Biblical Baby Names

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Hollywood moms strut their swimsuit stuff

Filed under: Just for moms, Pregnancy & birth, Life & style, In the news, That's entertainment

Need another reason to feel inadequate? Well, here's another. USMagazine.com has posted nine pictures of Hollywood moms in their bikinis. Some of them look fabulous. Some of them (Lisa Rinna, anyone?) look scary. Some of them look so good it makes me want to throw up.

I never looked like that in a bikini before I had a baby! Of course, I don't have a personal trainer and work out seven hours a day or get paid to look that good (although my husband says I look that way anyway...I think I'll keep him).

Interestingly enough, some of the moms are younger and some are a little more mature. Poster child for hot mom Heather Locklear is 46 years old. Now, I'm not knocking 46, but that woman's body looks better than those of a lot of teenagers. Also of note is how the gals claim they keep in shape. Whether or not it's true it's nice to think some of them have to work for it too.

Perhaps if the snaps are a hit US will move on to hot celebrity moms in one-pieces. Those can be hot too, you know.

And, by the way? Tori Spelling looks smashing pregnant. She should be that way all the time. Maybe it's the self-tanner but that woman has a glow. Also by the way? That is EXACTLY how I look in my bikini. EXACTLY.

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Firstborns really do have to break-in their parents

Filed under: Siblings, In the news

I've been feeling kind of bad for my three-year-old lately. This year, my older kiddo picked up a lot of new activities, most of which toddlers are not invited to participate in. She started preschool, began a dance class, and this spring, started playing soccer. On Saturdays, my three-year-old whines, "I don't like soccer games." She's tired of being a tag-a-long.

But while I'm feeling sorry for my baby, Newsweek tells me that it's my firstborn that gets the short end of the stick. It's a commonly held tradition that firstborn kids have to "break in" their parents, and therefore have to live with stricter rules and harsher discipline than their younger siblings. Recent research backs up this folklore; older siblings are less likely to make mistakes because they are used to being held up to higher standards, while younger siblings are more likely to be risk takers.

Trying to apply these findings to the people I know, I can't really find a pattern. I know a lot of firstborns who are risk takers (and mistake-makers), and plenty of family "babies" who live comfortably inside their comfort zones. Yet, among my own children, I can see a hint of it. And looking at my parenting techniques, I just might recognize a little of this in myself.

What about you? Do you think you were treated differently by your parents because of your birth order? Do you see that in your own parenting?

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Kevin Nealon faces fatherhood in a new book

Filed under: Newborns, Pregnancy & birth, Money & work, Celeb parenting

A few months after our older daughter was born, we set up an appointment to meet with a lawyer for "the talk." No, not that talk...the one where you make a hypothetical plan for your child, should you and your spouse be suddenly abducted by aliens at exactly the same moment. Or you know, something worse.

My husband and I were in total agreement on every decision we made regarding our wills and life insurance, especially the one where we never wanted to use them in the first place. After every question our poor lawyer asked, we'd reply, "Well, of course we'll never need it, but hypothetically, we'd like to..." I'm surprised he didn't write it in all caps at the top of the forms we got back: YOU PROBABLY WON'T NEED THESE BUT HERE THEY ARE JUST IN CASE. That would have made me feel better as I stuffed them into my filing cabinet for safe keeping.

Funny man Kevin Nealon, who found fame by creating hilarious characters like "The Subliminal Man" on SNL and the incorrigible but utterly hysterical Doug Wilson on Showtime's Weeds, found himself facing the role of his life at age 52...Daddy.

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Welcome to the world

Filed under: Newborns, Pregnancy & birth

A little over a week ago, ParentDish underwent some changes -- a spiffy new look, integration into AOL Living, and so on. On that same day, my family made a pretty big change too -- my wife Rachel and I welcomed kid number three into the world.

For those wondering about the name, it's Ezra Lincoln Sinasohn and, yes, my mother-in-law approves. I'm not exactly sure where Ezra came from -- I think Rachel just liked it -- but Lincoln comes, obviously, from the president. You know, that equality, freedom, hippy guy from 150 years ago. There is also a traditional middle name in my father-in-law's family that has the same initial and ending sounds -- this is an attempt to sneak that in without stirring up too much family politics.

Ezra weighed nine pounds, four ounces at birth -- not a record by any means, but still hefty -- and was a little over twenty inches long/tall. Our other kids, Jared and Sara, are thrilled by the new arrival. Rachel is recovering, slowly but surely, as we settle into the age-old routine of feed, burp, diaper, repeat.

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Trendy reality star names quickly circle the drain

Filed under: Playground bureau, Weird but true

Naming a baby after another living person is always risky. You can just never know if Uncle Sammy is going to fall off the wagon or your beloved soap star will end up in rehab.

And in case you were thinking of searching for a baby name in prime time television, don't! According to stat followers at Name Voyager, the unique monikers of reality stars remain popular for about as long as the show's running season.

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Shania Twain and husband divorcing

Filed under: Divorce & custody, Celeb kids

I have always found Shania Twain's life story to be quite inspiring. Raised by her mother and stepfather, Shania and her siblings grew up poor in Timmins, Ontario. She was well on her way to a singing career when both parents were tragically killed in a car accident in 1987. 22-year-old Shania put her career on hold to care for her younger siblings and supported them by performing for audiences at a resort near Huntsville, Ontario. She got noticed there and eventually landed a recording contract. Her first album wasn't terribly successful, but it did catch the attention of producer Mutt Lange, who took her under his wing. Together, they made Shania a star.

Twain not only found success with Lange, she found a husband. The two married in 1993 and had a son, Eja, in 2001. Sadly, their 13-year marriage has hit a rough spot and yesterday Twain's record label announced that the couple is separating. "This is a private matter and there will be no further comment at this time," said Twain's spokesperson at Universal Music Group Nashville.

We all love fairy-tale endings and it sure looked like Shania had found hers. For Eja's sake, I hope these two can work out their differences and continue to make beautiful music together.

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FDA takes on BPA

Filed under: Health & safety, Eating & nutrition, Development, In the news, Environment

The Federal Drug Administration has officially made a statement concerning their slant on BPA, the chemical found in much plastic and a lot of baby bottles. BPA, full name bisphenol A has been under fire for some time as being dangerous to young children.

The FDA on Wednesday said it saw no reason for consumers to stop purchasing baby bottles containing BPA, contending that there is a large body of evidence supporting the fact that products containing the chemical are safe. Although multiple studies have shown side effects in animals exposed to the chemical, the FDA cites two studies where no reason to use caution with regard to products containing the chemical. Both studies cited by the FDA were industry-funded.

Consumer groups and politicians alike have accused the FDA of failing to take action on this and other safety issues, contending they bend to industry interests. Polycarbonate plastic, what keeps plastic bottles shatter-resistant, is made of BPA. People consume the chemical along with liquid, water or food inside containers containing BPA.

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