For some reason, this picture is greatly reassuring.

Because even mega-millionaire movie stars like Tom and Katie Cruise have to carry around sippy cups, the blankie, pair of shoes their toddler threw off in a fit of pique, and the de rigueur cup o’ puffed snack.

Congratulations to all the celebrities out there who are refusing to officially confirm their pregnancies.

Jennifer Lopez, everyone in the world has outed you but you. You stay strong, girlfriend.

Christina Aguilera, you’ll still be “no comment”ing at the baby’s college grad. That’s okay, nobody thinks you’re just fat.

Philip, wear the bump proudly.

In this day and age of oversharing, it’s wonderful to see some people keeping the concept of discretion alive.

(thanks to Spirit Fingers for the pic, which I heartlessly stole from Ayyyy)

I’m lazy today, so I thought I’d sift through some blog posts and put up some I thought were newsier, more celebrity-encrusted, or simply more amusing than anything I can come up with today, so here ya go!

MyLittlePony is a bit OCD, n’est ce pas? (Portraits of Canadians, via Bridlepath)

The Muppets vs the Fraggles (CelebrityScraps)

Gretchen Mol gives birth to ancient Egyptian (Babyrazzi)

Tori Spelling steals Denise Richards’ look! But the kid is a little monkey (CelebrityBabies)

Gwyneth Paltrow’s kids are so cute even SHE has to smile (JustJared)

Manny Ramirez is a Major League Dad! (CelebrityBabyBlog)

Ghetto pants: a bum rap? (Catalina tu Vecina)

Carrot juice is MURDER! (Seismic Twitch)

My wife likes to see me tied up (Charlie’s House)

May the prettiest and coolest child win! (Dadsmacker)

Showdown at the hoedown (MommyOffTheRecord)

Toddler has reached critical mass (TheBlogess)

Knitted baby butt cosy! (AwesomeMom)

Soap operas as study guides? (KvetchBlog)

Yard arting, empty nesting, and wishful thinking (SuburbanLesbian)

Optimus Prime is gay, too! (me!)

Anything to keep the child support coming, eh Denise?

Now, I’m not malevolent. I don’t really, deep-down, want to believe that celebrities are insane.

And yet, they make it so easy.

Here is Hollywood punchline Denise Richards and her two lovely daughters, attending a Halloween party in Beverly Hills. We shall, of course, overlook the obvious pun, which I have in fact and in actuality already made elsewhere, and focus rather on: 1) the fact that Denise looks good for her, not naked, not high, yep, pretty good for Denise Richards, but moreover and furtherto upon 2) the fact that of all the potential Halloween costumes in the entire world, rife as it is with a vast selection of Halloween costumes of all shapes, sizes, and jokey celebrity references, Denise Richards has chosen to dress Charlie Sheen‘s little girl up as

a cheerleader.

“Hey Mr. Koala, pull my finger!  Heh, heh… Wait, do they do that in Australia?”

Let’s just ignore Mr. Joey Fatone for a second and focus on the almost unbearable cuteness of his daughter with her big smile sans front teeth. 

Yes, this is just what the world has been waiting for.

Let’s face it, even Jeffrey Dahmer’s dad put out a book of parenting advice, so who’s to say it’s inappropriate for someone whose sole credential is that he has been found in a court of law to be more reliable than…Britney Spears…to speak out on Saturday Night Live with some golden nuggets of immortal wisdom for the parents of the world?

Via Celebrity Baby Scoop, we learn that OK! Magazine reports an anonymous source blabbing that TomKat is looking to have another child, preferably a girl.

You know what that means, right?

It is so gonna be a boy. 

Wanting a specific gender of chid automatically starts the wheel of irony turning, and usually the more one outcome is desired, the likelihood of it not happening is directly proportional.

So, I advise the Cruises to reverse their current course and state loudly how much they want a little brother for Suri.   Maybe even jump on a few couches,  just to convince everyone of their sincerity.
 

Longtime TeenyManolo readers will recall our play-by-play of the first round of the hotly-contested (and, apparently, hyphen-generating) playoffs in the international Drop the Baby league. Indeed, as with the great Secretariat winning the Belmont in ’73, who could forget the way the untouchable Britney effortlessly pulled ahead of upstart newbie Kat(i)e HolmesCruiseBot? An easy win for a truly legendary thoroughbred.

Here are two fresh competitors late out of the gate, but who show great promise. While it’s true that neither Gwen Stefani nor Larry Birkhead have actually dropped the baby (subject to updates TK) we figure between his habits and her heels, it’s just a matter of time. Let’s break down the challenges these two represent, shall we?

First up, Golden Gwen Stefani out of Orange County, California, whose husband so ably displayed secure baby-handling technique all this week at the fashion shows. Realizing that such attention to baby safety and anti-splat measures is directly antagonistic to the paparazzi-attracting imperative, Gwen decided to take teeny, adorable things into her own hands.

Kingston: I like that Kingston is rocking the Seventies headphones; he’s probably grooving to some totally happenin’ Steely Dan right at this very moment. And his sweatshirt and coordinated bright (easy to find if dropped) pacifier are cute, although low-rider jeans are not a good idea on anyone who wears a diaper. A full Pampers is not exactly a jeweled thong, you know? Decent enough shoes, not the foot-truncating ballet flats of the earlier appearance.

Gwen: THOSE SHOES! These are, without question, the highest shoes yet to make an appearance in Drop the Baby. She needs oxygen at that altitude! An excellent choice for round two, really ramping it up and showing that this challenger is one not afraid to make the daring, if painful, stretch. While not unacquainted with flats, she knows this is what it takes to catch the leaders and she’s willing to do what it takes, whatever it takes. Brava.

That dress! Seriously, folks, it’s pretty and it fits and I heart well-made pave sequin fabric and all (oh, no-one hearts it more than me!) but if she actually does drop the baby some day, it’s either say ah, hellwithit and just let him BASE jump from that height or show everyone in the world exactly where babies come from.

Gavin: Who cares what he’s wearing, he’s hawt! He’d look best nekkid.

Note: Stefani loses points because despite a solid effort, she, in fact and in actuality, failed to drop the baby.

On to the second challenger.

Boy, this guy doesn’t fool around, does he?

Round Two: Birkhead!