Source : Pink Is The New Blog

Explore : Actors and Actresses, Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro

Wikio – Celebrity

Elisabeth Röhm, best known for her roles as Serena on Law & Order and Kate on Angel, has been blogging for PEOPLE.com for over a year now.

The actress, 39, currently stars as Taylor on The Client List, while upcoming film Transit will be out May 11, with Officer Down following later this year.

Her house will be featured on HGTV’s Celebrities at Home on Tuesday at 8 p.m.

She can be found on Facebook, Google + and @ElisabethRohm.

In her latest blog, Röhm — mom to 4-year-old Easton August with fiancé Ron Anthony — wonders if avoiding confrontation helps or hurts her family.

Do you fight in front of the kids? How do you decide what’s appropriate for them to hear you discuss? Share your experience in the comments.

I don’t know about you ladies, but I’m a lover, not a fighter. I’m huge on communicating as a way to avoid conflicts in general. I’m famous for a lot of talk, talk, talk, but fighting has never been my style. I tend to just want to keep on trucking, without getting caught up in the superficial dramas of life.

Ultimately, I believe that there really isn’t that much that’s worth getting upset or bent out of shape about. I’m not bothered by much. Maybe that’s a choice, but it’s one I’ve made. Because of that, I find it challenging to deal with others who seem to get ruffled by just about everything. You know those people too, right?

As a way to deal with this, I’ve made a commitment of heading things off at the pass before they bubble up and boil over into a heaping mess on the floor that even the heartiest of paper towels just couldn’t clean up. I tend to talk it out before there is a need for a talk, I hope.

Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn’t. Ultimately, there is a whole world of other people who don’t feel an ounce of discomfort with conflict, and therefore my desire for peace is hard-won.

It is true that I am likely to put my needs aside as a way to resolve issues … just so that I don’t have to have an argument that results in — hopefully but not always — a great make-up session. I’d just like to avoid the whole mess in general.

I’m guilty of wanting harmony so much that I can tend to avoid difficulty. I sometimes find that I push things aside that are uncomfortable, assuming that all will be better later and that whatever I’m feeling is not really a big deal.

My motto is to not sweat the small stuff. I realize this means that I don’t always speak my mind, but it’s so much better than having a drag-out conversation that lasts hours or even days. This is the case even more so now that I’m a mom.

So be it, I’m guilty of being a pleasure-seeker who wants everyone to not “worry, be happy,” like the song suggests. Because of this, I like the music playing in the house mixed with sounds of laughter and giggles, and just a dose of the real adult stuff that needs handling. I’m more interested in having a good time than dealing with drama over a list of items that could easily cause stress and worry. Everything gets handled in the end.

If I’m the one being confronted by another party, I tend to acquiesce pretty quickly as a way to find easy resolution. “I’m sorry” is comfortable for me to say, especially if I’m dealing with a loved one, if there’s a child in the house, or if it’s my partner who needs to resolve some issue that’s rubbing him the wrong way.

I’m just not one for a big blow up. Unfortunately I find that I’m in the minority in this regard, and that others are totally comfortable with confrontation and even crave it as a way to fix things, move on or feel connected to their partner.

I have found that over the past four years of Easton’s life, I really tend to be an avoider of adult conversation when she is present, so as not to make her feel the stress and burden of adult issues. And no, I’m not talking about the small stuff. I’m referring to the bigger private conversations you’d only have at home and face-to-face.

I think this was pre-programmed in me from my early childhood because there was a lot of drama and adult stuff going on around me from a young age. It was overwhelming at best and scary at worst. Tell me, what do you do in these cases?

Feelings are complicated and relationships need maintenance. People need to talk things through so that issues don’t get swept under the rug time and time again, creating rotten floorboards, with the whole house collapsing because of a disintegrated foundation. But when do you do that with a child around 24/7? I often wonder when it’s actually appropriate to have these adult conversations at all?

So the question is, PEOPLE.com, do you have adult conversations in front of your kids? When do you “get into it”? Do you talk about money issues in front of them? Do you bicker about housekeeping? If you or your significant other piss each other off, do you have it out in front of the kids, or do you wait until they are scarce to dive into a deep discussion?

Have you decided that some adult conversations are good for them to hear so that they have sense of reality? Perhaps you are more comfortable with conflict and think that honest and open discussion is appropriate for kids to hear.

I don’t know about you, but based on my childhood I tend not to want to discuss the difficult stuff in front of the little one. Any time things could possibly get heated, I always reply, “Not now.” Good in some ways, not good in others, I’ll admit.

In truth, by the time Easton goes to sleep, I’m pooped and not really in the mood to have some intense conversation about feelings. All I want to do is get into soft clothes and crawl under my covers for some rest. Let’s face it, you run around all day getting things done and then when you come home you just want to chill, right?

Tell me, ladies, do you fight in front of the kids? And if you don’t, when do you find the time to talk to your partner or spouse? Is it on the phone after you’ve dropped the kids off at school and are on your way to work? Or is it during those precious hours after the children have gone to sleep?

It’s tricky, I know. Many of my friends complain that by the time the kids are asleep they are too tired and not interested in giving up their few free hours to resolving some conflict with their spouse. I couldn’t agree more much of the time.

When do you manage to get real with the one you love? When do you have it out, get deep and find resolutions to the problems that inevitably arise in your intimate relationship? And what is appropriate for the little ones to hear?

I’m dying to know the methods you use to handle this inevitable madness.

Until next time! xo

– Elisabeth Röhm

Celebrity Baby Blog

Thanks for welcoming our newest blogger, Kimberly Van Der Beek!

Born and raised in Washington, she married actor James Van Der Beek in August 2010 and is mother to their two children — daughter Olivia, 19 months, and son Joshua, 6 weeks.

A proponent of healthy living, Kimberly, 30, advocates consciousness for the Earth and serves as co-chair of Baby Buggy‘s Los Angeles committee.

Husband James’s new sitcom, Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt. 23, airs Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. on ABC.

You can find her on Facebook and @KimberlilyVDB on Twitter.

This month, she shares her top 10 nutritional principles.

Growing up, like most kids, I ate prepackaged frozen foods, Hamburger Helper, cow milk and sugary cereals. I laughed at the word healthy. I didn’t need it. I was fine.

Then, while in college, somebody gave me the book Spontaneous Healing by Dr. Andrew Weil. After a lifetime of allergies and bad skin, I reconsidered my thoughts on health, read the book and shifted into action.

I ventured into a brief stint working in the nutritional field. The research I did was discouraging. Eggs are bad for you. Eggs are good for you. Don’t eat red meat. Eat red meat. Soy will cure this and cause that.

Information was conflicting and the studies were often conducted with business profits, not families, in mind.

There are, however, universal truths that have stood the test of time. These are some of the lifestyle and budget-friendly nutritional principles my family has adopted. I hope you are inspired to try a few for yourself!

1. Nursing

Nursing is an amazing bonding experience and the purest form of nutrition for a baby. It gets bonus points for being the most effective way to suck your uterus — and yourself — back into shape.

2. Make your own baby food

Once a week we throw fresh or frozen fruits and veggies into the Beaba Babycook. Make extra to freeze. It gets bonus points for being cheaper than its processed counterparts.

3. Eat less meat

Consider adopting a meat-free Monday and experiment with more vegetarian meals. High protein fads have lead to super-sized meat consumption, which has given rise to new, unsavory forms of factory farming. These days animal protein often carries a host of hormones and antibiotics that have unknown health consequences. There are also significant environmental repercussions from the methane output. Additionally, the welfare of our modern day farmed friends has taken a backseat.

4. Time management

Be armed with healthy options for those times when you need something in a pinch! Reserve a few hours once a week to prepare snacks. Cut up veggies and put them into baggies, make fresh dips, stalk dried fruits and flax crackers. And always make extra to freeze while cooking dinner.

5. Read The Beauty Detox Solution by Kimberly Snyder

I cannot stop raving about this book! If you have skin, weight or health issues of any kind, buy it as quickly. My sensitive, hormonal skin cleared up beautifully in three weeks and I managed to get a significant amount of my pre-pregnancy energy and body back. My favorite recipes in the book are the Ganesha’s Sweet Potatoes, Sally’s Salsa (I love it mixed into quinoa), and Raw Cacao Truffles.

6. Create family traditions

A movie and meal is definitely something my family enjoys, but can quickly turn into a daily habit. Fitting a few weekly traditions into the mix creates a wonderful bonding opportunity for your family.

On Sundays, James is famous for making gluten-free pancakes and Olivia helps stir the batter. (He and Olivia are sharing organic celery and cucumbers with an avocado and oat groats dip in the photo above.)

And once a week James and I make sure to have an at-home date night. We turn off the TV, turn on some music, cook together in the kitchen and light candles. After all the energy we put into our kids during the week, this fun respite is essential.

7. Encourage good decisions

Some of my blog readers shared their family health tips with me on my Facebook page. One of my favorites that I’ve adopted is giving Olivia the opportunity to make her own food decisions. If she’s going to snack on veggie sticks we let her decide between a hummus or green bean dip. For breakfast we let her choose between a banana, avocado or pear. I love any opportunity to empower her individuality and encourage her to make healthy food decisions.

8. Start a garden

Something as easy as growing a few herbs in your window is a delicious way to add flavor to foods without all the heavy sauces and oils. Plus, kids have fun growing and cutting them. The wider the variety you can grow, the better. Eating minimally processed, whole foods is fundamental to good health.

9. Go dairy-free

Okay, there’s always a new fad out there. Right now it’s going dairy-free. That said, when we get back to the basics, our lactose tolerance naturally plummets around the age of five. And, unless you travel outside the U.S. or farm it yourself, the nutrients milk does offer are minimal due to pasteurization.

10. Take baby steps towards health

Completely altering the way you eat overnight can send your body into detox mode. That’s something that needs medical monitoring and is not a great idea for children and nursing mothers. Take one or two tips at a time and see what works for you and your family.

Please share some of your family health tips and meals with me below! Happy eating!

– Kimberly Van Der Beek

Celebrity Baby Blog

The face of Maybelline for years, the model, 33, has also dabbled in acting, appearing in Van Helsing, and reality TV, where she took a spin on Dancing with the Stars.

In 2007, Maran established Josie Maran Cosmetics, her own natural product line. Since the launch, the Argan oil-based skincare and cosmetics have been the recipient of various industry awards.

Expecting her second child in July, Maran currently lives in California with her husband, Ali Alborzi, and their 5½-year-old daughter, Rumi Joon.

You can find her on Facebook and on Twitter @josie_maran.

Cuddling with Rumi Joon – Courtesy Josie Maran

When I was pregnant with my first baby, people kept giving me advice. “Don’t exercise too much.” “Stay in shape.” “When you’re pregnant, you get to eat whatever you want.” “When you’re pregnant you have to be extra-careful what you eat.”

It got kind of crazy, trying to figure out which advice to follow.

Now that I’m pregnant for the second time, I’m taking my own advice and focusing on what works for me. All you mamas-to-be, I hope you’ll do the same. But just in case you’d like to mix it up with some tips from a second-timer, here’s my not-so-secret recipe for a healthy and happy pregnancy.

1. Stretch

My body goes through so many changes when I’m pregnant, and prenatal yoga helps me ease my way through them.

Kundalini yoga is my favorite. It helps me relax and build up the breathing skills I’ll need when I’m in labor.

2. Figure Out What Kind of Childbirth Is Right for You

When I was pregnant with my daughter Rumi, everyone seemed to have an opinion on how I should give birth. As soon as I started researching my choices, I realized that the most natural way of giving birth was going to be best for me.

Rumi was born at home, outside, and it was an incredible experience. I’m planning the same kind of birth for my second child.

If you want my advice (!), I’d suggest that you explore all your options and then decide what’ll work best for you (and convince the others involved, if necessary).

3. Connect with Your Partner

Before you’re plunged into the craziness of life with a newborn, take advantage of time alone with your partner.

My husband and I have been “dating” lately, taking walks on the beach, going to the movies, staying up late talking about our new little one and how we’re going to partner in parenting him or her.

It’s sweet to get in touch with our inner romantics.

4. Spend Quality Time with Your Belly

I take a few moments every day to do simple things that connect me to my baby, like singing to my belly. When I was pregnant with Rumi and for a long time after she was born, I sang “You Are My Sunshine” to her all the time. It helped me bond with her.

I also take mercury-free fish oil capsules for my baby’s brain development. Every time I take one, I think about having deep conversations with my little bean about the wonders of the world.

The most important thing is to cherish this super-special time. What could be cooler than carrying a life inside you? Pregnancy is a great excuse to pamper yourself (in healthy ways, of course!), and accept it gratefully when your partner and others do the same. Enjoy!

Talk to you all next month.

With love,

– Josie Maran

Celebrity Baby Blog

The face of Maybelline for years, the model, 33, has also dabbled in acting, appearing in Van Helsing, and reality TV, where she took a spin on Dancing with the Stars.

In 2007, Maran established Josie Maran Cosmetics, her own natural product line. Since the launch, the Argan oil-based skincare and cosmetics have been the recipient of various industry awards.

Expecting her second child in July, Maran currently lives in California with her husband, Ali Alborzi, and their 5½-year-old daughter, Rumi Joon.

You can find her on Facebook and on Twitter @josie_maran.

Cuddling with Rumi Joon – Courtesy Josie Maran

When I was pregnant with my first baby, people kept giving me advice. “Don’t exercise too much.” “Stay in shape.” “When you’re pregnant, you get to eat whatever you want.” “When you’re pregnant you have to be extra-careful what you eat.”

It got kind of crazy, trying to figure out which advice to follow.

Now that I’m pregnant for the second time, I’m taking my own advice and focusing on what works for me. All you mamas-to-be, I hope you’ll do the same. But just in case you’d like to mix it up with some tips from a second-timer, here’s my not-so-secret recipe for a healthy and happy pregnancy.

1. Stretch

My body goes through so many changes when I’m pregnant, and prenatal yoga helps me ease my way through them.

Kundalini yoga is my favorite. It helps me relax and build up the breathing skills I’ll need when I’m in labor.

2. Figure Out What Kind of Childbirth Is Right for You

When I was pregnant with my daughter Rumi, everyone seemed to have an opinion on how I should give birth. As soon as I started researching my choices, I realized that the most natural way of giving birth was going to be best for me.

Rumi was born at home, outside, and it was an incredible experience. I’m planning the same kind of birth for my second child.

If you want my advice (!), I’d suggest that you explore all your options and then decide what’ll work best for you (and convince the others involved, if necessary).

3. Connect with Your Partner

Before you’re plunged into the craziness of life with a newborn, take advantage of time alone with your partner.

My husband and I have been “dating” lately, taking walks on the beach, going to the movies, staying up late talking about our new little one and how we’re going to partner in parenting him or her.

It’s sweet to get in touch with our inner romantics.

4. Spend Quality Time with Your Belly

I take a few moments every day to do simple things that connect me to my baby, like singing to my belly. When I was pregnant with Rumi and for a long time after she was born, I sang “You Are My Sunshine” to her all the time. It helped me bond with her.

I also take mercury-free fish oil capsules for my baby’s brain development. Every time I take one, I think about having deep conversations with my little bean about the wonders of the world.

The most important thing is to cherish this super-special time. What could be cooler than carrying a life inside you? Pregnancy is a great excuse to pamper yourself (in healthy ways, of course!), and accept it gratefully when your partner and others do the same. Enjoy!

Talk to you all next month.

With love,

– Josie Maran

Celebrity Baby Blog

Our celebrity blogger Marla Sokoloff is a new mama!

Since audiences first got to know her at age 12 as Gia on Full House, Sokoloff has had many memorable TV roles — Jody on Party of Five, Lucy on The Practice, Claire on Desperate Housewives – as well as turns on the big screen in Whatever It Takes, Dude, Where’s My Car? and Sugar & Spice.

Sokoloff, 31, also sings and plays guitar and released an album, Grateful, in 2005.

She wed her husband, music composer Alec Puro, in November 2009 and the couple — plus pup Coco Puro — make their home in Los Angeles.

You can find Marla, now mom to 10-week-old daughter Elliotte Anne, on Twitter.

Let me start this off by saying how incredibly touched I was by all of the support I received after my last blog.

My breastfeeding struggles have been the hardest part of mommyhood and it really helped me to read all of your comments and suggestions. I also loved hearing from those of you who are going though the same thing — it’s nice to know I’m not alone.

Thank you for not judging me and for reminding me that no matter what Elliotte is being nourished and is healthy … and that is all that matters.

How is it possible that I already have a 10-week-old? You guys weren’t kidding around when you said it goes by fast! It truly feels like yesterday that I was doing jumping jacks on my bed and eating crazy pregnancy salads trying to induce labor. (None of that worked, by the way.)

Two and a half months in and I think I’m finally starting to get my mojo back. (By mojo I mean I’m now brushing my hair and showering on a daily basis … HUGE improvement!)

Elliotte and I are now starting to have somewhat of a routine and just like every mom told me, it all gets a little easier every day. That being said, I think I apologize to my daughter at least once a day as I explain to her that I’m still new at this and she needs to bear with me!

A few weeks ago we had our very first public poop explosion. In my perfect world, I just assumed that my little lady would save the epic debacles for the privacy of our own home.

Of course, the restaurant we were eating at had no changing table in the bathroom, so Elliotte and I high-tailed it out to my car and we changed her poopy pants on a very busy Los Angeles street. Super glamorous, right?

As she lay there confused as to why she was naked in the trunk of my car, I whispered to her, “I’m sorry baby, Mommy has no idea what she’s doing.”

Split my maternity jeans – oops – Courtesy Marla Sokoloff

I’ve decided that having a sense of humor about such events is the only way to get through it all. Last week at Mommy & Me, I split my jeans open as I excitedly sat down on the carpet ready to sing “The Wheels On The Bus”. Hoping no one would notice, I gracefully took a swaddle blanket out of my diaper bag and placed it on my lap.

I looked over at Elliotte and gave her a wink, letting her know that this new mom disaster moment was our little secret.

My self-esteem mojo is still a work in progress to be honest. (Did I mention I split my maternity jeans last week?) This in-between phase of still wearing your pregnancy clothes while longing for your former self wardrobe is pretty miserable.

Obviously I knew that my tightly pulled pregnancy stomach wasn’t going to be toned and perfect once the baby was born, but one could only hope that the uncomfortable belly band I wore for six weeks would at least produce an ab or two. (Jessica Alba … I give you and your post-baby bikini major credit!) I’m pretty sure (okay … I’m 100 percent sure) that my relationship with the bathing suit is now forever changed.

Last week my friend (and fellow new mommy) Lindsay Sloane and I hosted a party benefiting Baby Buggy. We got a bunch of our mom friends together for a fun afternoon of spa treatments and manicures and everyone donated a box of diapers or wipes to help families in need of baby essentials. Baby Einstein and Quinny sponsored the event and there was even a fun play area for all of the little ones to hang out in.

It was such a great afternoon! I was going to post a picture but Lindsay and I agreed that we both look a little too sleep-deprived to share!

A lot of you have been asking me when I plan on going back to work. That is a question I don’t have the answer to just yet. The thought of leaving Elliotte all day and handing her off to someone else while I’m shooting is a tough pill for me to swallow.

I know that she will only be this little peanut for a little while longer and I just don’t want to miss a moment. I also know that eventually I will need to pull myself up by my bootstraps and get back to work. So working moms and dads of PEOPLE.com, tell me … how do you do it? How do you find the balance between your children and your career?

Already 10 weeks old! – Courtesy Marla Sokoloff

I look forward to hearing from you all — leave a comment below or send me a Tweet @marlasok.

– Marla Sokoloff

Celebrity Baby Blog

Currently expecting her second child in June, the musician, 44, and husband Roey Hershkovitz are already parents to daughter Lyla Rose, 2.

In addition to her number one single “Stay (I Missed You),” Loeb also had hits with “Do You Sleep” and “I Do.” In the years since, she’s recorded two children’s albums, written a kids book, done voiceovers, developed an eyewear line and started the nonprofit Camp Lisa Foundation.

She can be found on Facebook and on Twitter @lisaloeb.

In her most recent blog, Loeb writes about her recent pregnancy cold and shares how she and her husband told Lyla that she would be a big sister.

Needing lots of tissues lately! — Courtesy Lisa Loeb

Thanks for reading the last blog. I wanted to answer some of the questions you posted in the comments section. Mlle. Kitty had a question about my 2-year-old daughter Lyla’s personality and how she feels about becoming a big sister. Lyla is funny, sweet, very vocal, smart, and I could go on and on about what a wonderful personality she has …

We were definitely interested in breaking the new-baby-on-the-way news to her in a way that made sense to her and wasn’t too confusing or psychologically damaging in any way.

That sounds so extreme, but as some of you first time moms know, that’s just the way we think sometimes in the 21st century!! Too much information makes us always think there’s a “best way” to do things. (My second and third and fourth time moms remind me that there’s not, but please let me be a first time mom while I am one.)

My husband and I waited until the pregnancy was pretty far along, got some books about becoming a big sister, and told her. Since Lyla loves books and unwrapping gifts, to make the explanation more special, we had Joanna Cole’s illustrated book, I’m a Big Sister, wrapped at a store, and saved it up for the big moment. We unwrapped it together, and then we said, “It’s a special book for you!”

My husband and I explained that we were having a baby, the baby was in my belly, and that she was going to be a big sister. We used “we” instead of “‘I’m’ going to have a baby” so that she felt like more of a part of the process, and that the baby will be part of our whole family — not just something for mommy.

Along the way, our daughter said, “I have a baby in my belly,” so I think the concept is still a little hard to grasp, but we read the book nightly at her request, as well as a couple of other cute books we picked up along the way about becoming a big sister.

So far she seems excited about it and talks about becoming a big sister, but I’m not sure she totally understands yet. We’ll see what happens when the baby actually comes home.

Otherwise, my pregnancy is still going great, especially when I get a little nap in while Lyla’s napping. The only hitch lately is that I got a cold a couple of weeks ago! I was supposed to be in the studio last week recording some bonus tracks for my rock album, coming out early next year, but I was too congested to sound clear or think straight.

It’s my third cold during this pregnancy, which I hear is typical with a two year old who goes to preschool, but as a singer, I’m used to taking care of the symptoms immediately: a prescription rinse for my sore red throat from my ENT, decongestants, mostly from the doctor, not over the counter, as those tend to be too strong for me.

Unfortunately, with a pregnancy, as we all know, you can’t really take much of anything, so once again, I felt kind of like a cave woman, but the kind that has a cool mist humidifier constantly running, a mouth full of natural blackberry Grether’s Pastille’s, boxes of tissues everywhere, coughing all night, and blowing my nose all day, and lots and lots of soup. That sounds awesome, right?

I also continued to eat as many fruits and vegetables as I can, and kept my protein intake healthy. Strawberries, red peppers, oranges, kale, cucumbers, avocado, apples, carrots, celery — these things don’t sound like comfort foods, but I think they help the body recover. (Any doctors out there? Does that sound right?)

And like other pregnant women, I found myself constantly looking on line to check out my symptoms and what I’m allowed to take, even though my OB and ENT already explained it to me, and I know the doctors would prefer that we talk to them, not to the multiple sites we troll. Is it that looking on the Internet give us a feeling of taking charge?

Take care of yourselves this week, pregnant or not, get enough rest, and if you have a cold too, or just want some comfort, find the best soup in the neighborhood. If you find it, let me know!

I should also add that I’m on my way to getting well since I’m heading up to Northern California for my last weekend of shows before the baby comes. Grownup shows in Oakland at Yoshi’s on Friday, April 20th – 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., Napa Valley Opera House in Napa on Saturday, April 21st — 8 p.m. and The Center for the Arts in Grass Valley near Sacramento on Sunday, April 22nd — 7:30 p.m., as well as a free in-store kids’ book signing at Whole Foods in Folsom on Sunday, April 22nd – 1 p.m. Would love to see you at a show.

– Lisa Loeb

Celebrity Baby Blog

Thanks for welcoming our new celebrity blogger, Jenna von Oy!

Best known for her roles as Six on Blossom and Stevie on The Parkers, von Oy is also a musician who has released two albums and is set to publish a book, The Betweeners.

She’ll next appear in Lukewarm, slated for release this spring.

von Oy, 34, wed Brad Bratcher on Oct. 10, 2010, and resides in Nashville with her husband and five dogs.

They expect their first child, a girl, in June.

You can find her on Twitter @jennavonoy.

I suppose it starts with the age-old question: If I have brown eyes, and my husband’s eyes are blue, can we have a blue-eyed baby? It’s Biology 101, and if I recall, the answer is a definitive “no.” However, I’m no scientist, so I’ll leave that one to the experts.

The grander and more preoccupying question that has been on my mind of late is, “What dastardly idiosyncrasies will my little girl inherit from me?” Will she be her own worst critic? Will she crave creativity, sometimes at the expense of her own sanity? Will she always strive to have the final word in an argument? Will she get overtly cranky when she doesn’t eat for several hours?

Oh, if you only knew … I can just imagine the beautiful disaster she will be, with me as a mom! That said, I know she will be getting some of her daddy’s genes as well, which should balance her out a bit. Brad and I are polar opposites in many ways, so I can only pray she gets the best of both worlds.

During dinner the other night, we mulled over some of the traits we hope are bestowed upon our daughter, versus the ones we hope are not. As chance would have it, the blessings seem to outweigh the curses, which has me breathing a serious sigh of relief.

I thought you might appreciate being privy to a portion of our list, and I have included notations as to which one of us the characteristic comes from (Though I suspect some may be painfully obvious!).

Indulging my inner child – Brooke Boling Photography

Blessings:

1. An active imagination and an inner child she indulges often (Me)

2. Patience, patience, and more patience (Unquestionably, Brad)

3. A love of music and all things artistic (Both of us)

4. An affinity for experiencing food as an art form (Both of us)

5. An easy ear for foreign languages (Me)

6. A calm, laid-back demeanor (Brad)

7. A deep love of travel and literature (Both of us)

8. Solid work ethic (Both of us)

9. A sense of humor and wit, especially when all else fails (Fortunately, both of us)

10. The innate ability to plan ahead and organize (Three words: Definitely. Not. Brad.)

11. A curiosity and willingness to learn about anything and everything (Both of us)

Curses:

1. Being OCD (Me)

2. Getting too easily distracted (Brad)

3. Being exceedingly, dreadfully stubborn (Both of us. Disagreements are super fun in our house!)

4. Biting sarcasm that can get her into trouble (Me)

5. A terrible memory (Brad, though he is the master of useless factoids. As I write this, he is reciting a list of the first 100 CDs he bought as a teenager. Because he can.)

6. A brown thumb. Really brown. SADLY, brown. (Me)

7. A penchant for eating things well past their expiration date (Thankfully, Brad is the culprit on this one. I try to clean out our refrigerator as often as possible, to avoid this gross display.)

8. An addiction to technology and electronics. (Let’s just say that one of us makes an iPod list to accompany every activity, including vacuuming the living room. It should be noted, however, that I am in no way complaining — I consider myself INCREDIBLY lucky to have a husband that takes it upon himself to vacuum!!)

The topic of passing down quirks to one’s children originally came up in conversation courtesy of my friend, Brooke Boling (whose incredible talent has graced each of my blogs so far, in the form of photography). A story Brooke recently shared simultaneously had me in stitches and cringing about my own future…

My daughter, Parker, recently woke up screaming in the middle of the night. Realizing she was having a nightmare, I went into her room to console her, and asked what was wrong. Was my child having dark dreams about monsters hiding under her bed? Nope. She was upset because her cheese and crackers were touching in her dream. My little OCD child. She’s definitely mine!

Far be it for me to assign personality traits to my child before she has even ventured outside of the womb, but I can visualize this scenario happening in my own household. I foresee my little girl color-coordinating her blocks, alphabetizing her books, and inquiring why Elmo won’t clean up after himself.

It conjures up memories of all of those occasions when my mother has smiled knowingly and emphatically stated, “I hope you have a child just like you” — meant as a threat, no doubt, but a fair one! The writing is on the proverbial wall.

I am convinced that my child, too, will keep running at the mouth long after I have wished her “Goodnight” and shut her bedroom door (according to my mom, this was my standard nightly practice. I also used to talk myself to sleep … no surprise there!).

Granted, I wouldn’t want you to think I’m portending doom and gloom here. There are, most assuredly, positive angles to the potential likenesses my daughter and I will share. Will she fancy herself a vocabulary maven? Will she pride herself on being a “Jane of all trades” and give 100 percent to everything she commits to? Will she do her best to be loyal, spiritual and generous with her heart? I have faith she will.

I also have a sneaky suspicion she will inherit some really bizarre little eccentricities that will provide amusing fodder for years to come. For example, if she despises condiments (ketchup-be-damned!) or her blood pressure spikes whenever politics are intensely pondered, she is definitely her father’s daughter.

Alternately, if she has a severe aversion to buffets, most shades of pink, stand-up comedy, and Carrot Top (not necessarily in that order…), I’m guilty as charged. I can also be blamed if a sneezing fit sounds as though it might take the house down with it. I’m not the daintiest in that department!

My pink aversion – Brooke Boling Photography

I wonder if she’ll take after both Brad and I by possessing an unnatural obsession with coffee, or if she’ll be a sentimental pack-rat, as we tend to be. I also speculate about her almost inescapable love of animals. Considering she’ll be sharing a house with five dogs, she had better inherit that one!

Either way, I’m sure she’ll quickly see through some of my attempts to teach her things that I may not be terribly successful at myself, such as trying not to sweat the small stuff. I can already picture her calling me out on my own weaknesses.

One of my closest friends, Cindy Alexander, made me laugh with this similar story about her daughter, Jette:

I’ve worked so hard at teaching my girls PATIENCE. Every time a tantrum starts brewing because dinner isn’t ready yet, or I can’t pick them up the SECOND they want my attention, I say “You need to practice your patience. Sometimes you have to wait!” One night I said to Jette, “Honey, it’s time to go to bed.” She responded with “Sweetie, you need to practice your patience. Sometimes you have to wait.” I let her win that one.

As you’ve probably witnessed in my past blogs, I tend toward the humorous and caustic. However, I think it would be thoughtless if I neglected the sweet and tender angle in all of this, and I certainly do enjoy indulging my sappy side every now and again. (Sometimes it may be well-hidden, but it’s there nonetheless!) After all, flicks like Bambi and Rudy reduce me to a blubbering mess, and reruns of any rescue show on Animal Planet can make it a four-Kleenex kind of day.

If I’m in a really sentimental mood, I sometimes even tear up during Celebrity Apprentice. (To clarify, lest you think I’ve lost my marbles, this occurs when they dole out massive checks to charities like the Muscular Dystrophy Association, NOT when Trump proclaims “You’re fired!” to some poor sap who almost always deserves it.)

So, all of that said, I’m intrigued by the idea that certain traits might carry over from people I’ve loved and lost, such as my sweet grandmother.

A girlfriend of mine, Erika White, took that concept to another level when she shared this:

It has been so fascinating to see two little “mini me’s”. I see it in my sons’ eyes, their skin, their smiles, and their spirits. They have great speed in running and skating. I was a fast athlete in my youth, and as I see their passion for running, I truly remember my love of the sport.

I say all of this, because I was adopted at birth … I am an adopted child, who is now an adult, and who had a wonderful, loving family to raise me. But I never saw anyone who looked like me growing up, and now I’m getting to see myself in my sons. That recognition is something I had never experienced before, and it is more beautiful than I ever expected.

While I may not have dealt with the experience of being adopted, as Erika has, I understand the attachment to seeing tangible proof of where you originate. I think it comes down to feeling like you are an obvious part of the pack.

For example, I’ve been told television makes me look taller, but I’m truly a wee lass (insert visuals of me sporting a leprechaun costume here). I have always been somewhat of a black sheep in my family, as everyone is significantly taller than me.

By that statement, I don’t just mean they are a few inches taller — they dwarf me. My dad and brothers are over six feet, and my mom and sister aren’t slight in stature by any stretch of the imagination. My growth, on the other hand, found its happy place at a mere five feet.

My future mini-me – Brooke Boling Photography

I joke that blame should be put on all of the coffee I consumed as a youth, but I can actually thank good old recessive genes for that one. My grandmother from my dad’s side (the feisty little German spitfire that she was…) was the same height as I am. Even if she DID swear she was taller!

Sure, from time to time I get frustrated that a step-stool is required to reach the dishes in my kitchen cabinets, and true, I often sport massive heels to compensate. However, it is honestly one of the attributes I treasure most about myself. I cherish it, because I know it is a piece of the lineage that was passed down from my grandmother, and she is an integral part of who I am.

Of course, I can thank her for some other qualities too … she didn’t suffer fools, spoke her mind, colored outside of the lines, and had the heart of a lion with the hand of a poet. Not a day goes by that I don’t thank God for blessing me with her gifts.

Suffice it to say, passing down our own characteristics (be it good or bad) to our children is part of the fascination behind having them in the first place. As my husband so profoundly stated the other day, I can’t help but appreciate and acknowledge the weight of leaving a legacy behind. No matter what happens to me now, I’ve left an indelible mark…

I certainly loved reading your “baby brain” stories from last month, and I can’t wait to hear any anecdotes you might wish to share regarding adventures with your own “mini me.” As always, please feel free to leave comments for me here on PEOPLE.com, or send me a message through the Twittersphere!

Until next time,

– Jenna von Oy

Celebrity Baby Blog

Source : Pink Is The New Blog

Explore : Actors and Actresses, Jennifer Lopez

Wikio – Celebrity