Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Nancy Kerrigan's Gold Medal Girl

Olympic medalist ice-skater Nancy Kerrigan's daughter Nicole is only 3-1/2 but has been on the ice since she was just a year old. Is she the next Olympic medalist in the family?


Her mom, Nancy, has a hard-working Virgo south-node, a driven Mars in Capricorn, a committed Scorpio Moon, and a competitive Aries Rising. In Nicole's chart, she has a Virgo moon which will have her longing to be the best she can be, but is sensitive to the pressures of being perfect. Her Jupiter in Capricorn reveals that her potential is unlocked when she has clear goals and direction.

With Mars in Leo and a Leo south node, she is more likely to enjoy having fun and expressing herself, where she can stand out from the crowd rather than work herself to the bone. Her Sun and Venus in Taurus show she's more likely to enjoy a slow and steady style, with a desire for cooperation and teamwork, rather than competition. And finally, her north node in Aquarius reveals a need to be appreciated for who she truly is, so it's likely that she may find her path straying from her mother's shadow.

Sounds like that's fine with mom! Nancy says: "If that’s what she wants to do, I’m happy to help her!"

Monday, December 26, 2011

Larger Than Life: Monroe & Moroccan

Mom Mariah Carey says that her nearly 8-month-old twins already have larger-than-life personalities! In a recent interview special, Mariah says of son Moroccan:
"There's a picture of the two of us together and we look identical and we have the identical smile. I recognize the joy that's in him."
She also says he's "the life of the party," and that if you walked up to her son, he would "just smile and be your best friend." The twins have Mars and Jupiter close together in their natal chart, so Jupiter's joviality is easy to project into the world. However, Mlle. Kiddie suspects it's also a case of having mom wrapped around little baby's fingers! The Moon in a child's chart is the "mom connection," and the twins have charming Venus very close to the moon, so it's how they communicate with mom - turning on the charm!

Mariah calls Monroe (or Miss Monroe, as she's known), Miss Independent.

Sounds like Miss Monroe is already owning the boldness of her six planets in Aries, holding her own bottle and knowing what she wants, according to mom Mariah.

Read more about these adorable twins!


Image of Mariah Carey is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Credit: David Shankbone

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Capricorn Signature Star Child: Vida Alves McConaughey

Vida Alves McConaughey, daughter of Camila Alves and Matthew McConaughey is our featured Capricorn "Star Child."
Link

The Kiddiegram reports are the heart and soul of Kiddiegram, because they were created out of a desire to help you understand and nurture your precious one. A Kiddiegram is truly a "user's manual for parents.

Venus and the Sun are conjunct each other in Vida's chart. The Sun represents the things in our personality that we could say are at the core of who we are, so any planet conjunct it is very ingrained in our identity. Venus conjunct the Sun can indicate grace and an ability to relate well to others, and in Capricorn, she'll possess a certain refinement, even in youth.

Vida has a strong Venus in her chart because not only is it conjunct the Sun, but it is also the 'ruler of her chart' in that it is the ruler of Libra, her rising sign, which emphasizes her ability to relate well to others and she'll naturally know how to make others comfortable. Venus-ruled people are often easy to like, although they have to be careful that they don't compromise themselves too much in order to gain that approval.


That may not be such a problem for little Vida, however. Her Mars and Moon are in the sign of Leo, and are very close to one another. This duo makes for a very strong will and Vida can probably be quite demanding when she knows what she wants (and she almost always does!) In Leo, she might be a little bit of a diva but she's so charming, she'll almost always be able to get away with it, for better or worse! (hmm... Diva - Vida ... coincidence?)

Here's more from Vida's Kiddiegram:
Moon conjunct Mars



Feisty, temperamental, and often rash, Vida is not always an obliging or submissive child, and she should be given as many opportunities as possible to let off steam. Physical play is especially important to her; otherwise, she is likely to be irritable and impatient much of the time. Even if she is usually mild and peace-loving, she can lash out and be surprisingly forceful when she feels threatened.


Vida turns 2 on January 3rd, 2010. Those 'terrible twos' are probably going to take mom and dad for a spin!


Image of Camila Alves and Matthew McConaughey is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Credit: Keith Hinkle

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Jayden & Sean Getting a New StepDaddy

Britney Spears announced her engagement to Jason Trawick this week, who she's been dating steadily since 2009. Already a stepdad-in-training, looks like they'll be making it official! Britney's ex-husband, Kevin Federline, has said that "the kids speak highly of him."

It's common to find the charts of parents and children reflecting each other, with a lot of similarities or dynamic opposites. Mom's sun is the same as baby's moon. Dad's moon is the same as baby's ascendant, and so on. Stepdad-to-be Jason seems to have that connection already reflected in the astrological connections he shares with Britney's sons, Sean, and Jayden.

Jason, who just celebrated his 40th birthday, has a Sagittarius sun (just like mom Britney), along with three other planets including jovial Jupiter, so not only is he probably going to be a fun stepdad, but he'll have that in common with his stepson Sean, who has Sagittarius rising. This connection is made even stronger because Jason's Sun lies practically on top of Sean's ascendant, with Jupiter close by. Jason will probably have a strong influence on Sean's outlook and approach to life, and can really be an exceptional source of encouragement, teaching him to leap into life and trust himself. Sean's Aquarius Moon (which he shares with mom Britney) lies right on to of Jason's north node, which represents a point where we have the most to grow. Looks like Sean might have a thing or two to teach Jason as well!

Jason and stepson-to-be Jayden also share a connection to Jayden's Cancer ascendant, through Jason's Cancer moon. Jayden may tend to have a more serious personality, and while Jason has a wealth of Sagittarian silliness and playfulness, he also has a very tender heart which can create a strong emotional bond between the two of them. Cancer moon people can be very loyal and protective, a dedication Jayden can appreciate.

Congrats to the Spears/Trawick family!

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Diddy Daddy Disneyland

Twin girls D'Lila Star & Jessie James celebrated their 5th birthday with some good old family fun at Disneyland--or perhaps it was Diddyland for a day! Dad Sean Combs ("Diddy") tweeted a picture, saying "Me + one of the birthday girls taking a time out at Disneyland- Jessie Combs!! Happy Birthday to my babies!!"


D'Lila & Jessie were born two minutes apart, and share a natal chart. They were born on the winter solstice, just a day after the new moon in Capricorn and were obviously a special holiday gift for mom and dad! They have older and younger siblings, but with a Capricorn moon and rising sign, they were born with wisdom beyond their years and will probably not hesitate to impart that wisdom to others, whether they like it or not! Dad has already joked about their 'bossiness' in prior interviews:
"They are talking a lot more and they're very demanding. Sit down. Don't go anywhere, stay here, do this. They give me a lot of orders. When they tell me to sit down everything else gets put to the back burner."
~Diddy on his 2-year-old daughters

This powerful duo will be able to accomplish a lot. Not only do they have the goal-oriented focus of Capricorn rising, but they have Mars, the planet of drive, and Jupiter, the planet of growth and potential, in the 11th house of dreams and goals, and in Sagittarius, the sign of expansive enthusiasm. With the north node in their 2nd house, they are learning what they're really made of, and to trust that they've got what it takes if they are willing to risk for their dreams! A sentiment Walt Disney certainly shared!



Image of Sean "Diddy" Combs with sons Christian and Justin is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Credit: David Shankbone

D'Lila and Jessie not pictured.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Like Mother, Like Daughter: Stella Chestnut a Writer?

Molly Shannon is an actress who also became an author this year, thanks to the help of her kids, Nolan and Stella. Tilly the Trickster came out in September of this year, and is inspired by the bedtime stories she would make up on the spot for them. They also helped her choose the best illustrations for the book as it was being created.

Apparently Stella was so enthused by the process that she also "became inspired to write" and Mlle. Kiddie thinks she has the 'write' stuff! Mercury is in the sign of Virgo in Stella's natal chart, an indication of someone who thinks in an orderly way, and can do well with the skills needed to write a good story, such as the ability to organize one's thoughts and edit. It's also in a harmonious sextile with Saturn in Cancer, to help her to discipline her mind but bring in some of that Cancerian imagination.

Mercury is also in a square to Pluto, so Stella may have different stories to tell than the lighthearted tone that her mom's book title seems to suggest. Stella may find herself drawn to more intense and challenging subjects that aren't always easy to communicate. Regardless of the outcome, writing will probably be very cathartic for Stella!


Birth time and location for Stella is not publicly known, so a noon chart has been cast, with no interpretation offered on the potentially inaccurate components.

Image of Molly Shannon and husband Fritz Chestnut is licensed under the Creative CommonsAttribution 3.0 Unported license. Credit: David Shankbone

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Jolie-Pitt Kids: Astro Round-up

It's time for another Jolie-Pitt family round up! Mom Angelina Jolie is interviewed for the January issue of Marie Claire magazine, and offers tidbits about how her kids are growing:

On 3-year-old Knox: “Knox is very much a dude. Very physical, tough. He loves dinosaurs and swords."
On 3-year-old Vivienne: “She is so elegant and delicate. Vivi will pick flowers from the garden and put them in her hair. She likes to get her nails done and collects stuffed animals. It’s funny for me to have to buy all things pink and watch princess movies!”

Looks like the twins might be playing out the classic astrological theory about twins: owning and emphasizing different parts of their charts in order to establish individuality. Vivi, the sweetness of Venus in Cancer, and Knox, the exuberance of Sagittarius Rising. They share a Leo south node, which has been called a sign of royalty, so maybe it's as simple as the little prince and princess!


On 5-year-old Shiloh: “It’s very funny to watch Brad try to teach Shiloh [to ride quads] because she doesn’t want to listen. She doesn’t want Dad to sit on the back. She doesn’t want to learn about the brakes. She just wants to go!… it’s the combination of the two of us.”

Mlle. Kiddie wonders if Shiloh's reported time of birth isn't just slightly off. If she was born even one minute later, she'd have Aries Rising, attributing to the go-get-em, 'boyish' attitude and style she's known for. Aries Rising definitely wants to go go go! One doesn't have to look far, though, to see that her double Gemini (Sun and Moon) can have her fascinated, curious, and eager for new experiences, not wanting to put on the brakes.


On 6-year-old Zahara
: “She has found her thing [horseback riding].”

Mlle. Kiddie loves the poetry of a girl with 5 planets in Sagittarius, the centaur (half human, half horse) would love horses! Of course, many girls have a strong love of horses, but with the Moon and Mars in this sign, it's more than love, it's the freedom to run that probably sets her on fire!


On 8-year-old Pax
: “He is extremely wild, but he has a very, very good heart. You know, like those punk rockers – when you really get to know them and they are just pussycats. But at the same time, he is going to get in some kind of trouble.”

Pax's south node is in Scorpio, a sign known for its intensity and extremes. With his Mars in Pisces, he definitely has a soft spot for the underdog and a hint of Pisces poetry. Like his older brother Maddox, he has an Aquarius Moon, so he'll be learning appropriate detachment to ease some of the emotional turbulence through his adult years.


On 10-year-old Maddox
: “I’ll be doing something and I’ll be frustrated, and he’ll hold my hand and say, ‘Are you feeling tired? Is that why you’re upset?’ Yeah, he really does take care of me.”

As the eldest child, and a Capricorn south node to boot, Maddox is definitely going to be the responsible type, taking on adult burdens and grown-up worries all too easily. That Leo sun will help him learn that it's important for him to express and receive for himself as well.


Image of Brad and Angie licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Credit: Georges Biard

Thursday, December 08, 2011

"Fancy Naleigh" turns 3!

Mom Katherine Heigl told Ellen Degeneres that Naleigh, who turned 3 at the beginning of this Sagittarius season (November 23), had a big birthday party with a "Fancy Nancy" theme. Naleigh is actually a nickname composed of her first and middle names, Nancy Leigh, so of course they celebrated with none other than the fanciest of Nancy's!

Naleigh has a Libra moon, with a Leo south node, both being signs that enjoy the finer things in life, so the fancier the better! Guests enjoyed a pretend spa day and shopping spree. Judging from this earlier news, this fancy girl probably shopped for shoes! Mlle. Kiddie is loving this little fashionista's style.


Naleigh's birth time is not publicly known, but she's not only a Sagittarius Sun, she's got Mars in Sagittarius close to her Sun. Sagittarians love to have fun and are known for their friendliness and sense of humor, something that Katherine has definitely noticed about Naleigh: "She's fantastic, she's really kooky ... very sort of quirky sense of humor." With Mercury also close to the Sun in Scorpio, she's probably got an edge to her humor that gives it some extra oomph.

Happy 3rd birthday, Naleigh!


Image of Katherine Heigl is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license. Credit: www.lukeford.net

Sunday, December 04, 2011

Double Digits Birthday Boy Dashiell Upton

Dashiell is the oldest son of actress Cate Blanchett and director Andrew Upton, who just celebrated his 10th birthday this weekend!


While Mlle. Kiddie doesn't know his time of birth, it's easy to see that he is a person of great passion. His Sun and Pluto are on top of each other ("conjunct") in the fire sign of Sagittarius. A Sun in Sagittarius person is likely to display an optimism and an enthusiasm for life, and Pluto there adds an intensity and a depth. Sagittarius can sometimes be too light-hearted - optimistic but a little naive - but that's not something to be said about Dashiell! He probably has penetrating insight that goes beyond his years.

Dashiell has a great deal of Sagittarius energy in his chart: his south node, Sun and Pluto, and also Mercury and Venus are all in this expansive sign. Jupiter, the ruling planet of Sagittarius, is conjunct his Cancer Moon. Having a Cancer Moon, his tender feelings run very deep and next to Jupiter, the planet that e x p a n d s whatever it touches, he probably feels things so intensely, with dramatic highs and lows.

His big Cancerian heart and all his Sagittarius planets can make it easy for him to dive quickly and deeply after whatever moves him, sometimes before he has a chance to think about it, but his Mars in Aquarius encourages him to act objectively, even though his heart may be doing jumping jacks!

The Kiddie blog is celebrating Sagittarius with a Happy Birthday to all Sagittarius celibri-tots and the Sagittarius Signature Star Child. Find out all about Sagittarius!

Thursday, December 01, 2011

Parenting with Astrology: Testing Limits

Amy Herring has been a professional astrologer for 15 years and a proud mother for 6 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.

Misa writes:
My 7 year old daughter Aeryn is normally a cheerful, happy-go-lucky child, but over the last few months, I have noticed a change in her behaviour. She has been acting out quite a bit - yelling, talking back, or ignoring us completely, and doing things that she knows she shouldn't do.

I don't know if she is just testing our limits, if she is picking up stuff from the older kids at school, or if something else is going on with her. I was wondering if there is anything in her chart to explain this behavioural change.


Amy answers:
Many times specific behaviors or moods can be explained away by a passing circumstance, or a planetary transit in the case of astrology, where the behavior or mood can be 'waited out' until everything seems to return back to normal. Many people find they get more anxious, emotional, or high-strung around the full moon every month, for example, and once the peak of the full moon passes, we can get 'back to normal.'

With children, passing moods and the full moon 'crazies' can be just as fleeting, but since they are participating in more rapid development on all fronts in their path to adulthood, some changes in children can be thought of as a developmental threshold, rather than a passing phase, where the change is integrated as the child moves forward.

This concept of the development shift is something I think Aeryn has experienced recently with Saturn. Saturn was in the sign of Cancer when she was born and from that moment, has moved through Leo, Virgo, and Libra, where it formed a square in relation to Aeryn's natal Saturn late last year and a second pass this summer.

This first Saturn square happens to all of us when we're about 7 years old, and represents one of our first encounters with 'growing up.' Sometimes this corresponds with external circumstances that oblige the child to take on an additional responsibility or be more self-sufficient, but internally there is a growing sense of independence from the established authorities in one's life (teachers, parents) as we take on a smidgen of self responsibility and personal authority. Because it's a square, this isn't always a comfortable process and can represent a period of disillusionment with the authorities in our life.


This is significant but mostly because it's contextual for a more obvious astrological trigger, which is Saturn forming an opposition to Aeryn's natal Mars position. Mars is our sense of personal will and power, and encompasses our ability to act on what we want and defend against what we don't want. When Saturn opposes anything, we may feel a sense of being limited, thwarted, or blocked. In a child's life, Saturn is most easily projected onto the parents or teachers, because they are the rule-makers, so when this happened this summer, she probably started to exercise her will (Mars) to push back at the rule-makers (Saturn) in an effort to gain a sense of her own authority and capability.


These two things happened for the first time in late 2010, but occurred again this summer, and they've been joined by two more recent events which might have made them more noticeable. First, her progressed moon, which represents her evolving emotional needs, is in willful Scorpio, and has just moved into the 5th house, which is about self-expression - to be seen and heard. Also Uranus, the planet of rebellion and sometimes feisty individuality, formed a trine connection to her own Moon, adding a dose of rebellion. The rebellion is about wanting to express herself authentically, and it's easy for children to feel that they need to back the authorities off to have room to do their own thing.

In essence, the very real feelings for Aeryn probably have to do with her wanting to acknowledge and express that she has an agenda, an opinion, and some power - "testing your limits" as you said. Dealing with it is the classic parenting dilemma of needing to give her as much room as you can to make her own decisions (and understand their accompanying consequences) while still setting boundaries of your own about the rules of the house and your own personal boundaries about how two people should treat each other in a relationship of any kind to maintain respect for each other.


Thanks for your question!


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. If you would like to submit a question for her monthly blog here, email her anytime!

Friday, November 25, 2011

Signature Sagittarius Star Child: Violet Affleck

Violet Ann Affleck, daughter of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, is our featured Sagittarius "Star Child."

The Kiddiegram reports are the heart and soul of Kiddiegram, because they were created out of a desire to help you understand and nurture your precious one. A Kiddiegram is truly a "user's manual!

In most of the public photos snapped of 6-year-old Violet, you will usually see her in mid-skip! It's no surprise to Mlle. Kiddie: 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 have a lot of built in energy. It's not uncommon to find them constantly on-the-go, especially because not only do they have the energy of fire, but the restlessness of the mutable signs.

Sagittarians get the reputation of being the friendliest sign of the zodiac, but Violet takes the cake, with her Sun and Moon in the 7th house of relationships. From her Kiddiegram:

Sun in the Seventh House

Violet is a "people person" who may have little inclination or taste for solitude. Finding interesting things to do when she's on her own can be challenging. Companionship and friendship are everything to her, and she may not act very decisively unless she knows that at least one other person approves of her actions. Because of this, her friends and other significant people in her life can unduly influence her. She may also be a bit of a busybody, because she so much wants to be actively involved in others' lives. She will play advisor, peace-maker, go-between, or counselor to her playmates and friends throughout her life.

Read the rest of Violet's full-length Kiddiegram here!



Images of Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck are licensed under the Creative CommonsAttribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license / credit Jen: Karon Liu; credit Ben: Angela George

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

"Jungle Girl" Bindi Irwin 5 Years Later

Bindi Irwin, now 13, has been in the spotlight from a very young age and is now confidently and earnestly continuing her father's legacy.

In a recent and lengthy interview, she shared her thoughts about her father, Steve Irwin, and continuing his work, as well as the broader issues she wants to tackle in her future.

"My Dad was such an incredible person ... when someone like that comes along and leaves such a huge footprint and imprint, you can't just let that die. You have to continue."

Bindi being born in the spotlight is reflected by her south node in the 11th house of the public, as the south node often represents what we carry forward from pre-life or early life, frequently describing circumstances we were born into. Being involved in the world and issues on a larger scale comes with the territory of the 11th house, whether or not fame is involved. But it's Bindi's passionate Aries Ascendant that reflects her 'powerhouse' approach to the world, and Jupiter lies close to the ascendant, in hopeful Pisces, providing the confidence and enthusiasm to continue burning bright and hot in whatever project she undertakes.


"The non-consumptive use of wildlife is a huge issue. But as I get older I want to tackle other huge issues, such as global warming and the human population - which I think is the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about.

I really do think of myself as a teacher, and I think I'm extremely lucky to be able to reach a wide audience. And the more people that want to listen, the better."

Bindi isn't just a teacher, but was born to defend and express what she beliefs in with the fervency of a preacher with Pluto in her 9th house of philosophy. Her dynamic Aries Ascendant and her charismatic Leo Sun and Moon make her full of the fire element, which can set others around them on fire.

Her Venus and Mars are in the sign of Cancer, a sign often concerned with nurture and family, in the 4th house of home, ancestry and family legacy, it's not a surprise that her love (Venus) and her passion (Mars) are directed in the work of her father, but she'll no doubt find her own spin and approach as she gets to know herself better.


Photo: Alex Coppel Source: Herald Sun

Friday, November 18, 2011

Model Nikki Taylor Welcomes Baby Number Four: Rex Harrison

Pisces Supermodel Niki Taylor's cup overfloweth! With twin teenage boys, and a two-year-old girl, she and her Leo husband Burney Lamar just welcomed their new son, Scorpio Rex Harrison.


Rex has a nice bit of compatibility with both mom and dad. Dad has a Leo Sun, which resonates with Rex's Leo Moon. Rex will deeply enjoy the attention he is paid, especially from dad, which will bolster his feeling of being appreciated. Leo is also a very playful sign, often physically, so one can imagine this daddy lion and his cub having a great time wrestling.

Mom's Moon, as well as her North Node and Neptune, is in the sign of Sagittarius* and Rex has Mercury, Venus, and the North Node in the sign of Sagittarius, making a nice match with mom. They're both learning a similar lesson in this life: the "just go for it" attitude of carefree Sagittarius. Mom's Jupiter in faith-filled Pisces forms a supportive trine to Rex's Sun, so she'll be a great source of encouragement as Rex discovers who he is and who he wants to grow up to be.

Congrats to this beautiful family!



*Niki Taylor's birth time is not publicly known, but the Moon remained in Sagittarius almost all day on the day of her birth, so it is highly likely she has a natal Sagittarius Moon. If not, it would be a Capricorn Moon, a nice match with baby Rex's Capricorn Rising.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Molly Shannon's Mischevious Tots

Molly Shannon (SNL) told Good Housekeeping that her kids were "mischevious," and that she wants to instill in them the values of being "silly and wild."
"My dad grew up as a real trickster, and I passed that on to my kids. They like to think of tricks to play. Once my son put an ice cube under my pillow.

"When they're older, it'll be much more serious. But now I want them to have fun — make mud pies, get dirty, ride bikes."

Comedy, whether physical comedy, telling jokes, or just having a great sense of timing, doesn't seem to come from just one place in a natal chart, but from a combination. Mercury likes to tell the jokes and reflects the nature of one's 'wit', while action-oriented Mars might be the one to know when the time is right to go for it and when it's passed.

If Molly might be raising a family of comedians, let's take a look at their funny bones!

Molly's son Nolan was born with Jupiter's jovial streak, as Jupiter sits right on his south node, which often describes a great deal of our personality orientation from early life onward. People with strong Jupiter signatures tend to have buoyant personalities and quite often more to laugh at and smile about than more serious signs or planets. With Mercury in Aries, he'll probably have a quick tongue, and his Mars in Capricorn can lend an appreciation of sarcasm (Capricorn appreciates droll humor and understated styles).

Stella was gifted with a Scorpio south node, so she may see the funny in the darker and more edgier side of life, but Mlle. Kiddie loves her Mars in Pisces, which will add some whimsy to balance the intensity of Scorpio. Her Mars is right on top of Uranus, so she'll have a knack for seeing the absurd in life. Uranus always adds the unexpected, so paired with Mars, Stella shoots from the hip. She may not know she's about to let 'er rip until the words are out of her mouth!



Birth times and locations for Nolan and Stella are not publicly known, so a noon chart has been cast for each of them, with no interpretation offered on the inaccurate components.

Image of Molly Shannon and husband Fritz Chestnut is licensed under the Creative CommonsAttribution 3.0 Unported license. Credit: David Shankbone

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Marcia Cross' Terrific Twins

Marcia Cross, recently interviewed for Scholastic's Parent & Child Magazine, says, as do most parents of twins, that Eden and Savannah, are "completely different!"

“Though twins, they’re completely different! One of them recently started karate and watching her first tournament blew me away. The other one is into dance. You have to be open to the different directions they take.”
It's been a long-standing theory among astrologers that twins, sharing practically identical birth charts, may live out different parts of the chart they share, in order to individuate. While a birth time is not publicly known for the almost 5-year-old twins, through their wealth of planets in Pisces, including creative Venus, one of the twins might be channeling that gentle and graceful Pisces into dance (probably Eden, is Mlle. Kiddie's guess from looking at pics like these) while the other adds a little kick-butt Aries Moon to the mix with karate.

Both of them may enjoy physical activity that has a clear structure and a goal, whether it's to continue to improve in skill or having their progress recognized by awards, with Mars in Capricorn, a sign that wants to excel.




Image courtesy of Scholastic Parent & Child

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Ali Larter's Flower Child

Theodore Hayes enjoyed his first Halloween dressed up with mama as a bumblebee last month, which apparently was a meaningful choice, as mom Ali Larter shared her love of bees in a recent interview:
“We actually just put in a garden in our yard and lots of lavender. There’s a lot of bees all over, and I believe in loving the bumblebees. I saw the bee documentary [Vanishing of the Bees] and I thought, ‘This is going to be our little family’s [thing].’

“I’m never going to be one of those moms that puts hand sanitizer all over my kid. I mean, hopefully, he’s going to be dirty in the playground or in the streams, hiking in the mountains. I want him to always be a child of nature.”

While any zodiac sign can be a nature lover, this is a great way for mom to nurture Theodore's Sagittarius Sun. It's often mentioned that Sagittarius loves travel to far-off places, but what really lies at the heart of Sagittarius is the spirit of adventure and the desire to expand one's horizons in any way, even if it happens in your own back yard.

Sagittarius is happiest learning through experimentation and experiencing, without being told what to look for or expect. Ruled by expansive Jupiter, it is a sign that wants to say Yes! to nearly everything. Even when they should probably exercise a little more caution so they don't fall off that cliff, they are usually able to roll with life's knocks and recover quickly, keeping themselves adaptable.

Growing up around nature and being free to experience it first-hand is a great way for a Sagittarius child to learn that their world is not something to be afraid of. Sounds like mom will be a great example!



Theodore's birth time was given as "early morning," so an approximation of 5 am has been used for the chart image; however, no inaccurate information was used in the interpretation.

Image of Ali Larter is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Credit: pinguino/pinguino K

Thursday, November 03, 2011

Parenting with Astrology: Argumentativeness

Amy Herring has been a professional astrologer for 15 years and a proud mother for 6 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.

Misa writes:
I am wondering why my 8-year-old son, Benjamin, seems to LOVE to argue. Even when he gets his way he seems to continue on (very passionately) about why he deserves to have what he wants. When he adamantly believes he is in the right he will absolutely let you know. He has done this with flight attendants, teachers, sales clerks, etc. He is an active and happy boy and I admire his bravery. I just wonder why he argues so much.

Amy answers:

Benjamin's Sun is in the sign of Aries, as well as his rising sign. The Sun in astrology represents what things are at the core in helping us build a strong ego and sense of identity. The rising sign represents how we 'come at' the world, both in the way that we come across to others and the way that we view the world around us. While not every Aries is bossy or aggressive as their stereotypes suggest, every Aries is learning something about how to assert oneself in the right way, whether it's to defend their personal boundaries by standing up for themselves, or go confidently after their dreams by learning to take action without hesitation.

For Benjamin, a core component of his identity is centered around practicing those lessons focused around assertiveness, and part of the source of argumentativeness, I would expect, comes from a need to make it clear that He Is Here, World! With both his Sun and Ascendant in Aries, he gets a double dose of this passion. His Sun is also in the first house, which is the house of self (as opposed to the seventh house, the house of partnership). He is naturally inclined to take up his share (or more) of space in the world, and is more focused on that outgoing energy than he is in making room for others. Quite likely, he will simply expect that others do the same by looking out for themselves. This isn't a malicious intent, merely a focus that sometimes excludes the awareness of his impact on others, as first house planets can tend to do.

Mars, the planet of action and will, is in Capricorn, a very driven and focused kind of energy, and it forms a square with his Sun; there's extra tension in him to defend his boundaries, and he may have a hair trigger here, with a heightened sensitivity to things that might trample his boundaries, which may be where some of the 'overkill' of continuing to argue is reflected.

Benjamin is also simply going to love to debate with his Moon in Gemini. Gemini has a joy of collecting information and turning it around in their mind and on their tongues until they've seen and communicated every angle (often more than once!) He isn't always looking for resolution of opinions as much as he might be enjoying the thrill of the debate. However, the great amount of Aries and Mars energy tends to give it that pushy edge that can overwhelm or frustrate others, and make him more unwilling to hear their points of view.

He may also be threatened by other points of view. The issue runs deeper into his chart, with Pluto in Sagittarius in his 9th house, and a Sagittarius south node. Pluto can represent the nature of our fears and what we may be heavily attached to in order to avoid facing those fears, like a security blanket. In Benjamin's case, the attachment is to certain ideas, beliefs, and concepts (Sagittarius, 9th house), and these are strong habits and comfort zones to his soul (south node in Sagittarius). Therefore, whatever opinions he forms via his life experiences or thought processes, he is likely going to want to cling to them.

His Saturn is in the sign of Gemini, and it's forming an opposition to Pluto in Sagittarius. Saturn represents things that are challenging for us to do and where we tend to have confrontations with external authorities and reality in general if we get too stuck and stubborn. This configuration in his chart illustrates a difficulty in recognizing that there may be more than one right answer, that different perceptions can be just as true as his, even if they seem contradicting. With his Gemini moon's love of information gathering, it'll help him to take in sometimes conflicting information and let it bounce around in his head, but it'll be hard work (Saturn) to allow it to change his perceptions and beliefs, so it can feel threatening. This will be doubly true if it's coming from someone else, because he'll have that tendency to want to defend himself from what he perceives as a threat to his intellectual 'security blanket.'

Because Benjamin has been gifted with such a strong will, he may sometimes learn to be more intellectually flexible when ideas or people crash through his intellectual boundaries, which won't typically be a pleasant experience. Seeing examples of others' being able to entertain points of view other than his own, especially examples of people he respects having the humility to do so, can be helpful over time. Also, channeling this natural, albeit zealous, talent into debate classes or something of that sort later on in school might be a great outlet, while also helping him learn the finesse and skills of discussion and debate rather than simply the brute strength of argument.

His chart doesn't show much in the way of needing to learn partnership and teamwork specifically, so other than those being basic, great life skills that everyone should learn to some extent, he certainly is here to take initiative, build and prove his strength in a lot of ways, so he's on the right track. He's just riding a bucking horse that he may have a hard time managing and may run others down sometimes!

One last thing: his Venus lies in Pisces, so his empathy for others can be appealed to if you can get through with an emotional appeal, but it might sometimes be after the defenses have been up, which can be more challenging since the passion of his responses to threats are impulsive and immediate, and he may attack before he's been able to calm down.

Thanks for your question!

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. If you would like to submit a question for her monthly blog here, email her anytime!


"Thinking cap" Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Valentina: Like Mother, Like Daughter

Valentina is a young woman who knows what she wants! Mom Salma Hayek revealed Valentina's intended career plans in a recent interview:
"She told me two days ago, she was very serious looking out the window in the car, and she turned and said: 'You know what, mom? I want to be an actress, like now.'"
Valentina has a Capricorn Moon, which reflects a strong orientation toward setting and achieving goals, but it's in her second house of resources, so she will need to test herself to gain confidence in her abilities.

Luckily, Valentina's got a lot on her side. Not only does she have two successful parents, but Jupiter in her first house in its own sign of Sagittarius, which reveals an optimistic and confident personality. She'll almost always be inclined to believe in herself and try, try again. But she's not naive. Her hard-working Capricorn Moon is in an easy trine with her Virgo Sun in her tenth house of career, so she was born to shine (Sun) for working hard at her craft (Virgo, Capricorn).

Mom Salma is already working that humble and industrious Virgo:
"I like to teach her things like chores and to help in the kitchen and make her bed," she explains. "I think it's important to do those things. She's becoming a really good helper. I'm very proud of her. She's very organized, very neat."
A Virgo Sun very neat? To say the least!



Image of Salma Hayek licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Attribution: Georges Biard

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Signature Scorpio Star Child: Matilda Ledger

Matilda Ledger, daughter of Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger, is our featured Scorpio "Star Child."

The Kiddiegram reports are the heart and soul of Kiddiegram, because they were created out of a desire to help you understand and nurture your precious one. A Kiddiegram is truly a "user's manual!

Matilda may have the best of both worlds: seeing and being able to handle the real, raw truths in life and the world through her Scorpio Sun, while retaining a naturally buoyant personality--hopeful and optimistic, via Jupiter right on her Sun. While she'll have the ability to look on the bright side, it won't typically be out of naivete, but simply knowing that tomorrow is another day, a good day to try again and hope for good things.


Jupiter tends to exaggerate whatever it touches, and in Scorpio, a sign of extremes, Matilda could have an intense or over-the-top personality, but her down-to-earth Virgo Moon will likely keep her in check. It's also Virgo humility that will balance the possible grandiosity that comes with Jupiter on the Sun. Classic Jupiterian luck coupled with a willingness to work hard (Virgo) will do her well. More about Sun/Jupiter in her Kiddiegram:

Sun conjunct Jupiter
Matilda is an optimistic soul, and her goodwill and generosity make her very well-liked. She enjoys life, expects the best, and freely shares whatever she has with others. Pettiness and smallness do not appeal to her at all. She can be extravagant and wasteful because she has the inner sense that she will always be provided for, or "there is always more where that came from." She needs to learn to have a sense of moderation and proportion, as she tends to overdo (for example, overeat, overspend, etc.).


*Matilda's s birth time is not publicly known, so a sunrise chart was created. However, an exact birth time must be known to calculate the houses and ascendant in a natal chart, so Matilda's Kiddiegram does not include that unknown information.

Image of Michelle Williams is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Attribution: Georges Biard.
Image of Heath Ledger is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Attribution: Howie Berlin

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Happy Birthday Scorpio Kids!

The Sun is in Scorpio from October 23rd to November 22nd this year and Mlle. Kiddie wishes them a happy birthday!

Scorpio kids are not typically the brooding, intense, and moody stereotype that their sign gets labeled with. They can be just as cheerful and happy as the next sign! But their emotions certainly can run to extremes, either desperately loving something or viciously hating it. Kids typically experience life vividly anyway, but Scorpio adds a double dose.

Scorpio kids also seem to have that mythical 'sixth sense,' though there need be no mysterious explanation. They are simply wired to look more deeply and pay closer attention to unspoken signals than some people. They will be highly observant, not necessarily about insignificant details such as the color of a shirt or the time of day something occurs, but more about the subtle change in someone's tone of voice, or a pause before answering a question--reading between the lines, so to speak.

If you have a Scorpio child, think twice before trying to talk in code in front of them - they may be way ahead of you! Even if they are not sure what is going on, they tend to know something is. This is why it's often best to be as honest as you can with a Scorpio child. Although there are some topics and explanations that must be toned down to be age appropriate, they are likely to respond better to the truth than well-intentioned sugar-coating.


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


Scorpio Sun Kids
Oct 28 Francesca (Jason Bateman & Amanda Anka)
Oct 28 James (Sarah Jessica Parker & Matthew Broderick)
Oct 28 Matilda (Heath Ledger & Michelle Williams)
Oct 28 Beatrice (Peter McCartney & Heather Mills)
Oct 31 Willow Camille Reign (Jada Pinkett-Smith & Will Smith)
Nov 7 Sascha (Jerry & Jessica Seinfeld)
Nov 10 Ruby (Tobey Maguire & Jennifer Meyer)
Nov 20 Bronx (Ashley Simpson & Pete Wentz)

Scorpio
Moon Kids
Jul 7 Tennyson (Russell Crowe & Danielle Spencer)
Jul 9 Bingham (Kate Hudson & Matt Bellamy)
Jul 10 Harper Seven (David & Victoria Beckham)
Jul 12 Knox & Vivienne (Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt)
Sep 2 Ella Rae (Mark Wahlberg & Rhea Durham)
Oct 14 Lourdes (Madonna & Carlos Leon)

French First Baby Giulia Sarkozy

Ooo la la! French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy gave birth to a baby girl, Giulia, on October 19th.

A graceful Libra with a sweet-hearted Cancer Moon, this is a little girl her country is sure to adore! The moon, in its own sign of Cancer and in its most comfortable 4th house of home and family, has a lot of power in Giulia's chart. The 4th house is not always just about one's personal home and family and the allegiance and loyalty of one's clan, but also on that larger scale of a love for the land, people, and country of one's native birth. Mlle. Kiddie can certainly see how this little one could truly be the people's darling if they so choose, and Giulia will also likely possess the classic Libran social graces and elegance that can become polished with someone raised in the political public eye.


Giulia is not one to rest on titles and privilege, however. With four planets in her 6th house of work and service, she is going to inherently have a sense of fulfillment from offering what she can give, and not be afraid to roll up her designer sleeves. Saturn, the planet of duty and responsibility, lies in this house of work, and is close to her Sun, a planet of identity. Giulia will identify strongly as a person who accepts responsibility easily (sometimes too easily) and steps up to the plate. With her Taurus Ascendant, she will likely have a down-to-earth demeanor, coming across as sincere and accessible.

Her south node is in the 2nd house of resources, indicating that she can be quite a resourceful person as well. In Gemini, one of her best resources might be her voice. It's quite possible she may be a gifted singer, or find some other outlet for her natural talent, but it's also likely that she'll have a strong gift of persuasion. Mercury, the planet of the voice is close to Venus, which represents how we connect to and charm others. With Venus and Mercury in the sign of Scorpio, her penetrating insight will be quite apparent, and she'll often know just what needs to be said (and not said), especially as she gets older.

Welcome, Giulia!

Image licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Used with permission. Author: Remi Jouan

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Astrology Basics: The Conjunction Aspect and Ryder Robinson

A natal chart shows the placements of the planets in the sky at the time of someone’s birth. To the average person, it may just look like a lot of dots in a circle, but to an astrologer, it reveals the patterns and tendencies in that person’s behavior and needs. The planets, while very far apart in our sky, look closer together when placed in the natal wheel, and connections between them can be seen by tracing certain mathematical angles between the planets, such as the 90 degree* angle, called a square. The connections between planets are called aspects.

Most aspects can be categorized as positive or negative in their effect. A trine helps two planets work well together, while an opposition gets planets in a tug of war. But a conjunction can be a devil or an angel, depending on the planets involved. Two or more planets conjunct each other (very close to one another as in Ryder's chart) can intensify each other, creating a sort of 'superplanet'. One planet, or part of that person, doesn't function without the other part--they are fused in their expression. This can lend a certain focus and intensity, but it also doesn't allow the planets to have any perspective. In an opposition, the planets duke it out, which can feel tense, but ultimately it helps us reign each planet in. Not so with the conjunction.

In Ryder's chart (son of Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson), we see Mercury in a conjunction with Pluto. Mercury is the planet of communication, learning, and point of view--how we think and how we communicate those thoughts. With Mercury in Sagittarius, Ryder has a tendency to think big, and to express what he's thinking with directness, in an unfiltered fashion. Mercury in Sagittarius likes to express itself rather naively and optimistically.

Add Pluto to the soup, and you'll get a deeper flavor. While Mercury in Sagittarius might be rather naive, Pluto, the planet of power and psychological depth, gives Ryder a certain penetrating insight that Mercury in Sagittarius might not have alone. It's hard to pull the wool over Ryder's eyes, as he is more likely to be looking for the story behind what he sees, not just accepting things at face value which is more in the style of Mercury in Sagittarius. He's also likely to have a sharper tongue, both in his ability to sting with his words if he chooses, knowing just what to say to really dig into someone, but also to probably stun all the adults around him with the level of maturity and awareness in his observations.

Other celebri-tots with Mercury conjunct Pluto: Benjamin (Tom Brady & Gisele Bündchen), Axel (Will Ferrell & Viveca Paulin), Zahara (Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt), and Margaret Grace (Mark Wahlberg & Rhea Durham).


*A degree is a unit of measurement. They are marked by the degree symbol following the numbers by each planet in a natal chart. There are 360 degrees in a circle. Each sign is divided into 30 degrees, so counting restarts at 0 when entering a new sign. To find an opposition, locate any planet in a natal chart and note its degree number. Then count 6 signs from there in either direction and see if another planet lands in the same degree (give or take a few degrees) in the new sign. That’s an opposition! If you’re not sure, or you don’t have a copy of your natal chart, you can calculate one for free instantly online at Kiddiegram.com!

^Ryder's birth time is not publicly known, so a noon chart has been cast. This does not affect the planets placement in the signs, except possibly the fast-moving moon, so the planets in signs discussed are correct even without a birth time.

Image used with permission under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic
license

Friday, October 14, 2011

Bieber Babies?

In a recent interview, pop star Justin Bieber talked about wanting to be a young dad (25 or so) and his 'traditional values':
"I know we are living in a modern world, but there is a nice way to do things. I am very traditional in that sense. I want the wedding and then I want the kids after that."

With his Taurus south node right on the cusp of the 7th house of partnership and his relationship-oriented Moon in Libra, Justin feels comfortable in relationships and easily gains a sense of stability from them, something that he no doubt enjoys with girlfriend Selena Gomez, as he hinted on future plans to marry her. With Venus, the planet of love, in the 4th house of family, and in the romantic sign of Pisces, it's no wonder he wants the fairy tale!

But Justin will probably learn as he grows that he is not as traditional as he might think. Hopeless romantic? Bien sur (of course)! But with an accommodating Libra Moon square the rebel planet Uranus, he'll be learning some important lessons about forging your own identity, even if it puts a strain on relationships that seem ideal when you're 17! His Mars and Mercury in Aquarius will also ensure many eye-opening experiences that help him discover his individuality, something challenging to do when you're a young celebrity, no doubt.

But ahh, young love!