Thursday, December 30, 2010

Ali & Alanis Have a Merry Christmas, Baby!

Vince Vaughn and his wife aren't the only ones getting a baby for Christmas! Ali Larter gave birth to one of the last Sagittarius celeb kids of the season, son Theodore Hayes, early on December 20th and the new mom says he is the "perfect Christmas present."

Alanis Morissette and her husband Mario Treadway had their Capricorn baby boy, Ever Imre, on Christmas Day.

When calculating a birth chart, you need three pieces of information: the birth date, place, and time. The birth time and place help to determine the houses in a chart, but from a birth date alone you can determine what signs all of the planets fall into.* Without accurate birth times published for either baby, we cannot determine whether one baby's planets fall greatly in the first house, for example, as opposed to another baby, even one born on the same day but at a different time, who may have those same planets clustered in the 6th house instead.

Therefore, even though these babies were born five days apart, their charts are quite similar except for two very important planets: the sun and moon. Theodore was born when the sun was in the last part of Sagittarius and the moon in Gemini. These two signs tend to be seekers of truth in very different ways--Sagittarius seeking meaning through experience, and Gemini seeking truth through data, and both enjoying creative experimentation. The houses that these and the rest of his planets fall into would tell us more about the kinds of data and experiences Theodore will want to seek out in satisfying his curiosity and sense of adventure.

Ever Imre was born when the Sun had recently moved into Capricorn. Both children have other planets in Capricorn, including Mars, so they will display Capricorn traits such as being goal-oriented and practical, but Theodore, with his adventurous and sometimes naive Sagittarius traits and his impish, playful Gemini, may let his curiosity override his common sense far more often than little Ever, who may approach life more cautiously from the get-go.

If Ever was born on the earlier side of Christmas morning, he may have his moon in the sign of Leo, which would bless him with a generous (albeit demanding) heart and a desire to express himself boldly in the world. If he was born anytime after early morning, he is likely to have a Virgo moon, which would enhance the cautious, determined, and humble side of his Capricorn sun.

Family astrology is a fascinating subject; it's very common to find similar themes in the charts of families, especially between the sun, moon, and rising signs, such as a generational string of women with Pisces moons or suns, for example, and even more complex, repeated themes. If Mlle Kiddie were a betting woman, she would put her money on a Leo moon, since Alanis has Leo Rising!

Also born on Christmas Day: Capricorn Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John via surrogate to Elton John and David Furnish.

Photo: Kiyoshi Ota / Getty Images

*The moon moves very quickly so sometimes without a birth time, one cannot be sure which sign the moon was in since it may be in one sign in the morning and the next sign in the evening. While this is true with all planets, it happens much more frequently with the moon, since it changes signs about every 2 and a half days.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Welcome Locklyn Kyla Vaughn

Vince Vaughn and his wife Kyla Weber should have a Merry Christmas! The newlyweds welcomed Sagittarius Locklyn Kyla on the morning of December 18th.

It's always good to focus on the moon with newborns. The moon in a baby's chart is almost more significant than any other planet in understanding how to care for them, since infants communicate mostly through emotion and their needs focus mostly on feeling secure (beyond the obvious physical needs), and these are the territory of la lune.

Baby Locklyn has a Taurus moon, so she will benefit greatly from feeling secure and stable, so things like always being on the go and jostled around or even diaper changes where her clothes and body have to be messed with may have her reacting a little more cranky than some kids. She will probably enjoy a snug swaddle and be quite content in a cozy baby chair when she's awake. A baby swing may feel a little too insecure to her, but gentle rocking can certainly be a soothing rhythm.

An enthusiastic Sagittarius baby with a grounded Taurus moon may be the best of both worlds! As she grows, she'll probably be an expansive thinker, since Mercury is so close to the Sun in the philosophical sign of Sagittarius, but also have a down-to-earth quality about her that will not let her get too carried away with her head in the clouds.

Congrats to the couple!

Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Happy Birthday Capricorn Kids!

The Sun is in Capricorn from December 21st to January 19th. Happy birthday to all those Capricorn kiddos (and mommies and daddies)!

Kids with prominent Capricorn in their charts, especially the Sun, Moon, or Rising Sign, tend to display serious and adult-like qualities from an early age. They may be more eager to take on grown-up responsibilities and often enjoy hanging around children or adults older than them rather than kids their own age, or else serving as a guide to those younger than them. In play, Capricorn children like the tools of the real world and to play with hands-on, practical toys that emulate the adult world.

Capricorns aren't without their sense of humor, however; they tend to have a dry wit. They prefer low-key sarcasm to over-the-top slapstick because of their a conservative (nothing to do with politics, darling) tone to their personality; they aren't easily excitable or demonstrative.

Mattias Ferrell, the (almost) 4-year-old son of Will Ferrell and Viveca Paulin, celebrates a birthday on December 30th. Here's a little peek at his Kiddiegram:
Mattias actually enjoys being given responsibilities and chores, and for the most part, he can be relied upon to carry them out. He will work hard at school or around the house. His self-discipline and ability to concentrate and apply himself to his tasks is considerable. Sometimes he takes it all too seriously, however, and if he feels others are depending on him or expect high achievement of him, he can easily become burdened with an inordinate sense of obligation.


While he does need to do things that give him a sense of solid accomplishment and to see concrete results for his efforts, he also sometimes needs to be reminded to enjoy himself, and not to be so hard and demanding of himself. He is likely to be his own worst critic, and he needs a lot of unconditional acceptance and warmth from his parents to help him keep his perspective.


Do you have a Capricorn kiddie in your life?
Treat their parents to a tailor-made
Kiddiegram!

Capricorn Sun Kids
Dec 22 Isabella Cruise (Tom Cruise & Nicole Kidman)
Dec 24 Charlie (Sarah Chalke & Jamie Afifi)
Dec 25 Ever Imre (Alanis Morisette & Mario Treadway)
Dec 28 Dolly & Charlie (Rebecca Romijn & Jerry O'Connell)
Dec 28 Faith (Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban)
Dec 30 Mattias Ferrell (Will Ferrell & Viveca Paulin)
Jan 1 Liam (Calista Flockhart w/stepdad Harrison Ford)
Jan 3 Vida (Matthew McConaughey & Camila Alves)
Jan 6 Seraphina (Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner)
Jan 7 William (Mary-Louise Parker & Billy Crudup)
Jan 7 Ryder (Kate Hudson & Chris Robinson)
Jan 7 Blue Ivy (Beyonce Knowles & Jay-Z)
Jan 8 Zahara (Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt)
Jan 11 Harlow (Nicole Ritchie & Joel Madden)
Jan 11 Margaret (Mark Walhberg & Rhea Durham)
Jan 12 Max (Christina Aguilera & Jordan Bratman)
Jan 14 Robert Ford (Owen Wilson & Jade Duell)
Jan 17 Connor (Tom Cruise & Nicole Kidman)

Capricorn Moon Kids

May 23 Thomas (Jack Black & Tanya Hadden)
Jun 19 Maddie (Jamie Lynn Spears & Casey Aldridge)
Sep 21 Valentina (Salma Hayek & Francois-Henri Pinault)
Oct 28 Francesca (Jason Bateman & Amanda Anka)
Dec 16 Lewi (Leelee Sobieski & Adam Kimmel)
Dec 14 Milo (Liv Tyler & Royston Langdon)

(Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images)

Monday, December 20, 2010

Baby Girl for the Youngest Hanson

Remember MmmBop by Hanson? It doesn't seem that long ago to some of us but it's been long enough for the youngest Hanson brother, Zac, to have not one, but two babies! Zac and Kate Hanson welcomed their second child, a daughter they named Junia Rose Ruth, on December 15th.


This is going to be one determined little girl! She's a Sagittarius Sun so she'll have big ideas and enthusiasm, but she's got three planets, including action-oriented Mars in the sign of Capricorn, where it really likes to be. In Capricorn, Mars is said to be 'exalted' because Mars likes to act and Capricorn is ambitious and goal-oriented, but practical enough to get things done rather than go off in all directions, which will reign in her Sagittarian ideas and really take them somewhere.

She's also got a charged Aries Moon and Venus in Scorpio, so her passions run loud (Aries) and deep (Scorpio). When she wants something, very little will be able to stand in her way!

From Junia's Kiddiegram:
The MOON in the birthchart indicates how she deals with and expresses feelings, how she experiences the world on an emotional, feeling, non-verbal level, what her emotional needs are, and what she needs to feel secure, comfortable and at ease.

High spirited and lively, this child needs action and she loves to be moving. She is attracted to anything with speed and energy, and to anything that involves challenge or competition (like running a race). She does things quickly, sometimes carelessly, and she hates to wait for anything. She can be very temperamental and impatient if the pace is too slow, and she gets frustrated with herself when she cannot master a task right away. She wants very much to be independent. She also wants very much to win, to be the first, to be the best. Emotionally she may seem quite self-sufficient, as she dislikes depending on others' help.
Looks like it's a MMMerry Christmas to the Hansons!

Need a last minute holiday gift for someone and running out of time? No shipping, no fuss. Simply go to Kiddiegram.net and order a Kiddiegram! Kiddiegrams are astrological profiles for anyone, not just kids, and they are a steal right now at only $11. Plus, order one now and get a second FREE. It's deliverable instantly on your computer so there's no waiting and no chance of it getting lost in the mail.

Not sure? You can also try a free mini-report.

Order now!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Liv Tyler's Birthday Boy Milo


Sagittarius Milo Langdon (son of Liv Tyler and Royston Langdon) turned 6 last Tuesday. How did he celebrate his birthday? All this imaginative boy needs is a cardboard box!
"My son is obsessed with the most basic things--like a plastic bottle you can make experiments with. Or I’m unpacking and I bring out a box and it’s like 10 hours of heaven. He turns it into all sorts of amazing things. He’s like a little scientist. He’s very smart.”
Liv might not be too far off the mark with her assessment of Milo as a scientist. While Milo's sun is in the sign of Sagittarius, he also has a lot of Scorpio energy in his chart, including Mars, Venus, his rising sign, and his south node. While astrology tends to assign the quality of curiosity to more lighthearted signs like Gemini, Scorpio is actually very curious as well but instead of moving on once their initial curiosity has been satisfied, Scorpios make very good researchers because they like to pursue something to its end, really getting down to the bottom of something--something that a scientist can really put to use! With Scorpio rising, the way he approaches the world is as if it's a secret waiting to be discovered.

His Sun is in Sagittarius, tightly conjunct Pluto which also adds that Scorpio signature of depth and tenacious investigation since Pluto and Scorpio share these similar qualities. With a Moon in practical Capricorn in the 3rd house of experimentation and learning, he's also going to really enjoy hands-on projects that help him see how things work in real life, not just theoretically.

Maybe Liv's got a future physicist on her hands!

Monday, December 13, 2010

Yes, Valentina, There IS a Santa Claus!

Valentina Pinault participates in a long-time tradition and sits on Santa's lap while mom Salma snaps a pic. What does Mlle. Kiddie think she might have told Santa she wants for the holidays?

With the multitude of earthy focus in Valentina's chart, such as a Virgo Sun, a Capricorn Moon and even grounded Saturn riding on her South Node, we might imagine practical gifts pleasing this gal. But appointment books and drawer organizers probably won't excite a 3-year-old! Keeping it practical for a 3 year old would probably mean a focus on hands-on toys, like building blocks or Play-doh.

The Sun and Moon sign can tell you a lot about a child's interests, but planets traditionally known for what they can tell you about joy, pleasure, and what we want, we look to Jupiter and Venus. In Valentina's chart, they are both in the fire signs Sagittarius and Leo, respectively. Fire signs are more about active, demonstrative and imaginative play, so Valentina might have asked Santa for something like a dress-up trunk of clothes, an adventure/explorer's kit, or active games like Twister or even a jump-rope.

Mlle. Kiddie has the feeling, though, that whatever she whispered in Santa's ear had little to do with what she wants for the holidays, and more like "who are you, really?" because as we found out earlier this year, Valentina doesn't actually believe in Santa Claus!

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Harry Potter's Rupert Grint: Closet Rap Star?

Rupert Grint was sometimes referred to as "that other kid" in the Harry Potter films, listed as almost an afterthought behind Emma Watson (Hermione) and Daniel Radcliffe (Harry) but it's been said that he has 'the best acting chops' more than once, and he already has several films under his belt outside of the Harry Potter film series.

So how did he get the role of Ron Weasley (originally his favorite character in the books, by the way) in the Harry Potter films? His amazing rap skills, obviously.
"The books were becoming quite a phenomenon and I was a big fan of them," he says. "There was this news program in England called Newsround and they wanted kids my age to kind of, sort of come forward and send in application forms and stuff. So I basically just made a videotape of myself kind of doing a rap ... I'll do the first line: 'Hello there, my name's Rupert Grint, I hope you like this and don't think I stink.' I was 10!"
His co-star, Emma Watson, has described him as "calm and collected," and Dan Radcliffe has called him "the most laid-back guy in the world."

While it's not typical to describe a Virgo Sun as 'laid back', Mlle. Kiddie is not too surprised to hear that from his tres Leo friend Dan. A double earth (Virgo Sun, Capricorn Moon) fellow would be apparently less excitable than someone with all that Leo fire energy.

Virgo is often called finicky and fussy, but one of the traits not mentioned often enough is Virgo's humility, which makes him not as likely to grab a spotlight but just humbly work hard at his craft. Both Virgo and Capricorn, his moon sign, reveal an ability to work hard and perfect whatever it's dedicated to, making it no wonder that he shows so much promise in his acting. Capricorn also can shoulder burdens (sometimes a little too well), so he probably didn't as much trouble as some kids might in taking on the great responsibility of working so hard at such a young age. With Mars in Aries, he can propel himself forward with enthusiasm and be unstoppable!

Capricorn Moons also tend to bring a dry sense of humor and they can have quite a sense of comedic timing with a well-placed but not overdone joke. We can see him deliver this style in some of Ron's comments in Harry Potter, especially in the later films, and something we're likely to see more of in different roles he plays outside of the innocence of Ron Weasley.

Some fun tidbits about Rupert: he has a real fear of spiders just like his character Ron. He also wanted to be an ice cream man when he was a kid and he actually purchased an ice cream van and brought it to the set on the last day and served everyone ice cream! Chalk that up to his Venus in Cancer--relating to others by giving generously to their tummies!

Sunday, December 05, 2010

Parenting with Astrology: Discussing The Hard Topics

Amy Herring has been a professional astrologer for 15 years and a proud mother for 5 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, Mlle. Kiddie would 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 any time to amy@heavenlytruth.com.

Michelle writes:
"My daughter's father is terminal with liver disease. She and her father have not been close (she loves him but does not like him) but I would like to know how best to handle this with her. I have not told her yet. She knows he is very ill. So, I need to know how to deal with now and later."
With her Sun in Gemini and Moon in Virgo, she probably tends to intellectualize her emotional reactions to things or go straight to analysis and problem-solving, so I suspect that the actual telling will go not too badly. For her comfort, explaining the situation from the angle of his health limitations and logically may be the best approach. You don't have to be unfeeling or totally clinical, but just something along the lines of "you know your father is very sick, and the doctors feel that his body is exhausted..." etc., as opposed to a more feeling approach such as "I know you love your father but he can't be with you anymore." In the first example, you're looking more at the problem which a Virgo Moon can relate more to, rather than the person leaving and the shock of that (which ultimately will need to be acknowledged, of course).

Many things in her chart indicate that she's here learning to believe in and focus on herself and develop a strong will and strong identity, which is necessary for her growth because with her south node in Pisces in her 7th house, she's very empathetic and very easily drawn into the point of view and emotional agenda of others, especially those she loves. This can tell us a lot about her, but relative to your conversation with her, it's important to note that however you are feeling at the time you tell her, she will pick up on. So what you're telling her should resonate with how you're feeling or she'll pick up on the discordance. I say this only because sometimes it's tempting for us humans to deliver difficult news in a light-hearted tone to try and minimize the impact and that often doesn't work and won't work in this instance especially, as she'll be very tuned into what emotional signals you are sending, whatever they are.

The emotional impact of this news will probably catch up with her as she processes the impact of the news, and it is then that you'll want to be on the lookout for behavioral signals of that impact. With Pluto in her hidden 4th house, they may be difficult to spot. It's likely that she'll bury the actual feelings of woundedness or powerlessness or fear and try to be more matter of fact and logical about things consciously. Subconsciously, these feelings may filter up to the surface in the form of anger. Aside from the obvious idea of the 5 Stages of Grief and anger being one of those steps, her Mars, the planet of anger (among other things) is tightly opposed Pluto. So the more wounded, helpless, or fearful she feels, the more anger and battles of will and things of this nature will surface as outlets. Obviously therapy can be a good suggestion in these situations, but even more so in this case, because to get to the real feelings and not just the defenses will be a real challenge for her (and you) to do.

Be on the lookout for signals that she's feeling somehow guilty or that she should be able to fix or help the situation (such as children often try and do with trying to be 'good kids' and not cause any stress or other examples). It's difficult on a Virgo moon child, who's built to serve, help, and control to a certain degree, to cope with helplessness. With her Pisces south node in the 7th house, she may have some codependent tendencies and want to be a caretaker for you and/or her father. Whatever you can do to help her walk the fine line between feeling like she's helping and supporting without taking on obligation or guilt for not actually being able to change the result of her father's situation will be key.

You have my sympathy for the challenging situation you are in and I hope this information is helpful!

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.

Thursday, December 02, 2010

Harry Potter's Dan Radcliffe: Accidental Star

Daniel Radcliffe has been a household name ever since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone hit the scene in 2001, but his interest in acting began much earlier with the prestigious role of a monkey in a school play. Although his mother was a casting agent and his father a literary agent, it wasn't his parents that pushed him into acting (in fact, they were quite reluctant about it at first), so Dan's first audition was at the prompting of a friend as a 'bit of fun', to try out for a role of a television production of David Copperfield and was quite surprised when he got it!

His next project was a small role in The Tailor of Panama, starting Geoffrey Rush and Jamie Lee Curtis. It was Jamie that suggested one day that it seemed Dan would be a good fit for Harry Potter and said so to Dan's mother. Although his parents were reluctant for him to audition, they eventually relented and, of course, Dan got the part, beginning a 10-year wild ride.

Dan has said that his acting career has been sort of an accident, but his chart doesn't seem to think so! With 5 planets in Leo, including his south node and Sun, there does seem to be a bit of a mark of destiny! While not every Leo longs to be an actor, there is the urge among everyone who wears the lion's mane to roar -- to express themselves, be heard and seen, to get in touch with what makes them special and share that creativity.

Leo does not always deserve the rap it gets from pop astrology as the overbearing, loud, egomaniac and show-off. Dan has been asked what qualities he shares with Harry Potter and he has listed loyalty, curiosity, standing up for himself and a propensity to land himself in trouble as the greatest similarities. All unsung Leo qualities.

Perhaps Leo can show itself as a diva when it feels too ignored, suppressed, or insecure, but the goal of Leo is not to be the star of every show, only the star of its own life; to be special, not more special than everyone else. With Dan, there is a strong soul desire to express himself creatively, often through performance, and acting certainly fits the bill. However, he also enjoys playing music, film (not necessarily his own), and has actually written and published a book of poetry under a pseudonym, befitting his Mercury (our 'voice') conjunct his Sun in Leo.

In fact, Dan has said several times that he doesn't exactly enjoy seeing himself on screen and avoids reading or watching any interviews of himself. Doesn't sound like the Leo stereotype we've been fed, does it!? Ironically, when asked Which of Harry's magical powers Dan would like to have, he replies: "Invisibility. That would be so cool just to go anywhere without people seeing you." While it's not shocking for an actor to want a little more anonymity so they can live their daily life, it's also striking that a Leo would want to be invisible. Yet, Leo, ruled by the Sun, is very much like the Sun: it shines so brightly, yet you can't look directly at it.

One of the challenges for a Leo south node (and therefore an Aquarius north node) is to learn the difference between expressing themselves in an authentic way, not just whatever gets applause or appreciation. In Dan's case, he might also be learning how to be seen for who he truly is, not just what people want him to be. His Jupiter (planet of opportunity and luck) opposite Uranus (planet of individuation) illustrates the tension he must feel between opportunities for growth in a direction that his fans or the industry and the real opportunities that come from authentic growth, even when no one's watching or understanding. Equus, a play that Dan starred in during 2008, was certainly a shocking departure from the role of lovable hero Harry Potter and could certainly be seen as an attempt toward a leap at breaking away from expectations of what people want to see vs. what he really is.

On an amusing note, his co-star in Equus has said that even with his incredible physique during the play, he loves candy. In particular, Mars bars. Gotta love that!