Celeb babies are in the spotlight from Day 1

It's one thing to share wedding bliss with the world. It's quite another, many stars learn, when a newborn is the object of media attention. The first shot of a celebrity infant can mean big bucks — for stars, if they choose to sell images of their children; for paparazzi, if they don't; and for media publications either way.

With stars such as Jennifer Lopez, Halle Berry, Nicole Richie and Jamie Lynn Spears all expecting, the want-to-see in 2008 is going to be major. "It's the fundamental attraction of celebrities," says Larry Hackett, People's managing editor. "You see them as surrogate friends and neighbors, so when they go through these big life moments, you can't help but be curious as to what their kid looks like."

Many stars try to get ahead of the paparazzi by arranging first photos to be published in magazines. Patrick Dempsey, Marcia Cross and Tori Spelling went that route last year.

Read the full article from USA Today.

Designer Baby and Children’s Clothing Boutique ZaraBella Opens Doors in Solvang, CA

ZaraBella, an upscale boutique specializing in high quality designer baby and children’s clothing and accessories, today announced that it is now open for business in downtown Solvang, CA. The store is located at 453 Atterdag Road and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30am to 5:00pm.

ZaraBella, formerly known as Laura’s Trading Company, was created to fill the need for a fashionable store that carries an extensive selection of high quality, trendy clothing for babies and children, all in one place. Some of the popular brands the store carries include Kissy Kissy, ME TOO, Cachcach, Mish Mish, Mimi and Maggie, Kumquat, Jade Jeans and much more.

ZaraBella offers personal shopper services, an online gift registry and personalized gift giving packages. The store also has a complete web site, located at http://www.zarabella.com/ where shoppers can view the extensive selection that is also available in the store.

First and Only Baby Memory Book For Preemies Now Available

Parents of preemies now have a place to keep their child's milestones and memories. The new Preemie Book of Memories, the first and only spiral bound baby book of its kind, is now available at www.KenziesHat.com (retail $16.99).

The book is designed especially for premature babies. It includes pages to record all of the typical things found in a baby book such as birth date, parent's names, grandparent's names, photos, and many firsts.

It also includes record keeping for memories unique to preemie parents, such as 'my home for awhile,' day-by-day and week-by-week recording, a weight conversion chart and a removable bereavement section. It also features pages for parents to journal and offers ideas on what to record such as the baby's first cry, tear, diaper change and date baby can wear real clothes.

Throughout the Preemie Book of Memories parents will find inspirational quotes and words of wisdom.

The Art of Regifting: Is It Okay To Regift Baby Items?

It is the holiday season, and let’s face it, your baby might get some gifts you don’t want to keep. There are a variety of reasons - the present was something you already had, it doesn’t fit your taste, it is for an older child, the wrong size, etc. However, there is an art to regifing, especially if you want to avoid offending the giver.

Read some guidelines from Parenting Magazine by clicking here.

Hollywood's Most Influential Infants

What comes to mind when you hear the name Shiloh? Chances are it's not the Civil War battleground or the hard-luck dog.

Most likely, it's the oft-photographed child of A-list couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, better known by their tabloid moniker "Brangelina." That wide-spread awareness has earned the A-list kiddie a spot at the top of Forbes' first-ever look at which Hollywood babies have the most effect on pop culture.

To determine which tykes were tops, Forbes looked at both Web presence and press clippings for more than 50 A-list offspring (5 years old and younger) over the course of a year. Then, with a whittled-down list, Forbes reached out to Encino, Calif.-based polling firm E-Poll Market Research for both awareness data for the kids and consumer-appeal rankings for their celebrity parents.

See the full list!

Sophia, Aiden top list of baby names for 2007

After three years of Emma, it's Sophia's turn at the top of the class roster, joining Aiden for his third stint.

A growing Hispanic population might be credited for some name climbers on BabyCenter.com's list of the most popular baby names for 2007, to be released today. Sophia has more of a Latin or continental appeal than its proper English successor, Emma. Xavier, Sebastian and Isabella are on the rise, while newcomers to the top 100, to be released next month, include Lila, Maria and Adrien.

But if anything sums up the Web site's latest hit names, it's a hunt for distinctiveness -- a trend that has rendered the annual list way more volatile in recent years than it used to be 10 or 20 years ago, back when Michael could sit securely on his throne for decades.

Experts have seen an influx of untraditional names and alternate spellings, to the point where "unique" has become conventional.

Read the full article

Holiday Travels with Baby

There's nothing more exciting than making the holiday rounds with a new baby to show off — for you, anyway. Your little one may have a different idea. Help him maintain an even keel with these stay-cheery tips:

Be greedy. Well-meaning relatives will be happy to meet the new addition and, of course, will want to hold him. To avoid hurt feelings, say something like "I'm going to hang on to him for now. The truth is he gets overwhelmed by crowds, so we're going to take it slow," suggests Claire Lerner, the director of parenting information and resources at Zero to Three, a national child-development organization in Washington, D.C.

Take a time-out. You may be enjoying chatting up cousin Carla over a leisurely dinner, but if your baby starts working his way to a meltdown, retreat from the crowd for a short time. Take him into a dark, quiet room and softly reassure him. You'll be surprised how quickly he can relax and recharge for the party's second half.

Go with his flow. Sure, you may always put him down for his morning nap at 9:15 and nurse him every two hours on the dot. But when you're traveling, those home routines just may not work. He may sleep a little more (or, God forbid, a little less), or he may feel like nursing more than usual just for the comfort of it. Or he may stick to his schedule like glue... who knows? The point: "Do whatever works in the moment," says Lerner. You'll be less stressed — and your baby will be, too.

Source: Parenting Magazine

A Magical Christmas Baby Shower

Awaiting an extra special present this holiday season? Then invite others to share the warmth of a Christmas baby shower with you. Celebrating the gift of life takes on a magical warm touch as friends and family enjoy the lights and warmth of a Christmas holiday.

This article presents some creative ideas related to invitations, activities, games, food, centerpieces, favors, prizes and more!

An Expectant Mom's Belly is the ‘Star of the Show'

In the old days, expectant mothers had one wardrobe mantra: camouflage, camouflage, camouflage. Bring out the oversized man's dress shirt and the borrowed, ill-fitting dress.

But today the idea is to reveal, not conceal. With Hollywood celebrities leading the way, maternity clothes skim snugly over the midsection. It's all about showcasing the tummy.

Picture pretty velour, knit and silky tunics and dresses in lively prints and interesting colors.

Click here to view the full article.

Baby can be the star of the show too! Dress your little one in the hottest fashions available for the holiday season. Click here for more.

Nicole Richie, Joel Madden Shower 100 Moms with Baby Gifts

Not many kids have a foundation launched in their honor before they're born. But that will be one of the many privileges bestowed upon Nicole Richie and Joel Madden's baby, due in January.

The couple hosted a surprise baby shower Monday for 100 expectant and new moms at the Los Angeles Free Clinic in Hollywood, where they handed out more than $200,000 worth of gifts. "The looks on their faces were priceless," Richie told reporters after the shower. "Some of them didn't even believe us [when they saw the gifts]. They thought we were joking."

The Richie Madden Children's Foundation (at richiemaddenfoundation.com), Madden said, was an idea the couple had when they found out they were expecting. "We grew up in Los Angeles," he said, "and we want our child to be a part of the community, and to know that there's a responsibility to help the community."

Read the full story at People Magazine’s web site.

El Dorado Hills baby a Gap contest finalist

El Dorado Hills has a burgeoning celebrity on its hands. But don't expect the fame to go to Dylan Barnhart's head - he's only 14 months old, after all. Barnhart is a top-20 finalist in babyGap and GapKids' nationwide search for new clothing models, beating out more than 800,000 contestants. Voting for the winner will start Dec. 15.

There were no casting calls or photo shoots to crack the top 20, though. Barnhart entered her son in the competition simply by sitting at her computer. "I was browsing the Gap Web site and saw the online ad for the contest," she said. "I clicked on it, and all I had to do was upload a picture. It was really easy and really quick. Honestly, I forgot about the whole thing for a few weeks."

She forgot about it, that is, until she received an unexpected phone call.

Read the full article!

Stylish Hats To Keep Baby Warm in Winter

Your sweet babe no longer has the benefit of a climate-controlled womb to protect her. She'll need a snuggly hat when venturing outdoors in cold weather. Your baby's first hat should be made of a soft, comfortable fabric that will trap warmth but still breathe, and be snug enough to stay put. When it comes to fit and versatility, you can't beat a knit cap.

Click here to see the top hats that Fit Pregnancy Magazine picked!

Click here to check out the stylish hats available at ZaraBella.com

Tips for Finding American (Lead Free!) Toys this Holiday

Toxic toys are on the minds of parents and grandparents this holiday shopping season. Lead, the environmental scourge that has scandalously been painted on and then sent to babies, toddlers and children by some of the biggest, formerly most-trusted names in childhood play, can cause serious neurological damage to our young.

Definitely not something for under the tree.

The Daily Green has reached out to Made-in-USA toy manufacturers all over America to find out what's available this holiday season for kids whose parents are willing to take that extra step to keep their kids (and homes) safe from this deadly environmental toxin.

This article includes 4 Tips for Buying USA-made Toys.

Choosing Your Baby’s Name

What’s in a name? A lot! Choosing your baby’s name is a big decision.

Millions of people have used iVillage’s collection of over 10,000 names to find a name for their baby-to-be or to learn what his or her name means. To find a name try the Quick Find feature. You can also check out our listing of Famous Names or our Dictionary, an alphabetical listing of all of our names. Also, you can vote on your favorite and least favorite names at Favorites.

Click here to access the Baby Name Finder.

Splurge vs. Steal: Cool Baby Gear You Can Afford

Sure, you knew having a baby was going to cause some big-time budget re-jiggering. (So long, Stuart Weitzman.) But as any preggo can attest, outfitting the nursery in an US Weekly-worthy Hollywood Mama style can cause some serious sticker shock these days. So we scoured stores for cheap-yet-chic versions of some of the hottest baby gear out there.

Check out these fashionable look-alikes.

The Basic Onesie Gets A Stylish Update

Without even trying, baby clothes can elicit a chorus of "oohs" and "aahs." But while ruffled dresses are cute and corduroy overalls are fine, the one baby fashion item parents can agree on is the onesie.

The two-in-one combo -- the best of a T-shirt and diaper cover meshed together -- gives parents easy access for diaper changes. They're no-frills, no-fuss (too bad the same can't always be said for the tot wearing them). Baby clothing labels have downsized the popular appeal of sassy statement tees and graphic prints and made them available in mini-you versions. Like other fashion trends, new prints and slogans appear all the time. Click here to read the full article.

ZaraBella.com has an adorable selection of onesies and other designer baby clothes. Click here to check them out!

New moms, get rid of the old sweats, reclaim your hipness!

You've weathered the childbirth aftershocks and have been happily cocooned with your snuggly baby for weeks, or even months now. You're still finding time to shower, most days, but comfy sweat pants have replaced the tailored slacks you once wore to the office. And your makeup and hair dryer? They've become abandoned relics of a more carefree, leisurely era.

But a time comes when every new mom must reclaim some degree of her former hipness. For the sake of your sanity, your friendships and maybe even your marriage, it's time to become a Hip Mama.

Even if you're on a tight budget, our tips can help you feel your best even on the days when you have run out of diapers, can't find your car keys (again) and have just discovered you've been walking around for hours with spit-up on your shoulder (again!).

Read the article....

New Looks for Moms and Babies

So your post-baby body doesn't look like Gwen Stefani's — that doesn't mean you have to resign yourself to looking like a sack of potatoes. These great products can spruce up your look in less than thirty seconds. Click here for more.

Also, click here to check out some of the hottest fashions for your new baby!

The Celebrity Stork Was Busy This Past Weekend!

CNN's Nancy Grace and her husband, David Linch, welcomed twins ... a bit earlier than expected. Lucy Elizabeth and John David were born Nov. 4, 2007. Grace, 48, was due near the end of the year, but developed fluid in her lungs. Her doctor determined "it would be best for Nancy, and for the twins" to deliver them ASAP, said her spokeswoman. John weighed 5 pounds 1 ounce; Lucy weighed in at 2 pounds, 15 ounces.

"Resident Evil" star Milla Jovovich gave birth to daughter Ever Gabo Anderson on Saturday. It's the first child for Jovovich and fiance, Paul Anderson. Anderson and Jovovich met when he directed her in the first "Resident Evil" flick.

Also, Food Network star and "Today" show contributor Giada De Laurentiis announced on the show Monday, Nov. 5 2007, she's expecting a baby in early April. It's the first child for the 37-year-old chef and her husband Todd Thompson.

Source: CBS4

Celebrity Baby Fashion

Do you think Tom and Katie are having a spiritual crisis? Are you obsessing that Brad and Angie are on the rocks? Whatever the relationship status of these superstar couples, there’s no denying they make beautiful babies!

That’s why we look today to the trendsetter babies - like Gwyneth’s Apple, Angie’s Shiloh, and Katie’s Suri - who keep all of our kids on the right fashion track.

Because whether your tot is the diva-in-a-diaper type, or the king of the sandbox, you want them to look good - celebrity style!

Read the full article!