Why the Lie?

Did Beyonce and Jay-Z think people wouldn’t be over-the-moon happy for them if they announced her pregnancy when she didn’t have much to show for it? Does drama have to be added to every celebrity’s life to keep them in the headlines? Wouldn’t the headline “Beyonce is Pregnant!” become overshadowed by the headline that reads, “Beyonce Fakes Baby Bump!”? In today’s world, when people–especially celebrities (including politicians)–are under a public microscope 24/7, why would you set yourself up for a fall (i.e. being caught in a lie, no matter how harmless)? The only reason I can muster is the old adage, “Bad publicity is better than no publicity at all.”

I Still Don’t Get It

Since when does Beyonce have trouble getting positive publicity? Even with no belly showing, her fans would have been thrilled to learn she’s going to be a mother.  For me, this whole charade reinforces the sad truth about today’s technology- and social media-driven world–we can no longer believe anything we see or hear in the media. Photoshop, film and TV technology (which produces some extraordinary movies for which we willingly suspend our disbelief), lie upon lie and audience manipulation from once-credible news agencies and, of course, the empty promises of politicians have created a world where nothing we see or hear can be trusted.

The Truth About Reality Shows

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I think you probably already know this. They’re scripted. The fights, the drama, all the issues–scripted for the most part.  Otherwise, you wouldn’t watch.  Even some of the drama on shows like “American Idol” and “Dancing With the Stars” is contrived to make “reality” more interesting to the viewers. Will that stop me from watching “American Idol” or “Dancing With the Stars”? Of course not.  I just ignore the drama and take the heartbreaking back stories for what I know they’re worth.

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Back to Beyonce

As with anything I see or hear in the media, I have no idea if the story of her bogus baby bump is true. And in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter to me one way or the other. We all believe what we want to believe, nothing more. Nothing less. Here’s something I do believe…

Beyonce and Jay-Z’’s baby will be a media darling. Even if she did attempt to fake us out, we’re tickled blue that she’s having a baby boy, and he’ll be showered with baby boy gifts! If you’re a fan and want to get “little Z” a gift, choose something sensational from The Corner Stork, one of the best online baby gift sites around! And that’s the truth!

What will baby BJ look like?

Well the folks at DNAinfo.com made this mashup from the stars’ photos as soon as they heard the news!   The left photo is if baby looks more like JayZ and the one on the right is if baby favors Mommy B.  What do you think?  Either way, there’s a cutie pie in the making.

What should their gifts look like?

We think that they should be musical, of course!  And we’ve got a few baby gift suggestions from the Stork that will have Mom, Dad and baby snapping their fingers to the beat of these wonderful well wishes.  From the sterling silver heart-shaped rattle to the pull-string lullaby teddy bear, these musical gifts rock!

Sure, they won’t compare to being lulled to sleep by Beyonce, but we think they come pretty darn close!

She announced over the weekend that she’s expecting her sixth child with boyfriend Rohan Marley.  She happily shared the news during a concert in Detroit, letting fans know that she will be on hiatus for a while to give birth.  No word yet on whether she’s having a boy or a girl, but with FIVE older brothers and sisters, we definitely know she’ll be shopping for sibling gifts!

Helping a sister out!

No longer busy wrapping up concert dates, Lauryn will be busy wrapping diapers pretty soon.  So we know she won’t have  a lot of time to shop.  But any mom with more than one child knows that it’s important that she makes all the kids feel special.  And, if you, too, will be welcoming a newborn in the near future, you’ll appreciate this short list of our absolute favorite ways to spread some of the attention around:

Keep ‘em coming baby!

In a recent statement, Hill said, “I keep having these children,” two months ago while performing in Los Angeles. “I don’t know if I’m the most fertile woman in America.”  Well, I don’t know about America, but since the Guinness record stands at 69 as the greatest recorded number of children born to one mother in the world (In 27 pregnancies, the first wife of Feodor Vassilyev of Russia gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, 7 sets of triplets and four sets of quadruplets)–you’ve got a ways to go Lauren.  But, congratulations on your new addition!

From all of us at The Corner Stork

There’s Joe Pesci, Robert De Niro, John Travolta, Al Pacino, Frank Sinatra, Tony Danza (who played her dad on “Who’s the Boss?).  They sound like typical American names, but let’s take a look at the Italian versions of those names–Giuseppe, Roberto, Gianni or Giovanni, Alberto, Franco (although Sinatra’s nickname came from Francis), Antonio.  We suspect that even a slightly Italian name will become “Americanized”.

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More Italian Names

Here are some other ideas for Alyssa—Vittorio, Marcello, Massimo, Giacomo, Luigi, Carlo, and Vincente. Or, Victor, Mark, Max, James, Louis, Charles and Vincent.

We have an idea for Alyssa’s friends and fans who want to get her meaningful baby room decor.  Show off that fabuloso Italian name on a personalized wall plaque or ceramic plate like one of these, and, BTW, the Italian equivalent of William is Guillermo and for Sam, it’s Samuele:

Former Spice girl Posh (a.k.a. Victoria) and soccer star David recently announced that they will finally welcome a baby girl to their brood of boys.  “We’re still in shock,” David told reporters at an L.A. Galaxy press event. “Obviously, having three boys, you kind of expect another one, so finding out a little girl is in there is surprising, but, obviously, we are over the moon.”  With three big brothers to look out for her–Brooklyn 11, Romeo 8 and Cruz 6–she’s sure to be protected and loved.  And having a fashion designer for a mom means she’ll always be as cute as a button.  I know Victoria has probably already started designing dresses and all sorts of frilly things for her darling little diva, but even though she won’t be able to wear them for a while, we’ve got some suggestions of what we think would be some positively “posh” baby clothes for their baby girl (and yours!)

From Beginning to the “End”

You’re never too young to be fashionable, and Baby Beckham can be fashionable right from the start with these adorable baby bloomers.  Blooming with fun, there’s a fab flower on the bum that will really stand out as she gets about.  In sizes 0-6 months, the only thing cuter than the bloomers themselves is the packaging.

A Designer Original

With all the touches that make an outfit stand out from the rest, this two-piece ensemble will show off her sense of style.  Accented with pink piping and royal ruffles, there’s just nothing too good for their little princess–or yours! Wouldn’t your little fashionista look darling in these dramatic dots?

Forget Your Winter Woes!

To keep baby warm this winter, don’t just cover up–create a stir!  When the temps drop outside, fashion will be still on the rise with this faux fun fur that gives baby lots of glam, especially with the matching “mink” booties.  A gorgeous addition to any girl’s wardrobe, we’re sure the Beckhams would approve!

You may as well call it Baby-wood!

The number of baby bumps in Hollywood just decreased by this past week as both Celine Dion and Matt Damon had children (not together, of course!).  Here’s the skinny…

Matt Damon and his wife Luciana welcomed a precious baby girl on Wednesday, October 20th in New York.  Both Mom and baby are healthy and doing well.  Feeling that fatherhood has kept him grounded in Hollywood, Damon said, “If I had a bucket list, I’d say raising my four girls to be strong, good women would be number one.”

Then, on Saturday, Celine Dion delivered the twins via Cesarean section on October 23rd at St Mary’s Medical Center, in West Palm Beach, Florida weighing in at 5lbs 4oz and 5lbs 10oz.   According to husband René Angelil, the fraternal twins, whose names have not been released, have dark hair and distinctly different looks.   Big brother René-Charles said, “One looks like dad, and the other one looks like mom.”

Although they are both healthy, the babies will spend the next few days in incubators because they were born premature. The due date had been in November.

Don’t forget about the other guys

This is not the first pregnancy for either Celine or Luciana.  So, I was wondering if the families got sibling gifts for the older sisters and brothers.  Damon and Luciana have two children together – Isabella, 4, and Gia, 2. Luciana also has a daughter, Alexia, from a previous marriage.  Celine and Rene have a nine-year-old Rene Charles.

So, in an uncanny twist, that makes all girls for Matt and all boys for Celine.  Although they’re excited about the baby’s arrival, I’m sure they’d be even more excited if they received one of these cute sibling gifts.

History repeats itself?

Speaking of magical, I just had to share this Fox News story of Virgin Mary giving birth to Jesus–not in Bethlehem, but in Peru!  No kidding!  The similarities to the biblical Jesus are uncanny.   Having a Christmas-day miracle of her own last year, twenty-year-old Virgen Maria Huarcaya delivered her newborn son, Jesus Emanuel, on Christmas morning in Lima, Peru, according to Reuters News Service.  Surprisingly, the baby’s father, Adolfo Jorge Huamani, is a carpenter just like Joseph in the bible.  You can read all the details at http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,473103,00.html.

At the top of your list

I’m sure Kourtney felt just like Mary did–joyous!  No doubt, she has lots to celebrate and be thankful for.  With so many babies born around Christmas, there are plenty of families welcoming the arrival of a new little Christmas “gift.”  If you’re like them–with a brand new bundle of joy this Christmas–there’s sure to be a few things at the top of your Christmas list for baby’s first Christmas…just in case you didn’t get one as a baby shower gift.

This cuddly keepsake teddy bear is perfect for baby’s first Christmas.  Ready to hug, it’s squeezably soft, embroidered with the words, “Baby’s First Christmas”  and wears a green Santa cap.  So cute, you’ll keep this one around long after your baby is all grown up to remember those first Christmas memories.

Or, why not introduce baby to the wonders of the season with this three-piece gift set that let’s your baby be a baby.  A festive way to enjoy baby food, it takes care of baby before and after eating.  The bib helps keep baby clothes clean, and the burp cloth protects you after the eating is done.  Fill the stocking with lots of baby toys for your newborn to enjoy and you’ve got a festive holiday for sure!  Embroidered with baby’s name, you can use this personalized baby gift year after year.

As you can see, baby’s first Christmas is a glorious time of celebration.  Whether born to Virgin Mary or just plain old cousin Mary–it’s time to rejoice!

Must be nice!

Now, don’t get me wrong.  It’s very nice of her sisters and Mom to throw her such a lovely affair.  But if you’re like the rest of us (which is probably most of us), that kind of shindig is far from our reality.  But, that doesn’t mean you can’t send your guests home with more than just the usual mints and rattles.  Grab a tote bag of your own and fill it with some unique baby shower favors that really show that you don’t have to be a start to have good taste.

Even nicer!

Who needs a fancy smancy Chinois salad when you can indulge in a delightful Oreo cookie!  Double dipped and sprinkled with festive dots and a cute baby on the front.  It’s an old favorite that’s made new again in the hands of our confectionery experts.

Or, maybe you can toast the mom-to-be with personalized champagnes flute so that everyone can raise their glasses in celebration–long after the baby shower.  How practical!

Speaking of practical baby shower gifts, here are two that every lady in the room will appreciate–the monogrammed compact mirror and the purse valet!  No longer will they have to sit their purses on the floor or on the back of the chair where anybody could grab it, this unique gift for women holds the purse right under the table!  No hardware needed, so it goes anywhere!  Just like the mirror for touch-ups on the go.

Leave it to the good folks at Favors In The City to keep an eye for style–and your pocket book.  But, hey…it’s only money, right?!

NOT YOUR GRANNY’S LULLABIES…

Rockabye Baby Music has produced a series of CDs full of the greatest rock music in lullaby format, so they sound like a music box. Baby can groove on Jimi Hendrix, Blondie, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Queen, AC/DC, Green Day, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Cure, Johnny Cash, Motley Crue, The Beatles, Grateful Dead, Eagles, Nirvana, Pink Floyd, Coldplay, Metallica, U2 and many others. So cool!

BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!

There are lots of baby gifts that pay tribute to the greatest rock artists of all time–onesies, T-shirts, pacifiers, bibs, socks and feeding sets. You can even get mom an AC/DC or KISS diaper bag to tote all this neat stuff. And of course, you can always get something that lets ‘em sound off on where they got those hip genes…
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And she’s taking care of…

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Matthew McConaughey Plants an Idea

We’re always interested in what they name the baby, who gives them what baby gifts and how quickly Mom sheds the 3.6 pounds she gained during the pregnancy. But Matthew McConaughey caught us all off guard when he said he and his new son Levi’s mother, Camila Alves, were going to plant Levi’s placenta under a tree. They got the idea from an Australian Aboriginal tradition, in which all the placentas of a tribe are planted beneath a great tree that grew taller and stronger than those around it. While the idea might sound a bit bizarre at first, the practice is really beautifully symbolic. A placenta tree will always be the same age as your baby, will shade your baby as your baby grows and become a permanent reminder of your baby’s life on this earth.

Planting Your Placenta Tree

The first step is easy. Be sure to ask your obstetrician to save your baby’s placenta. You can plant the placenta a few days after baby’s birth, or you can freeze it and plant it when your baby is old enough to help you pick out a tree and plant it. All you need to plant the placenta is a shovel and a new tree or bush.

• If you’ve frozen the placenta, defrost it in a large bowl in the refrigerator.

• Buy a tree or bush that will do well in your climate.

• Dig a hole for the tree or bush with plenty of room for the root ball.

• Place the placenta into the bottom of the hole and cover it with a few inches of dirt.

• Place the tree or bush in the hole over the placenta and refill the hole with dirt.

• Give it some water for a bit of nourishment.

• To protect your new tree or bush from digging dogs, you might want to put a small fence around the tree for a few weeks or a few months.

• Enjoy watching your baby and your tree grow and grow! That’s all there is to it!

 More Growing Ideas!

 Corner Stork Baby Gifts also has some gorgeous growth charts that help Mom and Dad keep tabs on baby’s day-by-day development. The “Forever Baby” Growth Chart for girls (left) comes with the growth chart, booties, wrist rattle, soft toy and keepsake photo album. The “Future Jock” Growth Chart for boys (right) also has a bib with sport balls, and a cotton outfit with matching cap. And you’ll always have Corner Stork’s cheering section in spirit, saying “Grow, Baby, Grow!”