Mommy & Me: When Two Charts Collide; Heidi Klum & Baby Lou

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 by sharing highlights from their chart connections.

Heidi Klum & Lou

Lou is the most recent arrival of the Klum clan. With her south node, Mars, and Moon in Cancer, Lou has entered this world with a strong desire for security. This is something that mom, Heidi, has already observed, remarking how attached Lou is to her still and that they are a ‘package deal, especially while Lou won’t take a bottle. Children with a great deal of Cancer energy long to feel safe and cared for with intensity, sheltered in a feeling of home and hearth. Stability in the home and family will be especially important for Lou, who also has Taurus Rising, a sign that, among other things, enjoys a sense of predictability and routine in life to allow them to relax into this business of living.

While Heidi's love for Lou will no doubt be over the moon, the intensity of Lou's attachment may be bewildering for an uber Gemini like Heidi (Sun, Moon, Saturn, Venus and Mercury). Geminis need a lot of room to move and to experiment with whatever catches their interest, often off in several directions at once while even more schemes and ideas percolate in their minds. Tim Gunn, who has worked with Heidi on the popular television show Project Runway, has spoken of her as a "Superwoman" because she always has so many projects going on simultaneously.

It may be difficult for Heidi to adjust to Lou's need for reassurance and attention, but if she can stretch, Lou will benefit immensely from the effort. While Lou will be learning a sense of independence and self-sufficiently, she will most easily be able to do that if she feels like she's got a strong foundation of love and stability underneath her. Sudden changes, whether it be in diet, living situations, or family relationships, will take Lou longer to adjust than perhaps other members of her family, including Heidi, who is exceptionally adaptable.

Patience and encouragement will go a long way with Lou, who in turn will shower her loved ones with love and care. Lou has an abundance of love to give and will greatly enjoy not only feeling cared for, but taking care of her loved ones. If Heidi and her family can give her an outlet for her own desire to nurture, Lou will really be able to blossom and find pride and confidence in herself. No doubt her entire family will always appreciate her sweet and giving nature.

Happy Birthday Max and Emme!

The twins of Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez have hit the big 2. Max and Emme turned 2 yesterday but apparently birthday celebrations are still on the 'down-Lo' (forgive the pun!)

Last year J-Lo said that Emme had inherited her diva-like attitude, which is quite possibly the case for both kids. The twins have the South Node in Leo in the 9th house, which can reveal a tendency toward a 'me-centered' philosophy (although it should be noted that there's far more to Leo than the self-centered stereotype they get saddled with). However, the twins have a sweet-natured Pisces Sun and a humble Virgo Moon, so they'll be developing their hunger to help others. If mom and dad can help Max and Emme to see the world outside of the celebrity lifestyle, the twins will most likely find ways they want to connect with and help others.

But Max and Emme aren't meant to be a self-sacrificing duo. With a great many planets in Aquarius, they will be developing a sense of what real individuality means, which is especially challenging when born into a famous family. Developing a strong sense of identity and independence from each other as well as mom and dad will be important, but more specifically, making their own way in the world on their own terms will be the challenging work. Saturn is right on top of the twins' Midheaven, which is a point in a chart that reveals the way someone wants to contribute to the world, either through career or work less defined but just as relevant. Their gift to the world will be based on a willingness to work hard (Saturn and Moon both in Virgo) and to risk stepping out of the support that they will no doubt have to see what they can do on their own (Jupiter in Capricorn in their 2nd house). Jupiter shows where we can grow if only we say yes to opportunities, and in Capricorn, their best opportunities are going to be the ones they create and leap into themselves.

Many things in the twins' charts show that these two will be great investigators, such as Mars in Gemini in the 8th house. Mars reveals what we feel passionate about and how we express that passion. In Gemini it's about a passion for knowledge, and in the 8th house, they'll enjoy digging down into mysteries, such as a scientist or detective does. They'll have infinite curiosity with which to explore the world and make incredible discoveries, if they run with it, and they'll definitely have a lot to say to the world.

Happy Birthday Max and Emme!

Family Astrology: Tiger Woods, Elin, Sam Alexis, and baby Charlie Axel

Tiger Woods issued an apology in a press conference today, for infidelities to his wife, Elin, which was made public in late 2009. It is unfortunate that such a private issue is made public, especially when children are involved and too young to understand but still susceptible to the impact of public scrutiny.

Synastry, the astrological technique of comparing two or more charts by overlaying them on each other, is an ancient technique. Comparing moms to babies as Mlle. Kiddie has done all month is done using this technique. But another unique technique exists, one that has only been used in the last century or so, called the Composite technique. A composite chart is done by taking two or more charts and smashing them together to create one chart, a chart which represents the group as a whole. Just like a natal chart represents how a single person can grow and develop in all areas of their life to live as a healthy and whole person, a composite chart represents how a group can accomplish the same thing: get the needs of the group met so that it can function successfully.

Composite charts are often constructed between just two people, but families also have a chart. To the left is the composite chart of the Woods family, which can reveal many things including how they can go forward together and what lessons they are being asked to learn together.

The Sun in a family composite chart represents the vitality of the family, what they need to base their solid center on in order to be a cohesive group. With their Mercury and the Sun so close together, communication is a vital component of this group's center of sanity. Good communication will keep them on the same page instead of flying off in different directions with no central purpose. In the sign of Pisces, compassionate communication, kindness, and empathy will be important. Speaking to each other gently but clearly will be the key, as well as one of the most important components that Pisces can teach: forgiveness. 

Saturn is in the opposite place as the Sun and Mercury, which represents what the family will have to practice and work on because it may not come naturally, so skills will have to be learned, and continual effort made. With Saturn opposite the Sun and Mercury, this compassionate communication may be challenging. While both Tiger and Elin have Capricorn Suns and therefore are learning how to manage a sense of  personal integrity and appropriate obligation and duty independently, all members of the Woods family have prominent planetary placements in their chart that indicate a desire for freedom, including Tiger's Sagittarius Moon and Gemini Mars, which does not like to feel limited. Managing commitment so that it can feel like a shelter rather than a prison is important for both parents, but with the entire family having marked needs for individual freedom, coming together as a group and simply letting each other know how they feel and where they're at will be important and perhaps not second nature. Jupiter in Capricorn reveals that their potential to grow as a family will be supported by right relationship with the commitments they've made to each other, and create and reach specific goals that help them to do that.

Interestingly, the family's South Node is in Gemini, which indicates (among other things) a tendency to disperse and diffuse their energies. With a North Node in Sagittarius, this family needs to move toward forming a central belief and purpose, to shoot like one bright star toward what sustains them, rather than off in all directions. With Venus in the same place as the North Node, the goal here is to develop a sustaining belief around relationship, establishing ways to feel connected to each other, but in Sagittarius fashion, which is without suffocating each other.

Here's to growing together!

Mommy & Me: When Two Charts Connect; Angelina Jolie & Shiloh Jolie-Pitt

Mlle. Kiddie adores Shiloh's monkey ears hat, seen here with mom and the rest of the family (minus the twins) on a gondola ride and ice cream run in Venice. While Suri Cruise dresses up like a Princess, Shiloh likes to express herself through fashion as well, in gender-bending and apparently species-bending ways! *wink* With Venus in her first house in Aries, her aesthetic will be a primary way she will enjoy expressing herself, and will be a very freeing outlet for her.

In the case of Shiloh and Angie's astrology, the most common parent-child connection astrologically is to see one person's Sun connected to the other's moon, which is, not surprisingly, present between Angie and Shiloh. Shiloh has both her Sun and Moon in Gemini, and Angie's Gemini Sun rests on Shiloh's Moon. With their Mercury's conjunct, they will always have a lot to talk about!

One of the most striking influences, of many, in the comparison of their charts is the fact that a bulk of Angie's planets fall in Shiloh's first house in Aries. The first house represents the things we do to express ourselves into the world, and develop a sense of self. Shiloh will need to practice this principle; she has come into this life with her South node in Libra in the 7th house, which indicates a spiritual comfort zone of being so supportive to others that she can forget herself, or being so wrapped up in what another person wants or feels that she can lose perspective of her own desires. She is probably one of the most accomodating and sweet-natured of her family, in fact. About a year or so after Shiloh was born, Angelina gave an interview in which she discussed the care she takes to not ignore Shiloh's needs:

"It’s funny because she’s almost going to be the outcast in the family because she’s blonde and blue-eyed. I felt so much more for Madd, Zahara and Pax because they were survivors,” Jolie said. “Shiloh seemed so privileged from the moment she was born. But I’m conscious that I have to make sure I don’t ignore her needs, just because I think the others are more vulnerable.”--MSNBC

This is a very good thing! Angie will actually be one of the best examples in Shiloh's life to help her realize the strength of her own personality and the need to make your presence and your needs known in a healthy way, as illustrated by Angie's Aries planets falling in Shiloh's first house of self. She'll no doubt do it in a different way than mom, though. Angie's Uranus falls directly opposite of Shiloh's Venus (her style of relating), and in a square (tense) relationship to Shiloh's Mars (her will). It will be not only through example that Shiloh learns independence, but also through Angie's desire to express her own individuality, which, like any parent-child relationship, will often clash with Shiloh's needs. At that point, it will be Shiloh's moment to shine by telling her mom No!

Photo credit: Above: Fame Pictures; Right: Celebrific.com

Jamie Lynn & Maddie Briann Spears

Jamie Lynn Spears, the younger sister of Britney Spears, made headlines when she announced she was expecting a baby at 16 years old, and has resurfaced in the news again since she recently split with Maddie's father, Casey Aldridge and has begun dating a man 10 years her senior, James Watson. Maddie is only 1-1/2 years of age, but separations can be a difficult transition nonetheless. 

Maddie's natal chart shows her to be quite resilient, however. A Gemini Sun provides her with flexibility and a strong Leo influence in her first house, which includes her south node, Mars, and her Ascendant, reveals a natural ability to hold her own and get her needs met. Her Capricorn Moon, though, is especially interesting. It is not uncommon, even in a household where both parents remain together through child-rearing, for children with prominent Capricorn in their natal charts such as Maddie, to find a child who is strikingly self-sufficient. While Maddie will enjoy a lot of social interaction with others and long to be played with and participate as part of a group, the heart of her (Moon) will always be wrapped up in the archetype of the hermit (Capricorn). The Hermit is not meant to represent someone who is cold, alone, and outcast, but someone who chooses solitude for various reasons. In Maddie's case, there will be a tendency to protect herself, emotionally, by being the number one person she can and does rely on.

Mom Jamie Lynn, with her south node and Mars in Cancer, can be quite comfortable in the nurturing and mothering role, which may bring some interesting challenges for her as she mothers a very self-sufficient child such as Maddie. This, in turn, will hopefully encourage Jamie Lynn to find her own strength and freedom, as her Sun in Aries and Moon in Sagittarius has such a strong desire to do. Although Maddie may keep her busy with demands for attention, especially when her Mars Returns!

Mommy & Me: When Two Charts Connect; Katie Holmes & Suri Cruise

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 by sharing highlights from their chart connections.

Katie Holmes & Suri Cruise

It's common in pop astrology to think that, in order to be 'compatible', two people must share the same sign or complimentary signs in the same element (fire, air, earth, or water). More often, though, it is the sheer number of connections between two charts, and therefore two people, that really reveals the glue between people. Love each other or hate each other, but when charts are connected in many places, the people will be as well, if they enter into relationship.

In the case of Katie and Suri, there certainly are connections, which is never surprising for the charts of parents and children, but they are strongly linked by multiple connections between their charts. They both have fire Suns and Moons, with Suri's Moon and Katie's Sun being in the same sign and in the same place (conjunct) in Sagittarius. Katie's sense of being centered and whole (Sun) is reinforced and supported by Suri's presence in her life, as well as giving her a stable sense of identity. Suri will probably be very protective of Katie, since Katie stirs 'lunar' feelings in Suri. When someone connects to our moon, we feel like we want to nurture and protect them. The feeling will be rather mutual, though, obviously since Katie is in the mothering role, but also because while Katie's Sun connects to Suri's Moon, the reverse is also true, making this bond doubly strong. 

Their Ascendants are exactly opposite each other, which is again, another strong bond, even though they are opposed (in opposite places) each other instead of conjunct (in the same place). Katie approaches the world with Leo Rising, which brings with it a desire to reveal oneself to the world by expressing our true selves out into it (or, when feeling vulnerable to criticism or ridicule, hiding behind an aloof facade). Suri approaches the world with Aquarius Rising, which is a sort of dispassionate observer of the world, standing apart from it. Both signs desire to explore and express their individuality, but in opposing manners. As Suri grows up, they will both need to learn to respect each other's different styles and interface with the world and it's in this way that Suri will probably assert her individuality and difference with her mom.

Both mom and daughter have Venus and Uranus conjunct in complimentary signs Pisces and Scorpio. While Katie has more of a raw edge when she really expresses her sense of style freely (the dark glasses, blunt haircut, contrasting colors), Suri has already expressed her desire for fantasy in her fashion sense, and while one can expect a certain amount of that because of her youth, we will see that sense of fantasy and dreaminess translate as she grows. However, both gals will find art and fashion (Venus) the easiest and most enjoyable outlets to express their individuality (Uranus). 

This will also translate into their choices in love. Katie's partnership with Tom was rather unexpected due to their age difference at the very least, and Mlle. Kiddie will not be surprised to see Suri choosing unusual partners in a similar or different fashion in her adulthood. This is one way to express a sense of freedom - the freedom to do whatever feels true for one self, no matter what it looks like, that's Uranus. They will likely understand each others  need to follow their heart when it comes to love and fashion! What more could a daughter ask for?

All in all, the connections and the love between these two are and will always be strong, as well as a need for the freedom to express their own individuality in their relationship, which will be especially important as Suri asserts her independence.

Image sources:

top left: TomKatCrazy

bottom right: Herald Sun

Honor Marie Warren: the 'Terrible Twos'

Jessica Alba recently revealed that Honor's favorite word is no. During an interview on Live with Regis & Kelly, she said it's gotten so extreme that she uses reverse psychology! 

If you've been a parent of a toddler, you've been there. It's been commonly dubbed as the 'terrible twos', although many parents observe that it happens as early as 18 months and again just after age 3. While everyone is unique and has a unique birth chart that reflects the sky at the time of their birth, there are common milestones that we all share as part of growing up. The first cycle we experience is the return of the moon (a lunar return) to the place it was at the time of our birth, which happens when we're about a month old. The second cycle is the return of the sun (a solar return), which happens when we're about a year old. Of course, these cycles continue to happen, every month and every year, respectively, but the first time we experience a return of a planet is the most intense. We tend to feel a surge of the energy that the planet symbolizes in our lives and begin to work more directly with that energy and what it represents.

Guess what planet returns for the first time at around 18 months?* Mars, in mythology known as the God of War. Mars represents our power, our will, our strength (including physical strength), our passions, the way we handle conflict, and the way we defend ourselves. When children experience this energy returning for the first time, they get a surge of this juice, and the easiest way for a child to relate to this feeling is to learn the word NO! No sets a boundary, a defense; it is a way for the child to communicate their will. Because children live in a world that is almost entirely controlled for them, where their privileges are dictated to them (by loving parents, of course), their best and most likely way to start experimenting and exercising their own sense of power is to defend against what they don't want. It's healthy and necessary of course, but it certainly requires a lot of patience on the part of the parent! 

The good news is, the intensity typically relaxes, but it looks like Jessica has got a strong willed child on her hands, which is not a bad thing! Honor's Mars is in Leo, conjunct (right next to) her south node. Leo is a fixed sign, and a sign that is about, in part, self-expression. Leo is learning not to be afraid to take up space, and to be heard by expressing themselves, whether it be creatively or just revealing their desires. With Mars here, and because the strength of the south node combined with it, Honor is going to be very comfortable with the "No" word, and comfortable expressing her strong will. Over time, she's going to learn to work with her Gemini Sun, Mercury, and Venus to help her learn flexibility and cooperation without sacrificing her will.

In the meantime, Mlle. Kiddie wishes much luck and patience to Jessica!

*The Sun and Moon return pretty much like clockwork, but due to retrograde motion, a phenomenon that gives an illusion of a planet seeming to move backward in its orbit, the other planets will have a wider variance in their dates of return in individual cases. Some might have a return at 18 months, others at 21, but the variance is small.

Photo Credit: Frederico Allende/Broadimage

Parenting with Astrology: Trying New Things

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.

Jeanne writes:

My ten year old is a Gemini. She is terrified of everything. When she was younger we noticed that she would watch for a long while before trying anything new. For the last three or so years, she refuses to try anything that is new. How can I help Mandelyn learn to enjoy the risk of just "trying"?

This is one of the things I love about breaking open the stereotypes of astrology and letting people see how complex but also revealing and useful astrology can be. A Gemini afraid of trying new things is not the "norm" that pop astrology teaches us! So let's take a look at what's going on.

The source of this behavior is not immediately obvious; there is nothing in this chart that would indicate Mandelyn is necessarily shy or a perfectionist or anything of the like, and since I always look at the natal chart as what we've come to learn and even practice, a look at the condition of the south node in a chart can help us see what might underlie certain patterns of behavior. In this instance, Mandelyn's south node is in Aquarius, tightly conjunct Uranus. It's also in the 4th house, and in a square with Saturn. 

The Aquarius and Uranus influence tells me that Mandelyn is intensely individual. She entered this life with a a strong tendency to defend herself against any influence that might get her to change or adapt to others' point of view if it threatens her sense of self. In the 4th house, she may carry with her (subconsciously, likely) a sense of being different than others - like there is something fundamental in who she is, whether it be the family she comes from, race, religion, or just an internal feeling of alienation, that sets her apart from others. This can feel like a good or a bad thing (or both) to someone, but with Saturn squaring her south node, it's quite possible she carries a subconscious feeling of being ashamed of being different, or perhaps fearful of others finding out how different she is.

Saturn can represent authority, the status quo, and/or the 'rules'. Since she's school age, all of these things can be pretty influential in her life. She may have a fear of doing something wrong, against the rules or against the norm, and either being called out for it and shamed, or being 'discovered' that she is flawed. Therefore, it's a possibility that she's watching others for a long time to be sure she knows the boundaries of what's expected, so she can do it right. Normally I might see a child that has an issue like this with a lot of Virgo energy for example, which can bring with it an inherent fear of doing something imperfectly, but in Mandelyn's case, I would say it's less likely that she's not going to do it right as much as what doing it wrong would reveal about her or how she would be shamed for not falling in line. If your beliefs run in the direction of past lives, I would hypothesize that early in life, or in a past life, she experienced some trauma where revealing her true self cost her dearly. With Pluto also in her 2nd house, there can be a baseline fear not feeling worthy or like she has anything to give.

To give some advice, I'd need to talk longer with Jeanne about the question and see just in what ways she's holding back and how these situations develop, but overall I'd say that it's in one way, it's an issue of confidence, but I'd also encourage her to have a dialogue with her daughter and find out the reasons she gives for not 'trying new things'. While Mandelyn may not really be aware of her own rasons, or unsure of what they are, how she answers can be useful. I'd also be on the lookout for issues around breaking rules, or fear of faux pas or others judging her harshly, as these may be where the 'charges' are and an assist Jeanne in helping her unravel this issue.

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.