Mommy & Me: When Two Charts Collide, Jennifer Garner & Violet Affleck

They say that each of us is an entire 'universe unto ourselves,' but they also say that 'no man is an island.' While we all have our personal lessons to learn, our environment and relationships, especially our parental relationships, shape so much of how we experience those lessons. It is often through our dynamic with another that we come to know ourselves in the deepest ways. Throughout February, Mademoiselle Kiddie will be focusing on how celebrity parents and children get along and what they have to teach each other.

Mom Jennifer and daughter Violet

One of the most striking features about Violet's chart is that both her Sun and Moon are in Sagittarius in her 6th house, as well as Pluto. Sagittarius is an energy that likes to expand in all directions, and as quickly as possible. It's a fire sign, so it inherently has a lot of enthusiasm for gobbling life up (just like fire consumes its fuel). With this energy in 6th house activities, Violet is likely going to be very focused on her growth, always wanting to do more and be more, stretching toward her potential as it simultaneously reaches for her. This is a wonderful thing and with a trine to her Saturn in the 2nd house, she'll be able to manage some, but possibly not all of her tendency to jump in with both feet, getting easily and frequently in over her head.

With Pluto also in the 6th house, she may carry with her a fear of being insignificant or small, a sort of 'low man on the totem pole' fear. So she can be prone to taking her natural hunger to run as fast as she can toward her growth and fueling it with the fear that she'll never be good enough, that she'll always be the one in the trenches, supporting others' greatness but never reaching her own.

This is where mom Jennifer can come in and give her a different perspective. When two people come together, their charts also come together. By studying how their charts interact with each other, we can glean clues from how people in that relationship may come together, and therefore good clues as to how to enhance those interactions to be as mutually beneficial as they can be. Jennifer's four planets in Gemini, when placed in an interactive way with Violet's chart, land in Violet's 12th house, which is opposite the 6th house experience. The 12th house is where we learn to gain a sense of timelessness because we have a spiritual perspective. In the mundane world, we are measured by time, money, achievement.

These are all measurable things and good things, but we can forget the wisdom of Spirit, which knows that all things will happen in their own time, and all difficulties eventually pass, as the cycles of our lives unfold. Violet can be vulnerable to going all directions at once and overworking herself, and Jennifer can help her by asking her challenging questions that get her to not only think about why she's doing what she's doing, but if there could be another way of looking at something (Gemini) and therefore getting a larger perspective and not getting so caught up in whatever is gripping you at the moment and consuming you. This can help Violet be more gentle with herself as she strives for greatness, and enable her to patient wit herself.

Kiddiegram reports can give you insight into your child's astrology, but did you know the our website also features a Parent/Child Interactive where you can find useful tips for finding common ground with your child while honoring your differences? It's free, try it!

Photo Credit: Fame

Octuplets Turn 1 Year Old Today

I don't think these octuplets, dubbed "octo-babies" need much introduction. Their mother, Nadya, gave birth to all eight children between 10:43 and 10:48 am a year ago today. Happy birthday to Noah, Maliyah, Isaiah, Nariyah, Makai, Josiah, Jeremiah & Jonah!

Even if you don't know much astrology, their birth chart is pretty striking, with many planets clustered near the top. The babies have half of their planets, including the powerful sun and moon, in Aquarius and the 10th house. It is not uncommon to find people with a full 10th house in the spotlight, which isn't surprising in this case since these babies have been there since day one of their lives. But what's in store for them? How will these babies develop?

As individuals, believe it or not. With such a strong Aquarian presence in this chart, each of them will find it imperative that they feel free to develop and explore in accordance to their true selves. While that's healthy and natural for everyone, it will be vital for these children. They will find it exceptionally important to find people in their lives that view them not as a collective group, but as individuals with names and dreams, fears and needs. Of course, one can see why it'd be even more crucial for them, since they're going to have to fight for elbow room in their own lives and even at the dinner table! And fight they will. With Aries rising, they've come to develop an approach to life that's less like a walk and more like a leap. It's every baby for themselves!

Looking at the 10th house and the issue of fame,'this will also obviously play a significant role in their lives, as they need to develop not only as individuals from each other, but also need to develop a sense of separation from the role that they are already playing in society, that of "The Octuplets." The 10th house represents how one contributes to the world. This can be through our career, but can be larger than that; it's the work we've come to do in this world and the legacy we want to leave through that work. Whatever these babies decide they want to be when they grow up, they can bring a lot to the table: ambition (Mars), a strong voice (Mercury), an optimistic outlook (Sun & Jupiter) and a desire to nurture and bring healing to those they've chosen to help (Moon). I wouldn't be surprised if we find many of them in humanitarian endeavors if they're given the chance to show what they can contribute.

With their Sun and Moon conjunct the North Node, they've got two challenges ahead of them: one, the need to develop a strong sense of identity (Sun) based on their development as individuals (Aquarius) and not as a famous baby lost in a crowd of famous babies (10th house), and two, the need to receive nurturing (Moon), something that one hopes they'll get even in the midst of the challenge of nurturing the individuality of 14 children all at once.

In the cases of twins, triplets, etc., it becomes even more obvious just how flexible, yet sound, astrology is. Astrology is a sort of blueprint of the soul, with external factors such as environment, parenting, current cultural and social trends, etc. playing a big role in how that blueprint is constructed throughout a person's life. While all these kids have the same chart, they will build different lives around this common blueprint; the garments will differ, but they'll be made from the same thread.

Photo: Nancy Pastor/Polaris

Margaret Grace Wahlberg: a Vignette

Mark Wahlberg and his wife Rhea welcomed their fourth child, Margaret Grace, less than two weeks ago.

Margaret, a Capricorn, already has three older siblings: Ella (Virgo), Michael (Aries), and Brendon (Virgo), which will work out well since she'll be learning to hold her own with that Mars in Leo Rising. The placement of Mars in our natal chart shows what are passions are and how we chase after them. With Mars in Leo, she has a great passion to express herself, to be seen, noticed, and appreciated. Her Sagittarius Moon in the 5th house echoes this desire, but brings a more playful and adventurous component. Look out world, a star is born!

Her Sun, Venus, and North Node are all closely tied together in her 6th house, in the sign of Capricorn. There is no doubt that she's come to learn the value of work, and not just getting your hands dirty, but learning how to make goals and make the steady effort to achieve those goals. With Venus here, it's quite likely that she will get a lot of help and encouragement from older and more experienced mentors, and will become a great one herself as she gets older, if she chooses to develop her skills. Her Mars Rising will also help fuel her ambition with a tendency to run toward life as fast as possible! From Margaret's Kiddiegram Report:

Mars in the First House

     "Do it!" and "Go for it!" are Margaret Grace's mottoes, and she's impatient with long-drawn-out explanations or efforts to dissuade her.  She's bold and always wants to be FIRST (which can irritate her siblings and peers).  She stands up for herself, so she may sometimes be seen as a fighter or a troublemaker.

Photo: Flynet

Suri Cruise 'Cruises' Her Own Way, Thank You!

Mlle. Kiddie can't resist one more look at Suri Cruise's chart when it comes to her 'mah-velous' fashion sense! Already revealed is her Aquarius Ascendant, which makes her want to greet the world in a way that says I Am An Individual, but she has Neptune conjunct her Ascendant, which shows her sense of enchantment with the world of mystery, fantasy, and of course, dress up! Neptune tunes us in to the mystical side of life, stepping outside of the mundane and into possibility. Incidentally, it also makes for a great actress, because she reveals herself as ever changing, constantly dressing herself in different characters. You may think saying this is about a 3 year old is reading too much, but mais non! We will see it get even stronger as the years go by.

But not everyone with an Aquarius Ascendant has such a unique and distinct sense of fashion, not to mention enjoys showing it off like Suri does. This desire points to her very strong Venus and Uranus conjunction in Pisces. Venus is often thought of exclusively in relationships, astrologically speaking, but it's also our sense of what we find beautiful and how we express that, in fashion, style, music, etc. With Venus so tightly fused to Uranus, she expresses her sense of individuality via the outlet of beauty and art, in this case, wearable art (fashion). Again, we will see this unique and striking fashion sense just get more expressive as she grows. In Pisces, we see a desire for fantasy (just as Neptune above) and magic in what she chooses to wear, and the more dramatic and playful, the better. Pisces is a water sign, and we even see that in the flow and movement of the dresses, no, the gowns she chooses, flowing around her like a river current. It's even visible here in the photo above, with the deep greens and blues.

One more indicator in her chart about her individual style is Jupiter. Jupiter is in a square to her Ascendant, which often leads to excess and greeting the world with a sort of over the top style. Who, Suri? Nah.....

Photo credit: Fame Pictures

Marcia Gay Harden a Godmother!

Marcia Gay Harden has been named the Godmother to Carnival Dream, the latest cruise ship in Carnival Cruise Lines and a very family friendly ship. Marcia got involved because of her appreciation for the millions of dollars Carnival Cruise Lines has donated to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. “Kids are an issue that’s close to me,” she explains. “I love, love, love children.” Marcia has four children of her own, Thaddeus, Eulala, and twins Julitta and Hudson.

Marcia's chart reveals her innate sense of duty as well as her desire to nurture. Her moon (what we love, protect, and nurture) is in the 6th house of work and obligation. Her moon is also in the sign of Sagittarius, which is an energy that often feels an interest and connection with world issues. Saturn is close to her moon in Capricorn, which reveals how seriously she takes her sense of duty to protect and take care of those who need it on a larger scale. Her moon is also in a trine, a favorable connection, with her Pisces Midheaven, which further emphasizes of how important she feels that we recognize that we are all connected to one another.

The moon is also especially strong in her chart because it is the ruler of her chart. The ruler of one's chart is usually determined by the planet that has the strongest affinity with the sign on the Ascendant, in Marcia's case, Cancer. Cancer energy is protective and nurturing, like the moon, so Marcia greets the world with a Cancer 'lens', with a heightened awareness of what needs protecting to begin with. What a great example for the rest of us! Mlle. Kiddie would love to hear how you are helping. Please feel free to share and comment!

Teri Hatcher's Best Coach: Her Daughter, Emerson!

Teri Hatcher recently completed her first triathlon and compared the experience to motherhood on Good Morning America:

"The drive of it, I’m not going to stop, I’m just going to get up and keep going is the same as a mom. I’m tired this morning, but I still got to drive to school and I still got to make the lunches. It’s that same things that moms have and I really noticed that mental comparison and I think that’s what got me across the finish line."

Teri has a grouping of planets in her chart that reveal what a powerhouse she can be. Uranus, Mars and Pluto are all crammed in together in the sign of Virgo, in her 2nd house, revealing that she has an incredible hunger to best herself on a constant basis, not out of competitiveness, but out of a desire to prove to herself that she's got what it takes. These three planets are also in a trine to her Jupiter in Taurus in her 10th house, so not only does she know that she's got to push herself to get better in anything she does, but she has probably learned over time that her tenacity (Taurus) can help her reach her potential (Jupiter), if she's willing to continually inest in herself (2nd house).

Teri also said that it was her daughter, Emerson, who told her she should shoot for winning! That's not surprising, since Emerson's Jupiter lands in the same place as Teri's Moon. When two people connect, their charts connect as well. Since Emerson's Jupiter, the planet of enthusiasm and encouragement, lands on Teri's Moon, the planet that represents the heart, she can be a real boost in the arm for Teri any time she's feeling down or like she's not doing a good enough job, just like a good coach can encourage a team to greatness. Likewise, Teri's Uranus, Mars, and Pluto land right on Emerson's north node, so Teri's drive toward self-improvement is a great example for Emerson to see first hand what it really takes to reach your goals.

Sounds like they were made for each other!

Zahara Jolie-Pitt Turns 5!

The first daughter of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie is 5 years old today. Zahara was born in Ethiopia and adopted by Angelina and Brad when she was about 6 months old. After being treated for some health problems, such as malnutrition and dehydration, she was back on her feet (so to speak) and the comedienne of the Jolie-Pitt family! Angelina has repeatedly remarked that Zahara is 'probably the funniest person' she's ever met in her life and that she 'keeps the house from being quiet.' No doubt that is due to Zahara's 5 planets in Sagittarius - which is half of her chart! Sagittarius loves to explore and travel, so the moving around and the eclectic origins of her family will definitely be taken in stride by Sahara.

Angelina has also discussed the effects of the Paparazzi on the children. While she says they all have different reactions, Zahara can become quite frightened. She said in one interview: "Zahara hates photography. It makes her very nervous when she’s in the car. A lot of people say to us that she looks very serious. It’s because she’s actually upset when there’s a camera near her. She doesn’t like it."

While Sagittarius can sometimes be described as easy-going or happy-go-lucky, Zahara's Sun is actually in the sign of Capricorn, and it is opposed by Saturn in Cancer. From Zahara's Kiddiegram:

Sun opposite Saturn

     Sometimes Zahara may feel like she has the weight of the world on her back, and you will need to help her keep her perspective and not take everything so much to heart. She is very responsible, conscientious, and mature, even as a youngster. It is hard for her to let down her guard and to relax. 

While more may be revealed if we had a birth time for Zahara, her concern for her family and safety is likely already fairly strong. It is often remarked that kids with Capricorn always seem to have the appearance or actions of older children or even adults because they can be very wrapped up in making sure that they live up to their responsibilities. Saturn opposed her Sun illustrates an emphasis on her sense of responsibility, and in the family oriented sign of Cancer, she's likely to feel very protective.

Brad Pitt's ex, Jennifer Aniston, was recently in the news for 'being the force behind a new anti-Paparazzi law' The new law, which became effective January 1 of this year, allows for civil penalties against the paparazzi and other media outlets that sell and buy photographs or video footage that are obtained unlawfully of celebrities and their families. While that's just a first step, hopefully Zahara will enjoy benefits of those around her interested in her protection, not only her family, but those like Jennifer who especially want to protect celebrity children from being bombarded and feeling unsafe.

Photos courtesy of Flynet/Fame, Celebrity Baby Blog, and INF.

Parenting with Astrology: Stubbornness and Battles of Will

Amy Herring has been a professional astrologer for 15 years and a proud mother for 4 of those years. She has joyfully accepted Mlle. Kiddie’s gracious offer to share her thoughts once a month here at Kiddie Star Signs. To find out more about Amy and her personal readings for parents and children, visit her website at http://heavenlytruth.com.

Money and fame don’t solve every problem. Celebrity moms have their hopes and worries for their children too. However, I’d like to offer ‘everyday’ moms a chance to see astrology put into action to answer their parenting questions. After all, famous or not, you’re the world to your kids! If you’ve got a question about your child that you’d like Amy to answer, send your questions to amy@heavenlytruth.com. 

Liz writes:

My daughter Zoe is generally a sweet child but she is incredibly stubborn. Once she plants her feet, no amount of bribing, cajoling, or threatening can easily change her mind, and we end up getting into some tough standoffs sometimes where she'll be angry enough to just scream. Not only that, but she seems to be rather focused on contrariness. She's wise to us now, but for a long time, the classic  'reverse psychology' worked like magic on her. (and occasionally still does even when it's obvious what we're doing). I'm all for her being a strong individual but how can I manage this in a way that's best for both of us?

Always when looking at any chart, I will look over the entire thing at a glance, seeing what stands out, looking at the always important positions of the sun, moon, and rising, planetary groupings, etc. Since this is a question about a strong will and how to manage conflict, I would also look specifically for anything concerning Mars.

A number of things stand out when looking at this chart, but to keep organized, let's start with Mars first. Mars is in the sign of Aries, which means Zoe's here with the intent of expressing her will in a direct way, and learning to defend her boundaries in a style that leaves no confusion about what she will and won't put up with. Aries is about the development of strength of will specifically, as well as courage and passion. So it looks like she's expressing it in a natural way for her (as kids tend to do!). Further, Mars is in a trine with Pluto and Mercury, all in fire signs. Both Mars and Pluto can have a lot to do with how we express and feel a sense of our own power, which Zoe is likely to express through her voice (Mercury), or it can recycle back into the matrix. A grand trine can operate as a sort of closed system; each planet represents a part of us that is in a continual loop, so while there are benefits, such as the fact that Zoe is learning to test the strength of her will which is something her soul needs (more on that in a minute), it's not an easy cycle to break when it needs to be rounded out.

As for the contrariness, Uranus is a stronger symbol than Mars. Uranus represents how we develop individuality, so it's where we (necessarily) need to step back from what's expected of us, or whatever the 'norm' is, to see what our authentic selves have to say. In its evolved expression, we can brave stepping away from what others would have us do if it compromises our essential selves even if we have to go into uncharted territory. In its more basic expression, it's where we are likely to respond with rebellious indignation when experiencing the pressure of expectation. Zoe's Uranus is tightly conjunct her Descendant, the cusp of the 7th house, which is a house that deals with learning to build healthy relationships. Now, anything that's conjunct the Descendant, is opposed the Ascendant. The Ascendant represents the way we greet the world, one could almost say one's 'persona'. We receive the world, including the people in it, through the filter of our Ascendant's style.

The Uranian expression, especially in a 4 year old, is likely to reveal itself in exactly the contrary behavior you describe, because with Uranus contacting both her Ascendant and Descendant, it's crucial that she learn how to be an individual so that she can have healthy relationships, so she's got Uranus there, teaching her how to withstand the pressure of the will of others (sensing a theme here?). This can work against healthy compromise and of course ultimately work against her, of course, so she'll need to be taught the difference between individuality and just simply rebellion just because she can. As she grows and experiences more of a range of the nuances in relationship, you may have to do deal with this contrary issue. A suggestion I might make would be to let her experience the consequences of her 'no' choice as directly as often as you can, and when you can't, approach it from a choice centered place: would you like to do this or this? If you can do that authentically, you might have less of a butting heads effect. Good advice for any child, really, but here it can be the difference between cooperative choice-making and impenetrable bull-headedness!

One important overall theme of Zoe's entire chart that stands out is how important it is for her to be loved for and be able to express what she truly is, not just the nice or easy going parts. Her south node in Libra, in the 2nd house, conjunct Jupiter, shows that she's come into this life with the vulnerability to subconsciously assuming that her worth will be based on her positivity, congeniality, and cooperativeness. These are great qualities in general, but every positive quality comes with a side effect, and Zoe's chart in particular shows a vulnerability to the negative effects on her self-esteem. So you'll want to show her, in every way that you can, that you love her, even when she's mad, and that you'll hear her and receive her, even when she's raging, but at the same time helping her understand that others are not her punching bag. She's got several protections in this life to guard against being a doormat, like Mars in Aries, and Uranus on the 7th house cusp, but she'll benefit from your guidance in the difference between compromise and surrender. Any time you can show her that what she wants matters, and compromises can be made, as opposed to one or the other getting their way exclusively, will be of great benefit to her.

Obviously some situations cannot be compromised, such as when her safety is at stake. In those cases, you can attempt to side step the standoffs by explaining where you're coming from, rather than just enforcing the rule for the sake of the rule. While she may not always be able to hear that, her Virgo Rising shows she's developing a way of seeing the world that is based on practicality and logic, so as she gets older, you may be able to appeal to her through that route, and it has the added benefit of not becoming a competition, but more like a cooperation. She is empathetic, so sharing the logic as well as the feeling behind your requests may be more productive rather than having her feel she has to defend her desires, which she will do vehemently, as you know!

Would you like some input on how to understand and nurture your child in the most effective way for their unique needs? Amy offers readings for parents and children; find out more at her website.

Violet Affleck Sends 2009 Off With a Skip

Adorable and newly four years old, Violet Affleck enjoyed some shopping with her mom and sister on the 31st. Her hard-working mom, Jennifer Garner, recently discussed juggling work and motherhood in a W Magazine interview, saying that she 'lives her life at two extremes: full-time-stay-at-home-mom or full-time-actress.'

Violet will likely follow her mom's example, even if she goes into a profession other than acting. Violet has a triple dose of Sagittarius in her chart: the powerhouse planets Sun, Moon, and Pluto. Sagittarius is a fire sign, and the fire signs like to burn hot and fast. Sagittarius especially loves an adventure and tends to dive in with no hesitation to what excites them. They can certainly take things to the extreme! All of Violet's Sagittarius planets are in her 6th house, which pertains to the work arena of life and indicates that Violet will enjoy 'throwing herself into her work' full speed ahead and not be afraid to get her hands dirty.

The rest of her chart indicates that she'll just need to focus on gaining confidence to achieve what she dreams as she grows. Venus in Capricorn (maturity) in her 7th house (partnership) indicates that she might benefit from connections with older and/or more experienced people who can help guide her. Saturn in Leo (creativity & self-expression) in her 2nd house (resources & self-esteem) reveals the necessity to invest in creative skills so she can feel proud of what she has to offer the world. With her Mars in Taurus (steadiness & stability) in the 11th house (goals & allies), an attitude of stick-to-it-tiveness will pay off for her.

But for now, burning all that Sagittarian fire off by skipping is probably an excellent idea!