One of the celeb moms we feature often on our red carpet, Taraji P. Henson is releasing her memoirs about being a single mom in Hollywood and she recently opened up in Redbookmagazine.
The Empire star covers the magazine’s September issue and inside, she dishes exclusively on her upcoming autobiography, “Around the Way Girl”. The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonAcademy Award nominee also gives readers a sneak peak into her thoughts on solo-parenting, the challenges and offers advice.
Yu Tsi
On holding out for the right kind of romantic relationship: “If I was going to get married, it had to be for love, because I wanted [my son] Marcell to see that real kind of love — the kind I yearn for. That old couple crooked and bent over but still holding hands. I know that kind of love exists and I’m not going to stop until I have that.”
How being overprotective of children isn’t doing them any favors: “These days we’re so busy protecting our kids, when we really should be pulling back the blinds and showing them that we live in a world that’s not always fair and moral. Sometimes we try to protect our children so much that when something doesn’t go right in their lives, they’re unprepared to deal with adversity. I don’t think that does our kids any favors.”
On being a single mother and feeling the pressure to do it all: “It depends on what women equate success with. I think we try to do our best. And yes, we can do it all, but I wouldn’t wish being a single parent on my worst enemy. It is not easy.”
Why she’s not afraid of aging: “I grew up watching women in my family embrace getting older and I think that’s healthy. You ought to see my grandmother: She is 92, looks great, still travels, and dates a younger man. I’m 46 and I’m proud. Men don’t lie about their age, so why should women?”
The issue hits news stands this September 13, 2016. Look for it to read the rest of the interview. The memoir is titled Around the Way Girl and releases on October 11, 2016 but can be pre-ordered here!
Tonight is the the 16th Latin GRAMMY Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 19, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and our Bellyitch Bumpwatch alum Roselyn Sanchez co-hosted the biggest night for Latin artists.
Before the show we spotted another Bellyitch alum Zoe Saldana looking back to her super svelte self in a cute pencil skirt length black dress.
Not a mom but another regular featured parent, Ricky Martin looked extra dapper tonight.
Sanchez did an illuminating color, white, the night before attending the 2015 Latin Grammy Person of the Year Honoring Roberto Carlos in Las Vegas yesterday. Nice!
Jada Pinkett-Smith, one of our posh mom style icon recipients, went with embroidered overlay white dress with the bodice shear and strategically placed over her breasts. She was alongside her husband Will Smith who was set to perform with Bomba Estero during the ceremony.
Well, he got the backlash of his life from people who, apparently, believe breasts should only be shown in social media when squeezed inside teenie tiny bikinis or bursting out the side of an A-lister’s red carpet dress. When shown nourishing a baby it elicits all sorts of queasiness and uneasiness among audiences.
For too many people, breasts are sexual and should only be shown or used as sexual objects. The idea of a baby nursing makes them uncomfortable and they simply cannot handle it.
Take II.
Two years later, it’s 2014 and Miami Dolphins linebacker Philip Wheeler‘s girlfriend model Ashley Nicole decided to take to her Instagram page to share a photo of herself breastfeeding her baby on the run.
“Was on the way out the door but then mommy duty called,” she captioned the above photo “…Everything stops for him! #breastisbest #natureisbeaufitul”
Nice.
Not so fast, you nursing advocates.
In no time, the image went viral and all sorts of folks who apparently grew up learning to be ashamed of something as natural as nursing went to town, cursing out the mom, calling her all sorts of names on her own Instagram page which many of them had never ever before frequented. Yeah, going all out of their way to leave whatever website they were trolling or stalking to go to this woman’s page and berate her.
*sigh*
I could blame sites like TMZ and Bossipwhich posted about the story asking “Is it inappropriate” and certainly siccing their legions of followers on the poor woman.
I hate people sometimes.
Some said the photo and words were not shared to advocate for breastfeeding but to draw attention to mom who is a Ford model and was well-dressed and in shades. Why stop to get a third person to take a photo for Instagram, if it was just natural and incidental, they ask? Only, she was dressed to go out at the time as she mentioned in the photo and she probably figured while stopping to breastfeed, she might as well share the moment with her followers and promote breastfeeding at the same time. Kill two birds with one stone.
The bullying was so intense Wheeler told TMZ Sport that people should back off .
“”I wish everybody would just leave it alone,” Wheeler said. “She’s a model. She takes pictures for a living.”a
Nicole eventually deleted her Instagram account altogether!
Good grief!
According to the Center for Disease Control, 26% of babies are never breastfed.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics research, human milk-feeding decreases the incidence and/or severity of a wide range of infectious diseases including bacterial meningitis, bacteremia, diarrhea, respiratory tract infection, necrotizing enterocolitis, otitis media, urinary tract infection, and late-onset sepsis in preterm infants.
In addition, post-neonatal infant mortality rates in the United States are reduced by 21% in breastfed infants.
It should come as no surprise that much of the “hate” came from the black and African American community which seemingly has a less than supporting appreciation for breastfeeding and especially for breastfeeding in public. The CDC also reports that African Americans are less likely to breastfeed their children.
The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studiesreports that Blacks stop breastfeeding sooner than other races, setting up their children for higher incidences of illnesses and diseases that non-breastfed children succumb to at a higher rate than those who were nursed.
The report also links higher rates of infant mortality and low birth weight to lack of breastfeeding.
There is a taboo about it among the black community, perhaps, and those who nurse for too long are not encouraged or supported and are sometimes egged on to stop breastfeeding after a few weeks or months. Although to be fair, shorter breastfeeding times are also linked to low income mothers who have to report to work earlier and have shorter maternity leave and/or work in settings where they do not have a private place to pump and store their milk for their babies.
Kim Durdin-James, national president of the African-American Breastfeeding Alliance (AABA), summed it up well in saying, “In the best of times, breastfeeding is the optimal feeding choice for young children because it provides babies with all vital nutrients for growth and development, but in times of disaster, breastfeeding can mean the difference between life and death.”
Then there are those who bashed Nicole specifically because she was not wed to her baby’s father. Some said that Gisele Bunchen didn’t get the same amount of backlash because she was married when she shared a similar photo last November.
But Bundchen wasn’t the first.
Xena the Warrior Princess actress and model Lucy Lawless who was photographed (above) for World Breastfeeding Week in 2002.
Singer P!nk shared a photo of herself breastfeeding via her Instagram account, although she has since deleted the image.
Australian Model Miranda Kerr tweeted a photo of herself in 2011 breastfeeding her daughter in between costume changes during a photo shoot on her personal blog, which is currently taking a hiatus.
It shouldn’t matter if she’s married or not, a model or an actress, sharing a natural act shouldn’t be shamed or shunned. Whether it is considered oversharing or too private for Instagram or not is up for debate and up to the individual person sharing.
We say kudos to them if destigmatizing it will eventually make it less unpopular among some groups.
First-time mom-to-be Krysten Ritter showed off her baby bump at the premiere of the third and last season of her Netflix Marvel show Jessica Jones in a fire engine red bump-hugging Rodarte dress.
“This super pregnant superhero had lots of fun at the #jessicajones season 3 premiere celebrating the final 13 episodes!” the actress captioned an Instagram post about the event celebrating the season.
The Breaking Bad actress didn’t stay away from the sizzle while donning her signature dark cat-eye makeup, crimson lip and jet black hair in loose waves in ankle strap metallic red heels.
This will be her first child with boyfriend of 5 years Adam Granduciel of the band The War on Drugs.
Though Netflix canceled Jessica Jones, a Marvel series about a super strong private detective, Hulu’s senior vice president of originals Craig Erwich told The Wrap that the streaming service may revive the series, along with Iron Fist, Luke Cage, The Punisher, Jessica Jones, and Daredevil.
A lot of restaurants use the occassion of Mother’s Day in the United States to offer free meals and deals. Despite the challenges to the food and beverage industry during the pandemic, they are still rolling out the red carpet to feed the moms.
We curted a list of over 35 meals, snacks, drink and other offers for your last minute Mom’s Day planners.
Bahama Breeze
Get a Mother’s Day meal bundle for four for as little as $45.
Baskin-Robbins
Order a special Floral Cone Bouquet Cake for Mother’s Day. Sign up for emails or download the mobile app for discount codes that could help you save up to $5 on your order.
Blaze Pizza
Get a free 11-inch pizza when you order Mom a $25 Gift Card.
Buy mom a $50 gift card or buy one to use to treat her to lunch on Mother’s Day, and then get a bonus $10 card to use later at The Cheesecake Factory
Chili’s
For Mother’s Day, Chili’s is offering a 3-for-$10 to-go special featuring either a 6-oz. sirloin or chicken fajitas, a drink, and a starter.
Cracker Barrel
Order a Family Meal Basket to-go, and get a $10 bonus card.
When you order Cracker Barrel’s Pancake Breakfast or their Sunday Homestyle Chicken Family Meal Bundles for pick up or delivery, you’ll get a $10 bonus card to use in the Cracker Barrel store. Both breakfasts feed a family of five for $31.99.
Einstein Bagel
Get a Mom’s Brunch Box, which comes with a free mimosa starter kit (aka 16-oz orange juice). For $29.99, it includes a variety of fresh baked favorites: one Farmhouse Egg Sandwich, two Bacon & Cheddar Egg Sandwiches, six fresh-baked bagels, one tub of plain shmear, four Twice-Baked Hash Browns and four blueberry muffins. Available at participating locations, from May 7 to May 17, 2021.
The restaraunt is celebrating all the hardworking moms with limited-time menu offerings and custom cocktails, available at participating locations throughout North America through Sunday, May 9, 2021. Additionally, participating Hard Rock Cafe locations are offering a “Momosa Bar,” which allows diners to create their own “Momosa” using a flight of juices and a bottle of Riondo Prosecco
Get free delivery on an order placed on the Jamba site or app. Plus, you can get a free breakfast item if you hit the $18 minimum thru Mother’s Day May 9
Jimmy John’s
If mom is craving a giant sandwich, Jimmy Johns is offering $5 off orders of $20 or more with promo code 5OFF20 through June 13. Order must be placed online or via the Jimmy John’s app.
Buy a muffin, get one for free on Mother’s Day. (Unless you’re at the St. Louis location. No free muffins will be found there.) Grab a coupon for this deal on Kolache’s social media.
Krispy Kreme Buy a dozen glazed donuts, you’ll get a second dozen for a dollar on Saturdays and Sunday through May 23. If you got your COVID-19 vaccine, Krispy Kreme will give you a free donut every day for the rest of the year through December 31
The restaurant is offering new Carlo’s Cookies & Cream Tsunami Cake created by Cake Boss Buddy Valastro and half-priced bottles of wine and a lineup of cocktails.
For every $25 eGift card purchased through May 9, you’ll receive a $5 bonus card via email to use on a future visit between May 10-31.Bonus cards are valid only on food or beverage purchases in-store (not valid for online orders, third-party delivery, or other gift card purchases).
Ahh, the ’90s. If there’s one article of clothing that has become synonymous with the golden era of fashion, music, and pop culture, it’s the slip dress. The delicate, silky garment was once seen as a fashion faux pas—a risqué lingerie piece worn only in the comfort of your home—but when industry insiders like Kate Moss took the boudoir look from the bedroom to the red carpet it was a wrap for the bedroom-only mentality.
Now that it’s officially spring, I’ve been dreaming about slipping into the butter soft one-and-done silhouette in varying lengths and prints. Shop 12 of my favorites ahead.
Here are our faves!
Mykola Sequin Slip Dress
The party doesn’t start until you walk in wearing this dazzling, sequined dress with a flowing ruffle hem.
Former and current Vanderpump Rulesstars LaLa Kent, Brittany Cartright and Stassi Schroeder apparently had a loose pregnancy pact, according to comments made by Kent during her podcast with her fiance Randall.
Lena Dunham reveals that because she has chronic endometriosis and had to have her cervix, uterus and one ovary removed thus ruling out the possiblity of her ever having children again
After suffering a devastating loss of her baby girl mid pregnancy, Love & Hip Hop: New York star Rah Ali welcomed a daughter namesd Anaia only 17 months later.
Halloween will be different this year so you may want to experiment with fun ways to dress up your face and nails to dazzle friends and those you encounter at work or while out and about. As I posted in my last post about Halloween for kids, another option is to just do a fun panedmic-era photo shoot and post up the photos on social media to share with famiy and friends.
Find design source from my Halloween Nails Group board HERE!
My fave Halloween eye make up look is this one right here which includes bright sunset eyeshadow look that I found years ago and blogged about and shared in a now, popular and widely shared pin.
Finally, I assmebled 20 of my fave Halloween themed nail art designs on my group DIY and Nail Art Board (click here for source) and am sharing the images below to give you ideas.
A fashionista is known for her effortless style and impeccable taste.
That applies not only to her choice of clothing but also to her accessories, and nothing makes a statement more than a fabulous bag. Moministas and Preginistas will not let go of their style just because they are moms and moms-to-be.
They just adjust and get a bigger bag!
I searched my partners at Shopstyle and identified what I think are the 5 bag (or types of bags) that every Mominista must own.
Here they are, in no particular order of gawgeousness:
The Everyday Bag
I like this Madewell’s cowhide tote because of its earthy color and the fact that it is also versatile and would complement any outfit. It’s made of pebbled leather. and is spacious inside so it would fit all of your stuff and more!
A sports duffle is great to use to throw in any item for a quick weekend getaway or girls night away. I love them beause they are expandable, easy to clean and look gret.
If you want a durable bag that will stand the test of time and is also an iconic luxury bag, then the Louis Vuitton Monogram Cabas Piano Tote is your bag. It is spacious, and has well stitched straps which can withstand the weight of your mini laptop, changing pad, a few diapers, your wallet and more.
Every person, man, woman and chilld, should be thinking about being good earth citizens and doing as little damage to the planet for the next generation of humans. A woman who is concerned for her planet and can should consider having in her closet a bag that is made of sustainable, ethicially sourced materials and ideally, from labor paid an earnest livable wage. This Second Eco Bag is simple and does the trick.
Multiple sources confirm to E! News that the Game of Thrones star is pregnant and expecting her first child with husband Joe Jonas.
“The couple is keeping things very hush hush but their friends and family are super excited for them,” one source shared withJustJaredwho was first to report the news. Another insider added, “Sophie has decidedly been choosing outfits to wear on and off the carpet to accommodate her changing body.”
The couple’s last major public appearance together was at the 2020 Grammys where Sophie cheered on her husband during the Jonas Brothers‘ performance of “What A Man Gotta Do.”
Joe and Sophie surprised fans in May 2019 when they got married in Las Vegas after the Billboard Music Awards. The duo enjoyed a second ceremony in France one month later.
Since then, the couple has continued to document their love story that includes everything from sweet social media posts, unforgettable vacations and red carpet date nights.
