Daniel Otunga, Jr.

Hudson reportedly gave birth on Monday night. The baby, named David Daniel Otunga, Jr. after his father weighed seven pounds, 14 ounces. Hudson is engaged to marry David Otunga, a former lawyer turned professional wrestler. A rep for Hudson was quoted as saying, “The baby is beautiful and perfect. His parents are ecstatic.”

It would seem that the new parents did not know the baby’s gender. An unnamed source was quoted on the Daily Mail website as saying, “Jennifer and David Sr. did not know the sex of the baby in advance. They bought blue and pink clothes, just in case.” Like so many celebrities seem to be doing these days, Hudson did make her pregnancy public. In fact she was said to have neither confirmed nor denied reports of the pregnancy.

There was no hiding the baby bump however when she appeared at the memorial for the late pop star Michael Jackson. Hudson performed the song Will You Be There. She also had a baby shower at the home of a relative in Chicago.

Death in the Family

This will of course be seen by many as a welcome event in Hudson’s life after suffering an almost unimaginable tragedy. She lost her mother, sister and nephew in Chicago last October when they were murdered. Hudson seems to be on her way to healing.

Reality show fans may remember her fiancee from the second installment of I love New York. The show revolved around New York’s attempts to find true love. He went by the name Punk, and as it turns out, luckily he was not the guy New York eventually chose to be with.

Hudson’s relatives were reportedly a bit wary when she began dating Otunga after dating for only six months. He has accompanied to her to numerous events, and they are frequently photographed together. Congratulations to this talented lady and her fiancee on the birth of their baby. I am sure this baby will bring into her life a lot of well deserved joy.

No matter what some people may think, motherhood, or should I say parenthood, is universal. For celebrity parents, however, there are some pitfalls that come with fame. One of these is the paparazzi who constantly hound celebs for that perfect picture. Recently two celeb moms, Jennifer Garner and Tori Spelling, gave an insight into raising their children and dealing with the ever present shutterbugs.

For Tori Spelling, her two children, two-year-old Liam, and ten-month-old Stella have gotten used to the paparazzi. “They’re definitely very socialized,” the actress said. “They’re friendly with everyone. It is strange sometimes to think that people know my 2-year-old by name, but that’s the world we live in.” I can’t help but feel that so many of these people knowing her child by name poses at least some sort of risk. It is a tough call though, her job pretty much dictates that she will be followed constantly by people she doesn’t know who may know a lot about her.

Spelling is currently doing the rounds promoting her book, Mommywood. So for anyone who wants to see how a celeb mom does it I guess they can pick up a copy. I do admit to being mystified by the support that such books tend to get from the public. Is it simply a matter of their celebrity status? Or does it have to do with moms out there genuinely looking for shared experiences?

Jennifer Garner uses a different method for dealing with the ever present shutterbugs. She relies on making her daughter feel as comfortable as possible. In an interview for the May issue of In Style magazine, Garner was quoted as saying, “I try not to look, but when I see these pictures of Violet and me, I’m always smiling like a monkey, trying not to let her feel my anxiety.”

It seems however that little Violet has already grown tired of the presence of the photographers. In fact, according to her mom, she will ask them politely to stop, but of course her pleas fall on deaf ears. Many people might not support this idea, but I think that paparazzi should be prevented from taking pictures of the children of celebrities without permission. The parents may be stars but surely the children still have a right to privacy.

Garner also talked about hubby Ben Affleck’s attempts to fixing up Violet’s hair. She said, “He dresses her and does her hair. It’s pretty funny. You can always tell when he has been at it, just two random barrettes hanging in there. It’s so sweet.” Well now that the couple has another daughter, three-month-old Seraphina, Affleck may l be able to brush up on his styling skills.

What is better than welcoming your bundle of joy and looking into those eyes and falling completely in love? Doing it on your birthday. That is what happened for actress Alyson Hannigan, who according to recent reports, gave birth to a baby girl on March 24.

Hannigan and her husband named their first-born child Satyana. Their spokesperson was quoted as saying on People.com, “They’re very excited, and mom and baby are doing great.”

According to reports Hannigan didn’t reveal the sex of her baby. I can certainly understand that. There seems to be so much revealed about the babies of celebrities before they are even born. It’s nice to see them keeping something close to the chest once in a while. The name Satyana is unusual, but I don’t think it warrants a place in the pantheon of weird celebrity baby names.

Hannigan revealed in February during an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres talk show that being pregnant made her brain a bit sluggish. She was quoted as saying, “I get tired a lot and I have pregnancy brain, which I never realized was a thing but it is. I sort of feel like a Koala bear where I’m slightly stoned all the time and I’ll say the wrong word.” Don’t worry Alyson, it’s not like anyone is going to pounce on you for saying the wrong thing just because you’re a celebrity.

Hannigan is probably best known for her role in the American Pie franchise. She was also a member of the cast of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. This is where she and her husband Alexis Denisof met. She currently stars in the hit sitcom How I Met Your Mother.

I guess we can expect Hannigan to take a well deserved break. She needs some time to get over that pregnancy brain. A quick search brought up this definition of the term: a condition affecting pregnant women, usually during the first and third trimesters. It is also called placenta brain, or baby brain drain. Just one more thing we have to deal with while pregnant right? At any rate some medical experts still feel that the condition doesn’t really exist.

Here’s hoping that hubby Denisof won’t take the cheap way out when it comes time for birthday gifts for mommy and say something like, “but honey I’ve already given you the greatest gift of all.” I’m just kidding of course. But I would like to give him a word of warning; forgetting one woman’s birthday is bad enough. Forgetting two is asking for big trouble.

Hot on the heels of reports of Charlie Sheen’s wife giving birth to twin boys, another pair of twin boys was born to celebrity parents. Former adult film star Jenna Jameson is now a first time mom. They were born on Monday evening at Newport Beach Hospital, according to published reports.

Jameson, whose birth name is Jennifer Marie Massoli, made the announcement last September that she was expecting twins. Her boyfriend is UFC tough guy Tito Ortiz, also known as the Huntington Beach Bad Boy. He is used to pounding opponents into submission, but I can bet his heart just melted when he saw his babies for the first time.

Jameson was born in Las Vegas, and according to her bio on a movie website, she studied ballet when she was a student. The twice-married new mom was once quoted as saying, “I know that when I do get pregnant, I won’t step one foot in the adult industry again.” Ortiz, who was also previously married, has one son, Jacob Ortiz Jr.

According to news reports, Carson Daly formerly of MTV fame is now a first time parent as well. His girlfriend Siri Pinter gave birth to a boy on Sunday. They named the baby Jackson James Daly. The new addition to Daly’s household weighed 7pounds 8 ounces at birth.  Daly, who was once engaged to actress Tara Reid, now has his own late night talk show Last Call.

Congrats to both set of parents of the birth of their children. And the countdown continues for the next announcement of celebrity births and pregnancies.

It would seem that there is a celebrity baby born every hour, well not technically, but there have been quite a few since 2009. The newest addition to the growing list is first time parents, Maxine Bahns and her husband Patrick Watson. According to published reports she gave birth on Sunday in California. The baby’s weight was 6 pounds 2 ounces.

The new parents named the baby Madison Rose Watson, which is a welcome change from all the strange names we have gotten used to. A rep for the couple was quoted as saying, “Madison is doing great and the happy parents are excited to bring her into their home.” Bahns co-stars in the hit TV show The Mentalist with Simon Baker, playing his wife.

She has also appeared in Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and CSI: NY. With three movies lined up for release this year she is clearly a busy actress. She already has a plan to get her pre-baby body back. Bahns, who is also an athlete and model plans to take part in a half-triathlon in July.

Thirty-nine year old actress Anne Heche and her boyfriend James Tupper welcomed their first child together in early March. The newborn has been given the moniker, Atlas Heche Tupper. The name which was borrowed from Greek mythology is a little more like what we are used to from celebrities names. The baby boy weighed a healthy 6 pounds, 12 ounces at birth.  Heche already has a seven year old son, Homer with ex-husband Coley Laffoon.

Congrats to everyone on the safe delivery of their bundles of joy. It’s a wait and see to hear which expectant celebrity will be delivering next. Stay tuned!

UK actor Simon Pegg, who became known to American audiences for his role in Shaun of the Dead, is going to be a first time father. According to reports, his wife Maureen McCann is now five months pregnant. The couple married in July 2005. An elated Pegg was quoted as saying, “My wife is five months pregnant. We haven’t announced it yet as we want to keep it hush-hush. I’m hoping for a baby girl, but I really don’t mind what we have. We’re thinking of having it in America as the baby will then have dual citizenship. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s going to be amazing.”

Pegg’s wife will deliver her baby in June. In the meantime he will just have to enjoy being godfather to Apple, daughter of actress Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.

Fans of Pegg as well as the Star Trek franchise are looking forward to him taking on the iconic role of Scotty in the new Star Trek movie directed by J.J. Abrams. His other upcoming movies include The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn, and The World’s End.

Model and actress Angie Everhart has already attracted a lot of attention for her pregnancy because she has been mum on who the father is. Everhart was once engaged to actor Joe Pesci, but after their breakup she started a relationship with Chad Stansbury.

Sadly she claimed that Stansbury assaulted her, but according to the tabloids she went back to him and ended up becoming pregnant with his child. Stansbury himself is said to be telling everyone that he is the father of the baby.

It’s tough to say how Everhart might feel about him spilling the beans since she wanted to star in her own reality show about her life as a single mother. Online reports also state that Stansbury has a 17 year old son, but that he has been an absentee father. To be fair to the actor, we don’t know his side of that story, but we can certainly hope that he will be an involved parent if he is in fact the father of Everhart’s baby.

Reports indicate that Nicole Richie and Joel Madden are set to add to their family as well. They had their first child, Harlow in January 2008.

Good luck to these expectant parents. We know they are anxiously awaiting the arrivals of the new additions to their families as many of their fans are.

After her much talked about performance at the Grammy’s, it’s no surprise that rapper M.I.A. went into labor not long after. The British born rapper used her MySpace page to write about her baby’s birth. The father is her fiancé Benjamin Bronfman, a musician. A quote taken from her blog says that the newborn is “healthy, fine, beautiful.” So far the baby’s name has not been released.

In her Grammy performance she worked with rappers Kanye West, T.I., Lil Wayne and Jay –Z. She says that it was hours after this that she started going into labor. Her single Paper Planes was nominated for Record of the Year at the event. She may not have taken home the award but she has been blessed with one of the most rewarding experiences of all.

M.I.A. was born Mathangi Arulpragasam to a Sri Lankan family. The family moved back to Sri Lanka when she was six months old. Because of her father’s political beliefs, she had little contact with him growing up as he was being sought by the Sri Lankan army. The family moved a few times before eventually going back to the UK. Before becoming a rapper she made a name for herself as a visual artist. Actor Jude Law is among the names who have bought her work.

While M.I.A. is busy getting used to being a mom, model Kate Moss is busy fighting speculation that she is pregnant. She was quoted in an issue of New York Magazine as saying, “It’s so awful, even my friends are phoning me up and saying, ‘Are you pregnant?’ And I’m like, ‘No! I just put on a couple of pounds, and they went in the right place.’ Isn’t that weird?”

Moss, who is already mom to six year old Lila Grace from a previous relationship, is currently seeing rocker Jamie Hince. According to reports, the supermodel has been pictured with a bulging tummy. At any rate, her denials have so far not stopped the tabloids from speculating on the issue.

Kate Moss is one of the most successful models in the world. At one point Forbes magazine placed her at number two among top earners in the industry. In 2005 she was forced to issue an apology after photos surfaced which seemed to show her using drugs. By all reports however, it look like she has gotten her life and career back on track. This is particularly important if she is indeed pregnant.

Congratulations to M.I.A. and Benjamin Bronfman on the birth of their first child. We can also hope that Kate Moss tries to maintain a healthy lifestyle especially if the pregnancy rumors turn out to be true. Best of luck to both couples.

For many couples, after having the first child, they dream of giving them siblings. According to recent reports two Hollywood moms may be thinking of making more additions to their families. Reports state that Naomi Watts would love to give her two boys a sister. Who can argue with that? It will be good for them to have a little sister to protect, if that is in fact one of her reasons. She revealed that she would love to be a mother to a little girl.

Watts recently became a second time mom after giving birth to Samuel with boyfriend Liev Schreiber. She was quoted as saying, “I love babies. I look at this little baby and, even after quite an intense birth – they say you have amnesia, as women – I would go a third. It would be nice to have a girl.”

It seems it may take some doing on her part to convince Schreiber, however. “You should see our house,” she said, “It’s pretty chaotic right now and I keep making fun of Liev because he keeps walking around going, ‘No more babies, no more babies’, like Rain Man or something.”

Well I certainly wish her luck with that one. Maybe he will come around to Gabriel Aubry’s way of thinking. Halle Berry’s beau has reportedly made it clear that he would love to have another baby. He has seven brothers and sisters, so it is easy to see why he would love the idea of giving little Nahla a sibling.

Aubry was quoted online expressing his desire for more children, “I think it’s important. I’ve never known anybody who’s had a single child… I believe in big families.” Berry herself wasn’t quoted on the issue, but according to Aubry she is “okay with it.” So will we be hearing more baby news from the Berry/Aubry camp relatively soon? I’m sure the media won’t hesitate to fill us in on that one.

Of course the two situations are slightly different. Watts and Schreiber have two children while Berry and Aubry have one. They are all in similar fields and so face pretty much the same challenges as far as career demands are concerned. It’s a delicate balancing act maintaining both family and career, but as we have seen time and time again it can be done. Even in our own lives many of us have successfully juggled the demands of both.

Good luck to both couples with their future baby plans. As usual the media may start to speculate long before either couple is ready to share their good news. So stay tuned for any announcements in the future. As a celebrity baby watcher, I know I will.

Singer Erykah Badu whose birth name is Erica Abi Wright gave birth to a baby girl on Sunday and has taken to the Internet to share the experience with her fans. According to reports she used the social networking site, Twitter to offer details on the birth. The baby’s father is her boyfriend, rapper Jay Electronica.

Badu revealed in her blog that she decided to have the baby at home. Based on details given by Badu, she was in labor for five hours. The singer also mentioned that she took no painkillers to help her with the delivery.

Badu has two children from a previous relationship. Her son Seven Sirius with Andre 3000 of OutKast was born in 1997, while daughter Puma Rose was born in 2004. Puma Rose’s father is West Coast rapper The D.O.C. One is left to wonder if the new addition’s name will be as interesting as her siblings.

She has won a number of Grammy awards for her work. Badu played an integral role in the development of neo soul, with some referring to her as the “First Lady” of the genre. When most people think of Erykah Badu large multi colored head wraps probably come to mind. As for her musical style, it often gets her compared to Billie Holiday.

Badu has also appered in films, most notably, The Cider House Rules and House of D. For anyone wondering if her name change holds any significance, it does. According to the Wikipedia website, ‘kah’ refers to the inner self. Badu is an African name, but according to her father, in Arabic it means truth and light.

More celebrities will probably follow suit and write about their birthing experiences in their blogs. Lets face it, it’s just one more way to get info to their adoring fans. Aside from the information on painkillers, not much information was found on the birth itself. But no doubt the whole thing is probably inspiring her next hit.

Congratulations to this enormously talented singer on the birth of her third child. I’m sure the baby will enjoy every nighttime lullaby as much as Badu’s fans enjoy her music.

Country singer Jo Dee Messina is singing an even happier tune than usual today. According to recent internet reports, she and her husband welcomed the first addition to their family. It was recently announced by the couple that Messina gave birth to a baby boy on Monday, January 19^th. The statement was made through Messina’s spokesperson.

The baby was named Noah, Roger Deffenbaugh. He was born at a hospital in Nashville and weighed 6 pounds 15 ounces. Messina and Deffenbaugh married in late 2007 in Nashville, after announcing their engagement in June of that year. Country singer Danielle Peck was one of the bridesmaids. According to reports online, each year Deffenbaugh gives Messina flowers to celebrate the anniversary of the day they met.

Messina was born in August, 1970 and her birth name was Jo Dee Marie Messina. She has had a successful music career, having had nine singles reach number one on the Billboard country music charts. She is the first female country singer to have three songs from an album reach number one. Two of her albums have been certified Platinum, while she has had three albums which reached Gold status.

She received the award for Top New Female Vocalist at the Academy of Country Music Awards in 1998. She was honored by Billboard magazine in 1999 as the most played female country artist for that year. In 1999 she received the Country Music Association’s Horizon Award. She has also been recognized with a Grammy nomination.

Messina battled alcohol addiction in April 2004, being successfully treated at a center in Utah. Thankfully that all seems to be behind her now, and she can keep doing what she does best. Of course she can now add ‘mom’ to her list of titles.

Congratulations to the happy couple on the birth of their first child.

Lisa Bonet is still recognizable to many fans as Denise Huxtable in the long running sitcom The Cosby Show. Well the former Cosby kid is now a third time mom after giving birth to a son on December 15, 2008. The father is Jason Momoa who is probably best known for his work in the Sci Fi series, Stargate Atlantis.

The couple already has a daughter named Lola Iolani, who was born in July, 2007. Bonet also has a daughter from a previous relationship with rocker Lenny Kravitz named Zoe. Her newest arrival was named Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha. This makes him the latest celebrity baby with an unusual moniker after Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz named their newborn Bronx Mowgli.

In a quote taken from Jason Momoa’s website message board, Bonet wrote, “He was born on the stormiest (sic), rainy night.” According to reports, the baby’s name was inspired by the weather conditions. She went on to write, “Nakoa (warrior)… Mana (strength/spirit) Kaua (rain) po (dark)… The name was always going to be Nakoa-Wolf.

The name reflects Momoa’s roots, at least making this moniker of cultural significance. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1979. He started out as a model and was crowned “Hawaii’s Model of the Year” in 1999. He got his start on the long running series Baywatch.

Bonet appeared in 103 episodes of The Cosby Show before she left. She has since worked in the TV series A Different World, and the big screen movies Angel Heart and Enemy of the State. She currently plays Detective Maya Daniels in the series Life on Mars.

Congratulations to this celebrity couple on the birth of their second child. Good luck also with their shows, and I’m sure we can expect to see more of them in the future.

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?

Actress Anne Dudek and her husband, painter Matthew Heller recently welcomed their first child. The baby was born on December 14 and weighed in at 7 lbs 7 oz. The couple named their new son Akiva. New dad Heller said by email to an online magazine, “He is happy and healthy. As for me, I now have a never ending smile!”

Dudek has been quite the busy actress, having had recurring roles in three hit series, House, Big Love and most recently Mad Men. Her fans may also remember her from guest appearances in How I Met Your Mother, Desperate Housewives, Charmed and Six Feet Under.

Like so many other performers, Dudek started out on the stage. In fact, while she was still in theater school she won the role of Iphigenia in The Iphigenia Cycle. She also won a Connecticut Critics Circle Award for her work in The Glass Menagerie.

It seems that Dudek may have given little Akiva a headstart in the business before he was even born. According to Internet reports, he made guest appearances courtesy of mom’s tummy of course, in House, Big Love and Mad Men.

In the hit series, House, Dudek played Amber Volakis, who was one of ten doctors vying for a position under Dr. House. Most recently she has been seen in the award winning Mad Men which chronicles the lives of people working at a successful ad agency.

Just in case you’re wondering about the name Akiva means, which is of Hebrew origin. It means “protect” or “shelter”. A particularly appropriate name if you’re thinking of more babies for him to protect don’t you think? It is also sometimes used for a girl’s name.

Congratulations to Anne Dudek and Matthew Heller on their newborn. We can see many more smiles in the new dad’s future.

If there is one thing you can count on in Hollywood, it’s that you can never tell when you’re getting the real story. Have all the celebrity magazines reached their cap when it comes to shelling out the big bucks for baby photos? Or has the slow economy put a temporary halt to making deals with celebrities for baby pics?

Well I guess that depends on who you believe, and of course if you’re a fan or not. Reports online suggest that Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz have so far been unable to get any magazines interested in buying pictures of oddly monikered, Bronx Mowgli. A source, yes ’sources’ seem to be everywhere, has revealed that “Pete and Ashlee have approached every single celebrity magazine with offers to sell their first photos, but nobody wants them.” Then the source added for good measure “Covers of them tend not to sell well.”

However the Fall Out Boy member has denied all of this on his Website. He wrote “Truth is, like every celeb couple, we were offered mounds and mounds of money by mags from here to Guam to pimp out the baby. We just don’t want to go down that road with him.” It must have occurred to him that some people might take that as a slight to Hollywood power couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. He added “We are not placing judgment on those that do as they often use the money in a very charitable way. However, we have made the decision not to sell Bronx’s baby pictures right now.”

To sell or not to sell, I guess that’s a question many new celeb parents struggle with. The intense curiosity of fans and the actions of paparazzi could put the baby at risk as they scramble to get that first shot. That’s probably part of the reason why some celebs decide to sell the photos to certain magazines. If in fact the couple has decided it’s not in their best interests right now, I can certainly respect that.

New mom Ashlee Simpson meanwhile could be heard recently gushing about motherhood and her new baby on her blog. “Motherhood is the most fantastic experience I have ever been thru,” the proud new mom wrote. “Bronx makes me laugh and smile everyday!” Well said.

If the third time is a charm then actress Angie Harmon must be feeling pretty lucky right now. According to recent online reports, she has just given birth to her third child. The baby girl, named Emery Hope was born on Thursday, December 17th.

Harmon is married to former New York Giants defensive back, Jason Sehorn. The two met after Harmon attended a Giants football game. He proposed to her while she was being interviewed by Jay Leno on The Tonight Show. Even her dad showed up to give the couple his blessing.

The couple’s first child, five-year old Finley Faith was born in Dallas Texas On October 14, 2003. Three-year old Avery Grace was born in Dallas on June 22, 2005.

Harmon is best known for her role on the long running TV show, Law & Order, in which she played A.D.A. Abbie Carmichael from 1998 to 2001. She has also appeared in the series Inconceivable and Women’s Murder Club. Fans may also remember her work in Agent Cody Banks which starred Frankie Muniz.

So tough guy Sehorn is outnumbered but I have a feeling the ladies in his life will go easy on him. Matt Damon also lives in a female dominated household. Perhaps he can give the former football pro some tips on reminding everyone who’s boss. That would be the ladies of course.

That’s a little extra love for the Sehorn/Harmon household for the holidays. No doubt they could not have asked for a better gift. Congratulations to the happy couple.

Actress Marcia Cross of Desperate Housewives fame can now add another role to her resume. Depending on how you look at it, I guess you could say this one carries more panache. At the very least it’s probably closest to her heart.

According to online stories Cross recently signed a deal with apple sauce company Motts. She is going to be a spokesperson for the company, which is a shrewd move on the company’s part, given the popularity of her show.

Apparently the heads of the company were impressed by the fact that Cross has refused to hire a nanny. This in itself will probably appeal to many working moms who have to juggle many balls at once, while taking care of their children and working.

Cross and her husband, Tom Mahoney resorted to In Vitro Fertilization which led to her double blessings Savannah and Eden who were born in February 2007. The couple got married a year earlier in 2006 in San Gabriel, California.

A Motts spokesperson was quoted online discussing the deal with Cross: “…is balancing her work and her life without surrounding herself with five nannies. We wanted to say something different and new about an old brand that has been around since 1842.” I couldn’t have put it better myself. I applaud Marcia Cross, and I can’t help but wonder if this may start a new trend among celebrities. Still, moms who use nannies certainly can’t be faulted for doing so. Everybody’s situation is different.

Fans of Cross and Motts products can look for the campaign to begin in March of 2009. Her fans can also look out for her next movie Just Peck, which is currently in post production and is expected to hit screens in 2009.

Singer, Usher Raymond’s family now has a new addition. The singer and his wife, Tameka Foster welcomed a baby boy on Wednesday, December 10. The couple married in August 2007 after a flurry of tabloid stories concerning Foster.

The name of the new baby has not yet been released. He joins older brother, Usher Raymond V who was born 26 November 2007. According to a source who spoke to People magazine, Usher was in the delivery room during the birth. Seems like this is becoming standard fare and quite helpful to the women in labor.

Usher made the announcement of the impending arrival just last month. He was quoted as saying on Access Hollywood that the baby was, “one of the best Christmas gifts there is to have.” His wife has three sons from an earlier relationship.

Usher started singing at the tender age of six when his mother, Jonnetta Patton encouraged him to join the local church choir. His mom, who he describes as his best friend, was instrumental in guiding his career. He spent his early years taking part in various talent shows, where he was eventually discovered.

Always seeking to branch out, Usher has also done some acting. He had a recurring role on the hit TV show Moesha, starring fellow R&B singer Brandy Norwood, and made a guest appearance on the long running 7th Heaven. He has also appeared on the big screen in Light It Up in 1999, and In The Mix in 2005.

Considered an astute businessman, Usher is co-owner of the NBA team, Cleveland Cavaliers. The very busy performer, who has toured extensively, can expect things to get a lot more hectic. Having five kids with two of them being babies means a lot of work. But if he displays the kind of discipline he has shown throughout his recording and performing career he should come through with flying colors. Of course, there will he added help from nannies and others. Nonetheless, being parent to so many kids while fun can be tiring.

Congratulations to Usher and his lovely wife. Fans no doubt will be looking out for any future baby news and information on where he will take his career from here.

Ricky Martin introduced his twins to the world in the most recent issue of People magazine. Speaking from his home in Puerto Rico, Martin discussed wanting to be a dad, how he takes care of his children and why he decided to go with a surrogate. The twin boys, Matteo and Valentino, now 4-month old, certainly seem to have brought a lot of joy to new dad Martin. He was quoted as saying, “I’m so happy! Everything they do, from smiling to crying, feels like a blessing. Being a father feels amazing. This has been the most spiritual moment in my life.”

Martin is committed to being a hands on dad. “I don’t have a nanny. I’m doing this on my own because I don’t want to miss a moment. I have a personal assistant who helps me, someone who takes care of me while I’m taking care of them, but I’m the one who changes the diapers, the one that feeds them, the one that bathes them, the one that puts them to sleep.” He went on to add, “For any parent, the first couple of months tend to get a little bit intense.” I think most parents, no matter how many children they’ve had, would agree with that.

Martin also addressed the question that has probably been on the minds of many people. When asked why he chose surrogacy he responded, “Adoption was one option, but it’s complicated and can take a long time. Surrogacy was an intriguing and faster option. I thought, ‘I’m going to jump into this with no fear.” He joins singer Clay Aiken as another celebrity who has chose to go this route. Aiken’s son, Parker Foster was born in August 2008.

Martin enjoys reading to his sons, and playing music for them. According to his interview published in People Magazine, Martin’s desire is to give his sons “…information and raise them with honesty and love, and give them self-esteem and a lot of acceptance” he said. Martin said that the twins have already begun to show very different personalities. “Valentino,” he says, “loves to sleep. I call him ‘Mr. Peace and Love’ because he’s so chill and serene.” Matteo meanwhile “…is more alert and active. He was up at 3 a.m. the other night and just hanging.”

Ricky Martin certainly seems to have adjusted well to being a dad. There’s no word yet on whether he will be looking the start his own group of Latin crooners, but we certainly wish him all the best.

I’m sure that many moms, especially first timers find the very idea laughable, that a mom can over-bond with her baby. But that seems to be the opinion of Nicole Kidman’s mother. According to reports, the actress was quoted as saying, “My mum thinks I’ve over-bonded with my baby, but I don’t care.” Yes, most women experiencing motherhood for the first time wouldn’t much care either.

Kidman also said in an interview, “I can’t bear to be separate from my baby; I’m totally devoted to her.” Well that certainly sounds like new mom euphoria to me. Perhaps her mom just has a different parenting style. Thankfully Kidman still seems to be doing her own thing. It’s tough sometimes to raise and nurture your child with all the advice you’re bombarded with.

Interestingly, a quick search on Google for the term ‘over bonding‘ revealed results that only had to do with animals. Well, on the first page at any rate. So does it even exist, or is it just something Kidman’s mom coined to get her point across? Is it even possible for a mom to over-bond with her baby? And what does that entail really?

I guess this raises the age old issue of parents disagreeing with the parenting methods of their children. After all, if they brought them this far, surely they must have done a great job right? Maybe Kidman’s mom is just angling for a little more time with precious Sunday Rose. For that we can hardly blame her.

New moms are understandably protective of their babies, and spending every possible moment with them seems like the most natural thing in the world. How would you react if someone suggested that you might have over-bonded with your baby?

Incidentally, Kidman’s character in the new film Australia, can’t have children of her own. This seemed to be the case with Kidman, who eventually adopted after suffering miscarriages while married to Tom Cruise.

She went on to reveal that no less than seven babies were conceived during the filming of the movie. “There is definitely something up there in that Kununurra water. We all went swimming in the waterfalls, so we call it the fertility waters now,” Kidman said. Maybe that will be a new selling point for the country’s tourism.

The Hollywood families just keep getting bigger. There’s a still a lot of time left for 2008 to close and yet another Hollywood family has welcomed a new arrival. This time it’s Ugly Betty Star Eric Mabius who became a dad for the second time after his wife Ivy Sherman gave birth to a baby boy.

According to reports online, his spokesperson revealed that Sherman gave birth on Monday. The baby was named Rylan Jaxon Mabius. He is the couple’s second son. Their first son, two year old Maxfield Elliot was born in June of 2006. Mabius and Sherman, who went to the same high school, were married in New Orleans in February 2006.

Mabius has been a member of the Ugly Betty cast since the show began in 2006. He plays the character Daniel Meade. The show centers on a fashion magazine, and the titular character Betty Suarez. The hit show is based on the Colombian telenovela Yo Soy Betty La Fea. Ugly Betty has proven a ratings hit for ABC since its premiere. The show has won a number of awards including two golden globes.

Reality show judge Nigel Barker also became a second time dad after his wife Cristen gave birth to a baby girl. Barker’s first child, Jack is two years old. The baby was named Jasmine and weighed 7 pounds and 11 ounces. Barker is a judge on the show America’s Next Top Model. When asked if his associate Tyra Banks might end up being the Godmother his response was, “I think she will be.”

Well it seems like these two might be bucking the unusual naming trend sweeping celebrity circles these days. In fact, Mabius admitted that he and his wife were planning “to go with something French like Etinne.” Possibly seeing teasing down the road, he added, “the kid will have to start taking karate in like second grade.”

Good luck to both couples and congratulations on the new additions to your families.