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Arie Luyendyk Jr. & Lauren Burnham Don’t Want to Quit TV Life Just Yet

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Just when you think you have that very cringeworthy ending to Arie Luyendyk Jr.'s season of The Bachelor behind you, he tries to crawl his way back to TV.

According to a source at E! News, Luyendyk and his current bride-to-be Lauren Burnham are getting married before the year is up and want it to be televised.

"It's going to happen before the end of the year, if not sooner. They are still waiting to get confirmation from ABC for the TV special," the source said, "and are heavily pushing for this... Nothing has been locked in yet until they get the green light from ABC."

More: The Biggest Problem of The Bachelor Finale Had Nothing to Do With Arie

But why the rush? Is this really the best idea for a couple that began under such rocky circumstances? They’ve only been engaged for a couple of months, and don't forget Luyendyk was engaged to another woman when the year began.

Either way, the source claims taking things slowly isn't really in the cards. "Lauren and Arie are moving fast," the insider told E!. "They want everything to happen quickly and show the world how real their love is."

We'd be remiss if we didn't point out that this information is being shared by an anonymous source — Luyendyk, Burnham and ABC have yet to confirm any of it — but it is evident that they're pushing forward. Since the finale, the pair has appeared as a united front, and now, just a month later, Burnham is uprooting her life in Virginia to move in with Luyendyk in Arizona. The rush to the altar could be a very real thing.

More: Bachelor Engagement Rings Through the Years

So let's just go out on a limb here and assume they are planning a wedding and pushing for it to be on TV (because really, we could see it) — is getting married on TV ever a good idea, or are couples who tie the knot for everyone's viewing pleasure matrimonially cursed? Well, we compiled a list of reality stars who said I do on air, and you'd actually be surprised by the marriage success rate. Take a look: 

  1. Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter (The Bachelor) — married 14 years
  2. Amber Brkich and Rob Mariano (Survivor: All-Stars) — married, 13 years
  3. Kris Kardashian and Kris Humphries (Keeping Up with the Kardashians) — divorced
  4. NeNe and Gregg Leakes (Real Housewives of Atlanta) — divorced 2011, remarried 2013
  5. Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo (Nick and Vanessa’s Dream Wedding) — married, six years
  6. Shannen Doherty and Kurt Iswarienko (Shannen Says) — married seven years
  7. Desiree Hartsock and Chris Siegfried (The Bachelorette) — married three years
  8. Carmelo and La La Anthony (La La Full Court Wedding) — married seven years
  9. Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici (The Bachelor) — married four years
  10. Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro ('Til Death Do Us Part: Carmen and Dave) — divorced
  11. Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and Evelyn Lozada (Basketball Wives) — divorced
  12. Jason and Molly Mesnick (The Bachelor) — married eight years
  13. Christopher Knight and Adrianne Curry (America's Next Top Model, The Surreal Life) — divorced
  14. Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann (Don't Be Tardy, RHOA) — married seven years
  15. Ashley Hebert and J.P. Rosenbaum (The Bachelorette) — married five years
  16. Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom (KUWTK) — divorced
  17. Lauri Waring and George Peterson (Real Housewives of Orange County) — married nine years
  18. Niecy Nash and Jay Tucker (Clean House, Niecy Nash’s Wedding Bash) — married seven years
  19. Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker (RHOA) — married four years
  20. Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag (The Hills) — married eight years
  21. Yandy Smith and Mendeecees Harris (Love and Hip Hop) — married two years

That's 15 marriages still going strong out of 21. That's probably better than typical Hollywood marriage standards! We'll admit the results are completely surprising, but apparently tying the knot on TV is not the kiss of death. These marriage statuses don't lie.

MoreMy Kid Is Growing Up on Reality TV

So, it looks like only one question remains — are Luyendyk and Burnham really ready to pledge their lives to each other forever in front of a national audience? I guess we'll see.


40 Western Names Perfect for Your Little Cowboy-to-Be

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Throwback baby names are more popular than ever, but we think it's time to throw it way back — back to a time before the West was won. If you want to capture that rugged Wild West spirit in your little dude, you'll likely get a kick out of these Western names inspired by famous outlaws and icons.

More: 53 Good Ol’ Southern Baby Names

Origins of Western names

Western-sounding baby names can come from many different sources. A lot of the famous names from the American Old West or Wild West (the second half of the 19th century) are the names of famous or infamous outlaws and the sheriffs who sought them. On this list you’ll find the names (first and last) of outlaw brothers Frank and Jesse James as well as the Earp brothers (Morgan, Wyatt and Virgil), legendary lawmen of the Old West.

Other names here come from Western tales in radio, film and literature — from popular actors such as John Wayne and Gary Cooper to authors such as Louis L’Amour to fictional characters such as Ranger Reid, aka The Lone Ranger.

So hop on your horse, don those boots and pop on your cowboy hat; you’re in for a fun ride with these names.

More: 64 All-American Baby Boy Names That'll Never Go Out of Style

Western baby names & their meanings

More: Rugged Baby Boy Names for Your Little Lumberjack

Pin it! Rootin' tootin' Western baby boy names

A version of this article was originally published in January 2013.

Matt Lauer Is Making Life Changes, Even if It's Not What He Wants

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Disgraced former NBC news anchor Matt Lauer is facing yet another big change in his life, and it has to do once again with his housing situation. Lauer's been seeking refuge at his family's home in the Hamptons the last couple of months following a highly-publicized exit from Good Morning America following allegations of sexual harassment coming to light in November 2017.

More: Ann Curry Actually Isn’t Celebrating Matt Lauer’s Termination

Now, new sources are coming forward to report that Lauer will likely be looking for new digs very soon, as he is apparently finally moving out of the Hamptons house after being given marching orders back in January by his ex-wife to whom he was married for nearly 20 years, Annette Roque. According to a source speaking to Us Weekly, it seems Lauer attempted to dig his heels in on the issue of moving out of the Hamptons house, but Roque stood her ground and attempted to do what was best for the family; now, it seems like she finally won this skirmish and Lauer will finally be leaving.

"Getting him to move out was quite daunting because Matt was refusing to leave," an insider to Us Weekly. "It was all about Matt, who expressed concern about how it would look to the media in the wake of being fired by NBC. Annette was simply at a loss for words because she had hoped that he would recognize this was best for her and the kids."

The insider went on to describe that there may have been a bit of head-butting between the former spouses over this issue to the point legal action might have been threatened. "Matt will always be more concerned about public perception and obviously doesn’t want to make headlines for being forced out of the house," the insider noted. "Annette told him that there would never be any limitations on access to their kids." Yikes! That doesn't exactly paint the best portrait of Lauer, now does it?

More: Matt Lauer's Wife, Annette Roque, Has Reportedly Kicked Him Out

Then again, this kind of disconcerting revelation about Lauer's behavior feels par for the course in the months since we learned about the sexual harassment allegations made against him. Following his exit from NBC, from which he got a sizeable and cushy severance package, Lauer issued an apology over the allegations, stating, "There are no words to express my sorrow and regret for the pain I have caused others by words and actions. To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry."

The former Today anchor has kept an extremely low profile, and his life and legacy have crumbled under the weight of the allegations. Reports in the months following indicated that he and Roque had quietly begun the divorce process in January of this year after 19 years of marriage. This news gave way to reports Lauer wasn't living in Manhattan but rather had moved out to the Hamptons, seemingly waiting for the dust to settle around his workplace scandal and his dissolving marriage.

More: Matt Lauer Reportedly Had a "Secret Button" & Sex Toys in His Office

Now, it's unclear where Lauer will land in regard to a living situation. He's officially out of the Hamptons house, and according to Entertainment Tonight, he's also putting his lush 11-room apartment in Manhattan on the market with an asking price of $7.35 million. With no desire to show his face in the city (as the Entertainment Tonight report suggests), no place to call home in the Hamptons and a very hazy professional future, Lauer's life is currently full of changes and full of uncertainty.

Jaime King Was Involved in a Scary Attack While Out & About in LA

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Jaime King was involved in a disturbing incident on Wednesday afternoon while out and about with her son and one of her friends. Thankfully, King, her son and her friend came away from the incident with minor injuries but, as far as we know right now, there was no life-threatening injury sustained by any of these victims. That certainly doesn't make this news any less scary, but it's important to note right at the top that King and her loved ones will be OK.

More: Jaime King Is Totally OK With Being an Imperfect Woman & Mother

E! News reports that on Wednesday afternoon, King was in Beverly Hills with her 4-year-old son, James Knight Newman, and an unidentified female friend of King's. According to the Beverly Hills Police Department, King was outside the car and her friend and her son were inside the car when a man, identified as 47-year-old Paul Francis Floyd, reportedly jumped on King's car and began to smash the windshield of the car. King's friend reportedly jumped out of the front seat and attempted to get into the backseat of the car to protect Newman and was hit in the arm with a can thrown by the attacker in the process.

The official BHPD statement reads as follows: "On April 4, 2018, at approximately 4:43 PM, the Beverly Hills Police Department received several calls of a vehicle vandalism in the 400-block of N. Bedford Drive. Police arrived within minutes and promptly detained the suspect," with a note made that Floyd had also vandalized two other cars by "kicking and jumping on the vehicles."

More: Jaime King Hears Your Body-Shaming, & It Hurts

The BHPD statement continues, "The first vehicle, occupied by a male adult driver, was stopped at the apron of a driveway when the suspect kicked the vehicle causing damage. The second vehicle, occupied by a female adult driver and a four-year-old child, was parked along the curb when the suspect jumped on the vehicle." There was reportedly some glass from the windshield that hit Newman when Floyd shattered the windshield, but there is no word on whether Newman was seriously injured in the process.

Floyd was arrested for felony child endangerment, misdemeanor battery and two counts of felony vandalism and is being held on $100,000 bail. It is unclear at this time why Floyd was allegedly vandalizing these cars. It's also unclear if this was a random occurrence or if this was a premeditated attack on Floyd's part.

More: Jaime King Delivers Some Hard-Hitting Truths About Johnny Depp's Divorce

According to statistics gathered by the LA Times, which is arranged by neighborhood and covers categories like schools and crime, the area of Beverly Hills King was reportedly attacked in has seen very minimal criminal activity in the recent weeks and months. In the week prior to this incident, for example, in Century City (the neighborhood immediately adjacent to where King was attacked, which is itself a very safe area according to this map), there have been zero reported violent crimes, only 5 property-related crimes and 1 reported crime per 10,000 people.

These numbers indicate that what happened to King is very abnormal for the area, and given that, there's no doubt this incident will be thoroughly investigated. For now, neither King nor her friend has released a statement about the attack, but we can only hope they are safe and resting following this very scary incident.

What Jessica Jones Teaches Us About Invisible Illness

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Being seen is hard when you have an invisible illness. It’s easy to feel like even your friends and family — let alone the public and doctors — aren't able to see your condition.

It’s even harder to see yourself depicted in media — if you’re even represented at all. While I understand it may be hard to show something that literally has "invisible" in its name, I’m so tired of only seeing parts of myself — usually in a hospital bed — in medical shows.

Then came the latest season of Jessica Jones on Netflix. I had already been a fan of the show from the beginning, but noticed that in the second season, something had changed. By now, people know about Jones and her powers, and if you tilt your head and squint, she could be seen as a warrior for those with invisible illnesses and disabilities.

More: Lessons From Our Favorite Female TV Doctors

Hear me out: Jones is now outed as a physically strong woman — like, ridiculously strong. Doctors and scientists experimented on her as a child, which ultimately resulted in her power of unbelievable strength. While it may sound like something that's overwhelmingly positive (who wouldn't want to be able to lift heavy things all the time?) it still marks her as different — something she has had to struggle with for 17 years.

That struggle is familiar to me. I didn’t always have an invisible illness — in fact, I was a really healthy kid and loved playing sports. Then around 10 years ago, my stomach just stopped working. Suddenly, I’m being told I can’t process food and I might faint if I stand for too long. Since food is unavoidable, I found my life had changed significantly. All of a sudden, I was a different person, and I didn’t take to it well.

In the new season, everyone looks at Jones differently. People stare at her a little too long. She’s viewed as something to be wary of because she is so strong. They’re afraid of her, like she’s going to either destroy everything or as if her powers can be contagious.

Being different and having others look at you as something abnormal is what people who have physical disabilities face every day. People will look at a scar, a missing leg, a face that doesn’t seem "normal” for too long. They will be afraid to interact with them, like they are a time bomb that will explode if touched.

On the contrary, Jones' powers are not openly visible — until she shows her strength, that is — so she can usually slip under the radar. She can go from being viewed as “normal” until suddenly, she’s different. Suddenly, she’s not like everyone else. She’s abnormal. It’s almost like she lied to them.

For example, in the first episode of the second season, she exposes a man cheating on his girlfriend. The girlfriend asks her to kill him. Instead, Jones tells the cheater that he is caught and that his girlfriend wants her to kill him. “You?” he questions in a mocking manner.

Her response was to demonstrate her strength by bending a metal chair in half with one hand. Jones makes her point.

Similarly, in many cases, doctors don’t believe people — especially women — when they say they’re in pain until there is some physical indication. People with invisible illnesses or disabilities can spend years, maybe even a decade, to find a doctor to take them seriously. It took me around five, and then another three years to actually get a diagnosis and help.

When doctors can’t see the problem, they start to assume the person is the problem.

More: 6 Times the Golden Girls Were Women's Health Pioneers

Jones' relationship with doctors and hospitals is tumultuous to say the least. Having her powers created as part of an experiment has given her a lot of anger and likely PTSD. So much was taken from her when they did this. She can never be normal again. There’s a special kind of grief that comes with losing yourself in such a way.

When she has to face those doctors again, suddenly, all that trauma comes back. She starts to lash out, which only makes her seem more dangerous. Many people with chronic illnesses or disabilities can relate. We have to go through the same process of not going back to who we used to be. We've had similar experiences of having power struggles with doctors who don’t believe us. How the more upset we get, the more hysterical we seem.

Then there’s Jones, just trying to live her life. When her apartment building manager discovers her strength, he’s wary of her. After being served an eviction notice, Jones confronts him. Basically, she calls him out on being a bigot. “You were all smiles, checking out the neighbor until you saw that I was different. That’s called prejudice.” His response was to dismiss her and claim she isn’t a protected class.

This idea of being “normal” but different reminds me a lot of people who have invisible illnesses and need to use handicap parking spaces. Most people end up confronting them, saying they don’t deserve to have this special accommodation. I know that when I take public transport and start to feel faint, I’m too scared to ask for a seat. I’m afraid of the stress of a confrontation.

Again, if you tilt your head and squint, Jones could be a positive role model for those with invisible illnesses. Despite the judgment, she goes on. Despite the pain of her past and her powers, she goes on. She’s not perfect by any means, but that makes her all the better. She isn’t positive all the time but it doesn’t matter. She still goes forward — just like the rest of us with conditions that aren’t seen.

8 Pro Tips for Surviving the Awkward Grow-Out Hair Phase

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No hair journey is more agonizing and time-consuming than the grow-out phase. Short hairstyles, like the pixie or buzz cut, require minimal maintenance, so returning to actual work is quite the culture shock. And instant gratification is nowhere to be found because all-natural growth takes time no matter how many weird hacks or hair vitamins you try.

However, there are ways to make the process a little less daunting without getting frustrated and veering away from your ultimate goal. Ahead, two experts, L’Oréal Professionnel artist Michelle Lindsay and Streeter’s artist Tina Outen, share eight tips that will keep you hopeful and make your grow-out phase more pleasant.

More: Rowan Blanchard Just Cut Her Bob Even Shorter

Have a plan

Mapping out a hair plan with your stylist means there should be tasks that apply to the middle of the process and not just the end.

“When you run a marathon, they don’t just post signs at the start and the finish lines. There are mile markers along the way,” says Lindsay. “Do the same with your hair. Decide some style markers that you can meet along the way so you have something new and fresh to look forward to as you grow it out.”

More: 25 Celebs Who Have Mastered a Fierce Buzz Cut

Keep the shape

Don’t let exasperation and excitement take you off course. Lindsay says while it’s important to stick to your haircut schedule, you should also expect the shape to slightly alter as it grows.

“Layers need to be blended or defined as they grow, and the hair still needs to have body and movement that works with your current length. It might not be quite where you want it to be yet, but it can still look good at every stage.”

More: 10 Weirdly Effective Hacks for Hair Growth

Trim regularly

Although it may feel as though you’re moving backward, Outen says regular trims help rid the hair of split ends, thus fostering healthier growth.

“At some point, you will need a cut/shape for your hair to grow out in,” she says. “Growing out doesn’t have to be awful the whole time. You can get to the point where you can get your layers all the same length […] or you may be growing out a crop and actually need to have layers to give the grow-out a shape.”

Focus on strength

It doesn’t matter what state your hair is currently in. Do everything in your power to keep it healthy and strong. Lindsay recommends regular hair treatments such as L’Oréal Professionnel Powermix to add moisture or a heat protectant such as L’Oréal Professionnel Série Expert 10 in 1 every time you style or restyle.

“Minimize friction when you brush or comb,” she adds. “Don’t make the journey longer than it needs to be by weakening those hair strands and causing split ends.”

More: The Most Dramatic Celebrity Hair Makeovers, Ever

Use your texture

If your hair is naturally wavy or curly, you’re in luck, because texture can be very forgiving. And if you don’t have some, create it.

“Curl your hair in alternating sections — one section toward your face, the next away from your face — until it’s all curled. After curling, gently brush or comb through the hair and finish with a texturizing spray such as L’Oréal Professionnel Tecni.Art Beach Waves or Tecni.Art Next Day Hair,” says Lindsay.

Get creative

Both Lindsay and Outen agree that accessories are an easy fix on those days when you feel discouraged and impatient about the length of your hair. “If you don’t know what to do with them," says Lindsay, “ask your stylist for suggestions or look to Pinterest for inspiration. Make sure to use accessories that won’t damage or break your hair, and don’t apply them too tight or sleep in them, which can cause unnecessary tension.”

Outen adds that “ribbons are fab for hiding nondescript layers sitting in buns or ponytails.” Headbands worn around the hairline also keep strands neatly in place.

More: 21 Celebs Who Put Their Unique Twist on the Pixie Cut

Fake it ’til you make it

Clip-in extensions or wigs come in handy when you grow tired of hiding your growth with accessories alone. Instead of going straight to the beauty-supply store or ordering hair online, Lindsay recommends consulting with a stylist first to figure out the best placement and blend the pieces in with your hair so they look as natural as possible.

“If you decide to get extensions, choose a stylist who’s trained and skilled in their particular extension method. Proper application and removal are key to not damaging your natural hair while it’s trying to grow.”

Stay healthy

Last, be patient and remember that ultimately, only a healthy lifestyle will help your hair reach its maximum growth speed, which Lindsay says averages a quarter-inch to a half-inch per month.

“The health of your hair is directly linked to your overall health. Don’t believe any product that claims otherwise. Improving your diet is the best thing you can do to achieve maximum growth, including making sure you’re getting the recommended doses of omega-3s, biotin, niacin and other essential vitamins.”

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

Why Rosamund Pike Is Often 'Scared' as an Actor

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Rosamund Pike is drawn to play the roles of fierce women — the dreamers (Radioactive), the fighters (Hostiles), the rogues (7 Days in Entebbe), the risk-takers (Gone Girl). While there’s intrinsic bravery in telling those stories, Pike was quick to confess that they fill her with an equal measure of trepidation.

More: Gone Girl's Rosamund Pike Talks Juggling Family & Fame

“There’s fear, of course — and there’s fear the more sort of thin-skinned you become," she told us in a recent interview. "The more you trust the camera, the more you sort of trust your projects, the more you open yourself up and the thinner your skin gets and the more vulnerable you become. So, experience can sometimes mean that you’re freer, and therefore you’re more vulnerable too,”

Pike pointed to two recent roles in particular that gave her pause: the role of correspondent Marie Colvin in A Private War and the role of Rosalie Quaid in the frontier film Hostiles.

Regarding the Colvin role, Pike said, “[I was] very, very scared of stepping into her shoes, especially as she was someone who was lost to the world so recently. She was tragically killed in 2012. [...] It’s recent memory. It’s very sensitive territory. It’s trying to live up to a lioness of a person.”

For all the anxiety and fear she feels as an actor assuming difficult roles, she never feels afraid or intimidated by her male counterparts — even when she's the female minority.

In the political thriller Beirut, which releases on April 11, Pike plays CIA field agent Sandy Crowder, one of the film’s few female characters. Directed by Brad Anderson and starring Jon Hamm, the movie has a heavy male slant.

However, Pike said it was, well, fun. “I think we lived very much like these people who are foreign correspondents, the diplomats," she shared. "They work hard and they play hard, and I think we did too on this movie.” Ultimately, she said shooting was a “great experience.”

More: Rosamund Pike Had a Hard Time Letting Go After Gone Girl

This doesn’t mean Pike is inured to sexism. It was something her character experienced in the ‘80s and Pike used that for the role. While it wouldn’t be a stretch to have a female character swoon over Jon Hamm’s male foil, Pike’s Sandy found him to be irksome. “It’s not the sort of normal or stereotypical chemistry that is expected between a female and male lead in a film." There’s something to be said for that in a broader cultural context.

That sort of role-reversal is key, said Pike, elaborating, “I think the ability to subvert expectations culturally is a great asset for any woman.” So how does that translate into fostering more of a sense of security for women in the industry and beyond?

“We have to start with little girls if we’re to look at women,” Pike said. “It’s how little girls are brought up and educated and given the confidence to be who they are, to shape the world into their own hopes and dreams and not cave to expectations that are placed on them by others or by a male gaze or by anything.”

Pike counts herself fortunate to have grown up with a solid sense of self, for which she credits both her parents. Because Pike grew up with a father whose life philosophy centered on equality, she never felt she was “in any way limited as a woman.” It was arguably that sense of self-worth that carried Pike into her first film experience in Hollywood, one that could very well have gone wrong for a young woman just entering the industry.

Having portrayed Miranda Frost in the Bond film Die Another Day, Pike understands how there could be a certain perception. “My first experience in the film industry was on a Bond set, which one might expect to be a potentially incredibly sexist environment given the history of Bond and the story and the way women are viewed in the novels particularly,” she admitted.

That wasn’t Pike’s experience — thanks to another woman. Producer Barbara Broccoli, Pike revealed, keeps the Bond films to “incredibly fair standards of behavior across the board.”

More: Should a Woman Play James (Jane) Bond?

Despite the fear and anxiety Pike has experienced through the years, she feels one emotion stronger: gratitude. "I feel unbelievably lucky to be playing these women," she told us. "I feel that they’re truly extraordinary human beings, and I can’t believe at times that I’m able to carry them through these movies. It’s a real privilege to live inside these minds.” 

Her newest film, Beirut, hits theaters on April 11, but before you see it in theaters, watch the exclusive featurette about Pike's role below.

'Beirut' Exclusive Featurette

'Beirut' Exclusive Featurette

How to Make Life Easier for a Child With Sensory Processing Disorder

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Sensory processing disorder (formerly referred to as sensory integration dysfunction) is a condition in which the brain has difficulty processing incoming streams of information. Kids — and adults — with this disorder are either over- or under-responsive to sensory stimuli, which can make it a lot more difficult for them to cope with the demands of life.
Unfortunately, getting help for SPD can be tough because the medical community can't even agree that it exists at all — there is no official diagnosis. But it absolutely does exist, insists Dr. Leah Light, director of Brainchild Institute in Hollywood, Florida. "Just ask any parent whose child rips their clothes off because they feel too itchy, holds their hands over their ears because sounds are overwhelming or gags the moment a toothbrush is placed in their mouth whether sensory processing disorder exists. You will hear a resounding 'Yes!'" she tells SheKnows.
The world can be a scary place for kids who have atypical reactions to their sensory environments. And it can be scary for parents too. When a child with SPD has frequent meltdowns and issues with daily tasks, it's hard to know where to begin. But you do have the power to help your kid. Take a deep breath — and take control.

The first step toward helping your child overcome their challenges is to establish what your child's particular likes, dislikes and triggers are.

Is your child a sensory avoider or a sensory seeker?

Kids who are sensory avoiders (i.e., sensitive to particular sensations, such as sound, light or smell) may be drawn to activities that provide intense pressure to the skin, resistance to the muscles and input to the joints, according to STAR Institute for Sensory Processing Disorder. On the other hand, kids who are sensory-seeking are typically extremely active. They often respond positively to very intense forms of sensory stimulation and look for as many ways as possible to jump, fall, crash, kick, pull, push, hang, lift, etc.
It's crucial to remember that your child is different from every other child — and different, even, than every other child with SPD. Some kids may be oversensitive to sensations, others may be sensory-seeking and others fluctuate between the two. They will like some activities and hate others; it's a process of trial and error. Also, your child's patterns may change depending on where they are going, what's going on, who they are with, etc.
Ultimately, a process of elimination will help you identify what makes your child feel happy and safe, and you can then give them opportunities to do those things. This might mean quiet time under a weighted blanket, a few minutes a day on a mini trampoline or special headphones to block out noise at homework time. When you have some idea of what your child needs, you can adapt your daily activities and home routines accordingly.

How to incorporate sensory input into everyday life with your child

  • During bath time, gently scrub your child with a washcloth or bath brush, experiment with a range of soaps and lotions, use shaving cream or bath foam to write and draw on the wall and sprinkle powder onto your child's body and rub it into their skin.
  • During meal preparation, invite your child to mix the ingredients (the thicker the better to work those little muscles); let them mix, roll and flatten dough; tenderize meat with a mallet; and help you carry pots, pans and ingredients.
  • At mealtimes, encourage your child to eat chewy foods and drink with a straw. Experiment with an air cushion to sit on or a weighted blanket on their lap.
  • Let your child help you with household chores both indoors and out: moving furniture, vacuuming, carrying the laundry basket and digging in the garden.
  • Playtime offers so many opportunities for sensory input. Read books in a rocking chair; create obstacle courses in the house for crawling, jumping, hopping, climbing and rolling; listen to quiet music; and add small cars, cups and shovels to sandboxes.
  • Play the "sandwich game" — your child lies between two pillows and you apply different levels of pressure to the "sandwich" to work out what your child likes best, asking them "harder or softer?" as you press.
  • If your child struggles with visits to the dentist or hairdresser, give them a deep head massage beforehand or let them wear a weighted hat. When you're running errands, let your child wear a backpack weighted to their preference with books. Lots of kids with SPD need predictability, so make sure you let them know in plenty of time if you need to make changes to their normal routine or run unscheduled errands.
It's important to recognize signs your child is becoming overstimulated, says STAR. These include sudden yawning, hiccuping or burping, changes in skin color, extreme overactivity and excessively silly or unsafe behavior. If you observe any of these things, stop the activity right away and do what works to calm your child down, such as wrapping them in a blanket, holding them and rocking them slowly or giving them a warm bath or shower.

SPD can be overwhelming for parents. If you're struggling to deal with your child's SPD, there are many professionals with specialized training in sensory integration who can help. Occupational therapists can deal with balance issues and tactile defensiveness. Speech-language pathologists can treat oral motor problems due to an inability to tolerate different foods or textures. And audiologists can help improve poor sound-processing and loudness-sensitivity issues.

"Things improve most when this team of professionals collaborates on a plan for the individual and designs a sensory 'diet' that is tailored to the specific sensory needs of the child," says Light.


Some Surprising But Familiar Faces Are Headed to Dancing With the Stars

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Fans of Dancing With the Stars know that on each season, the athletes tend to do pretty well. And why wouldn't they? They have a serious advantage over other competitors in that they're prepared for the physical rigors of the constant training and rehearsal schedule of the show. They're less likely to get injured, and they're used to the pressure of high-stakes competition.

This season, there will be no advantages, because it will feature an all-athlete cast. The full cast announcement isn't coming until Friday, April 13, but the first three athletes to sign on to compete have been revealed and they're three heavy-hitters from the pantheon of Olympic all-stars. According to the latest report from Entertainment Tonight, chances are good we'll see 2018 Winter Olympics champs snowboarder Jamie Anderson and figure skater Adam Rippon join the DWTS athlete-centric lineup along with former Olympian and pop culture icon, Tonya Harding.

More: 13 Dancing With the Stars Feuds We're Still Not Over

ABC hasn't confirmed this news, but the network typically doesn't comment when casting leaks occur ahead of an official announcement. We don't know yet what other celebrity athletes we're going to see round out this cast, but we're super stoked about the first three. Here are a few reasons why.

Jamie Anderson

Jamie Anderson throwing glitter gif

Anderson is the only female snowboarder to win multiple gold medals; she won the inaugural slopestyle event in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia, and then repeated that at this year's Olympics in Pyeongchang. Also, she's just hilarious and adorable (I'll refer you to glitter-throwin' GIF above).

Anderson is also coming in hot off of competing in the 2018 Winter Olympics, so she's in top shape. But she competes in a truly solo sport, so working in a team may put her at a disadvantage compared to other athletes who are used to working well with others. Still, her competitive nature may just come through and surprise us all.

Adam Rippon

Adam Rippon skating

Like Anderson, Rippon just competed in this year's Olympics, so he's also in top shape. He has the added advantage of being a figure skater, which means his training and skills are very similar to those of a dancer, except you do it on slippery ice with blades on your feet — which sounds way harder, if you ask me. Pulling off these moves in regular shoes on a floor with actual traction seems like it'll be a breeze for this dude.

Rippon is sure to be a fan-favorite after he became an internet sensation during the Pyeongchang Olympics. But from what w can tell from some Googling, he's never competed in pairs skating. The fact that he's used to flying solo may be detrimental when it comes time to pull off complex moves with a partner.

More: 14 Questions With Adam Rippon, the First Openly Gay Figure Skater to Make Team USA

Tonya Harding

Tonya Harding skating

Harding has a very complex history, both in the world of sports and in pop culture. After rising to the top of the figure skating world in the late '80s and early '90s, she became more of a villain than hero after she was accused of orchestrating an attack on fellow skater Nancy Kerrigan. The ensuing public debate about whether Harding actually had a hand in Kerrigan's injury resulted in her being banned from competitive skating for life.

She's recently come somewhat back into the public's good graces, after the award-winning film I, Tonya portrayed her as an abused woman, consistently victimized by those she loved and pressured to do whatever it took to win. Harding's definitely going to be controversial on this season of DWTS, but her figure skating background will likely translate well to the dance floor.

Harding hasn't competed in some time, though, which could be a disadvantage when she arrives on the DWTS dancefloor. She was briefly a competitive boxer but quit in 2004 because of her asthma. The fact that she isn't in competition-ready shape puts her a step behind some of the other athletes who have signed on to compete, but Harding has been a scrappy competitor all her life, so we have no doubt she'll do well.

More: These DWTS Contestants Allegedly Did More With Their Partners Than Just Dance

This athlete-focused season of DWTS is short — only four weeks. That means we're not sure how many total athletes will compete, but we do know eliminations will be coming fast and furious. Out of these first competitors to be revealed, though, my money is on Rippon to make it far. He's a top-tier athlete with dance experience, and he's bound to compete with joy and a happy attitude, which can only help.

Dancing With the Stars: Athletes premieres on Monday, April 30 on ABC.

100 Names for Your Black Pup — Inspired by Pop Culture, Food & More

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So, you've just brought home your adorable new black dog. Whether you did it as a protest against the studies that say black dogs get adopted less often or just because you found your new best friend, having a new pup is an exciting time. It also means it's time to give them an appropriate, new dog name just made for a black pup. Need a few ideas? We're happy to help.

We've pulled together 100 names that perfectly suit a dark-coated pooch and will likely serve as an excellent conversation starter at the dog park too.

More:  Top 11 Dog Breeds for Kids

Black dog names from culture & pop culture

  1. Adhemar
  2. Al Aaraaf
  3. Alice (Parks)
  4. Annabel Lee
  5. Bart
  6. Batman
  7. Blackfoot
  8. Blackheart
  9. Cinderella
  10. Dahlia
  11. Darth Muur
  12. Darth Syn
  13. Deadshot
  14. Diabolique
  15. Donnie (Darko)
  16. Ghost Rider
  17. Harley Quinn
  18. Hecate
  19. Huntress
  20. Kedavra
  21. KITT
  22. Lestat
  23. Lucifer
  24. Lugosi
  25. Morticia
  26. Nevermore
  27. Odile
  28. Poe
  29. Talladega
  30. Velvet
  31. Von Rothbart
Black pug
Image: Giphy

More: How Many Dogs Are Too Many?

Black dog names based on food & drinks

  1. Angus
  2. Anisette
  3. Black bean
  4. Caviar
  5. Chicory
  6. Guinness
  7. Hershey
  8. Licorice
  9. Olive
  10. Poppy Seed
Black puppy
Image: Giphy

More: 130 Unique Female Dog Names That Are Perfect for Your Pup

Black dog names based on things that are black or dark

  1. Ash
  2. Beetle
  3. Blackjack
  4. Bootblack
  5. Brena (raven-haired)
  6. Burlida (black swan)
  7. Char
  8. Chernobog
  9. Chien Noir
  10. Cinder
  11. Cooyung (black wallaby)
  12. Cronin
  13. Crow
  14. Daegan
  15. Delano
  16. Diamond (yes, they can be black!)
  17. Duff
  18. Elvira
  19. Ember
  20. Fascienne
  21. Fia
  22. Inkblot
  23. King of Spades
  24. Kuno
  25. Raven
  26. Mamba
  27. Midnatt
  28. Minuit
  29. Mystica
  30. Nimbus
  31. Panther
  32. Queen of Spades
  33. Rorschach
  34. Silhouette
  35. Smudge
  36. Soot
  37. Tarmac
Black lab
Image: Giphy

More: Here's Why Your Dog Barks All Night Long — & How to Stop It

Miscellaneous black dog names

  1. Blacklist
  2. (The) Crypt Keeper
  3. Cyan (for dogs so black they appear bluish, blue healers)
  4. Devaki
  5. Fey
  6. (The) Immortal
  7. Magick
  8. Menace
  9. Metallica
  10. Misfit
  11. Necromancer
  12. Nightshade
  13. Omen
  14. Orange (because it's been the new black)
  15. Sabbath
  16. Superstition
  17. Thirteen (or Seven if you like irony)
  18. (The) Undertaker
  19. Vlad
  20. Widow
  21. Widow-maker
  22. Witchy-poo
Black puppy petting
Image: Giphy

A version of this article was originally published in May 2015.

Mountain Dew’s BajaBlast Is Finally Coming Back

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We’re at a time when everything that was old is new again. Roseanne is back on the airwaves 20 years later, a bunch of our favorite '90s Disney movies are being remade, and one of the stars of Sex and the City is possibly going to be governor of New York City. And now, we can get excited about one lime-flavored blast from the past.

A tropical soda beverage we once knew and loved, Mtn Dew BajaBlast, will be rereleased in bottles and cans for a limited time only beginning April 23 — for the first time in two years.

More: Taco Bell Adds Even More $1 Items to Its Menu

"Summer's Most Wanted flavor is back, and it's all thanks to the tireless efforts of DEW Nation," said Chauncey Hamlett, senior director of marketing for Mountain Dew, in a press release. "We were overwhelmed by all of the love we saw on social media and other channels, so we worked hard to bring back MTN DEW BAJABLAST.”

The soda, which was originally released in 2004 exclusively to Taco Bell, went on to become a cult favorite. When it disappeared, people on social media kind of freaked out a bit and have been clamoring for its return since.

More: All the Best Snacks You Can Buy on Amazon's Wickedly Prime

BajaBlast will be available at stores nationwide in 20-ounce bottles and 12-packs of 12-ounce cans as well as additional multipack sizes, but only for a limited time (no word on how limited that limited time will be), so you may want to stock up while you can.

Ryan Reynolds Continues to Combat Divorce Rumors in a Very Ryan Reynolds Way

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The news of Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan Tatum's split clearly shook the internet. They seemed like a rock-solid couple, but now we're wondering whether any seemingly perfect Hollywood marriage is safe (something we probably should have wondered when Chris Pratt and Anna Faris split, but we like to believe true love will win in the end, OK?!). As is the case with trends like these, there are some couples we love who end up getting stuck in the crosshairs of breakup rumors that are later proven false. This, it seems, only serves to capitalize on our fears that no couple we love is safe from the breakup bug.

More: Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds' Marriage Secret? "Stay Together"

One of those rock-solid couples who recently found themselves at the center of a glut of breakup rumors is Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively. They, like the aforementioned beloved couples, seem to have a truly enviable marriage. Their easy rapport with one another, ability to make lighthearted jokes at one another's expense and be rock star parents while juggling busy schedules makes them a couple worth rooting for. To be totally honest, if any of those breakup rumors turned out to be true, we would all be heartbroken.

As such, it's easy to imagine that if you're Reynolds and Lively, those breakup rumors have to be incredibly annoying. They're already forced to have so many aspects of their lives put on constant public display, and now people are going to speculate about the strength of their relationship too? Luckily, they seem to have developed a sense of humor about it, as was the case recently when, in the span of just a couple of days, Reynolds repeatedly took the funny route in combating these rumors. He's been shutting them down with some hilarious tweets, including this recent one in response to a headline saying he joined Lively and his mom on the red carpet.

Ryan Reynolds tackles split rumors on twitter 1

Ryan Reynolds tackles split rumors on twitter 1

More:  Ryan Reynolds Gushes About Blake Lively, the World Reaches Peak Jealousy

This comes swiftly on the heels of Reynolds' first breakup rumor takedown, which happened on March 31. In that instance, he took on another headline that said he and Lively were headed for a split because they were too busy to spend time together. Reynolds' reply ("I wish. I could use a little 'me time'") feels like something so perfect for the situation at hand. It was funny, wry and right to the point — classic Reynolds.

Ryan Reynolds tackles split rumors on twitter 3

Ryan Reynolds tackles split rumors on twitter 3

More: Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds Are Still "Feuding" on Instagram

At the end of the day, though, these kinds of rumors only make the rumor-starter look dumb. Reynolds and Lively deserve to be able to live in peace without a constant barrage of complete strangers questioning their marriage. Even though they just use this as an opportunity to have fun and show how strong their relationship truly is, they deserve to go back to joking about things like their kids and Lively's total transformation for her movies. #EndTheRumors!

Carrie Underwood Is Publicly Shaming This Organization

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Among the many titles Carrie Underwood currently holds — singer, actor, philanthropist and mother — we learned earlier this week she is also an unabashed supporter of her husband, hockey player Mike Fisher. That support came out in full force when an alleged bad call by a referee resulted in a loss for Fisher's team, the Nashville Predators. That bad call seemed to set Underwood off, resulting in her doing something we're not really used to seeing from the normally mild-mannered singer: calling out the NHL hard on Twitter.

More: Carrie Underwood's Emotional Letter to Fans Gives New Information About Her Fall

Following the Tuesday night matchup between the Predators and the Florida Panthers, Underwood hopped on Twitter to make her feelings known. It seems Predators player Filip Forsberg scored what would have been the tying goal until officials threw it out, citing goaltender interference. Forsberg had scored the goal with only 0.6 seconds left in the game, so when it was thrown out, the game ended 2 – 1, with the Panthers winning. Underwood was not stoked about her husband's team's loss.

Carrie Underwood tweets about husbands' hockey loss 1

Carrie Underwood tweets about husbands' hockey loss 1

Carrie Underwood tweets about husbands' hockey loss 2

Carrie Underwood tweets about husbands' hockey loss 2

Carrie Underwood tweets about husbands' hockey loss 3

Carrie Underwood tweets about husbands' hockey loss 3

"Goaltender interference? Are you out of your mind? On what planet? #WorstCallEver @PredsNHL #NSHvsFLA," she wrote on Twitter. "Biggest pile of [poop emoji] ever! Preds were straight up robbed. I am seriously livid. @NHL, fix this."

More: Carrie Underwood Shares Her First Post-Fall Selfie, & It's for an Important Cause

The loss stung particularly badly because it meant the Predators won't win their division or conference. Fisher offered his support for his wife's sentiments, though in a slightly less serious way.

Carrie Underwood tweets about husbands' hockey loss 4

Carrie Underwood tweets about husbands' hockey loss 4

"If there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s you’re always right," he wrote, along with a cry-laughing emoji.

This definitely isn't the first time Underwood has supported Fisher and his career. He actually briefly retired from playing hockey in August of 2017, but when he announced his return to the sport in February of 2017, Underwood was his biggest cheerleader.

"This is happening! Fish is back! So proud of you, baby! We want the cup!!!" she tweeted at the time.

Carrie Underwood tweets Mike Fisher's NHL return 1

Carrie Underwood tweets Mike Fisher's NHL return 1

More: Carrie Underwood Sustains Injuries After a Scary Fall

Underwood has been ramping up her social media use after taking a big step back from it after a fall in November of 2014 required her to get 40 facial stitches. But she's been easing back in (including her first post-fall selfie, which was to support a great cause), amid reports she's getting back into the recording studio (could we be getting new music in 2018? *Fingers crossed!*)

Until then, here's hoping the Predators' luck turns around soon and Underwood continues to call injustices out on social media. We're here for it!

Why You May Want to Consider Scheduling Sex

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We schedule things like hair appointment, facials and dinner dates with friends. This can make the event seem exciting, give you something to look forward to and, after having a wonderful time, realize you need to schedule more time to practice self-care in these ways. In fact, you probably leave many of these events or appointments wondering why you don't do this more often.

And do you know what experts say we should be scheduling more of? Sex.

While it may not exactly sound sexy, there are so many benefits to scheduling intimate time, whether you are in a spicy new relationship, have been married for 30 years or you are a young couple with kids trying to recreate some of the passion you had when you first started dating.

More: The Most Common Sex Injuries & How to Avoid Them

We spoke with some experts on the subject who gave us some convincing reasons scheduling can be an essential part of a healthy sexual relationship. It doesn't have to be boring, and it certainly won't take the spark out of sexy time. In fact, it can have the opposite effect.

The buildup is fun

Kelley Kitley, a licensed clinical social worker at Serendipitous Psychotherapy, says scheduling sex is a great way to give "both people an opportunity to look forward to it and prep," she says. It can get the mood going earlier in the day if you pick out some sexy undies, spray on a little perfume and send each other flirty texts.

It doesn't take the sexy factor out of sex

Xanet Pailet, a sex and intimacy coach, recommends scheduled sex dates to all her clients even though she gets an unenthusiastic response. Most couples want this to be more spontaneous, yet she believes the opposite to be true. She also agrees with Kitley about the importance of creating a lot of anticipation and excitement.

The point is to have more fun

Pailet says this should not be viewed as work, as some couples are afraid it will be. Scheduling sex a few days in advance gives you the time and energy to “set the scene," something you can't do if you are spontaneous. She suggests lighting candles, teasing your partner leading up to your date and telling them what you'd like them to wear or do to you.

It can make you & your partner feel important

Kitley points out sex is one of the main things that makes our relationship with our partner different than any other relationship we have. It's beneficial to your relationship to show your partner you value them because you are making time to connect on an intimate level and make it an important part of your day, as it sends the message you are setting aside this time only for them.

Pailet also adds that our to-do lists these days are forever growing, and the reality is if you aren't scheduling sexy time, it is going to slip through the cracks, and at the end of the day, since it hasn't been in the forefront of your mind, you will likely put it off — again.

MoreHere's What People Got Stuck in Their Vaginas Last Year

A date might not always lead to sex, & that's OK

Pailet says to be understanding if your scheduled time doesn't lead to sex for some reason, but what's important is you've had a chance to be intimate with your partner and connect because "just making time for intimacy and connection will help keep your sex life alive and juicy."

Remember, the intention of scheduling sex is not to make it a chore, and it doesn't mean you can't be spontaneous anymore either. The purpose is to make sex a priority just like we do with so many things in our lives. And you never know. It may get your juices flowing enough to surprise your partner with sexy advances more often.

In One Hour, I Learned I Was Adopting — & Pregnant With Twins

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The following is an excerpt from the memoir A Normal Life by Kim Rich, out now from Graphic Arts Books, reprinted with permission and condensed for length.

I am not particularly religious. But my Italian Old-World Catholic grandmother was, and for a time during my childhood, I lived with her. She would enthrall me with tales of the Virgin Mary appearing to young children atop bushes... At age 7, I thought it would be pretty cool to see the Mother Mary. But I'd long forgotten about such notions by the time my own miracle occurred.

For the previous six years, my husband and I had tried to have a child. We began that effort soon after marrying. I'm 10 years older than he is, and my biological clock — at age 37 — was well into the bonus round. In our efforts, we endured one setback after another. Early on, we declared that we weren’t going to be "one of those couples" who try everything and go to the ends of the earth and all just to have a kid. But then we went to the ends of the earth and all.

We traveled extensively to undergo elaborate and multiple in-vitro-fertilization procedures in Seattle. I still have scar tissue from all the shots. As if that weren’t enough, we were scammed by a private adoption agency for $7,000. At yet another point, we were told I suffered from an auto-immune condition. We began a year of treatments at a clinic in the San Francisco Bay area. Luckily, my husband’s work took him to S.F. on a frequent basis, but if we had been told to go to Timbuktu for something that would have resulted in a baby, we probably would have done that, too.

More: Not Your Mom's Adoption: What the Process Looks Like in 2018

A few years later, during a routine mammogram, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. That was bad enough, but the worse news was that we had to put our efforts to start a family on hold. The good news was that my cancer was caught so early as to be labeled "Stage 0" — no lump, just some specs of calcified, minute growths inside a breast duct. But since I was premenopausal and trying to have a baby, I decided to take a scorched-earth approach to my cancer: I chose a double mastectomy with implant reconstruction.

We ended up going through four first-trimester miscarriages. Two of those pregnancies were from the in-vitro procedures, and two were what’s called spontaneous pregnancies, aka the old-fashioned way. The first miscarriage was devastating, but after that one, it all began to feel like one big science fair project that wasn’t working out.

Meanwhile, we signed up with Catholic Social Services in Anchorage, seeking to adopt. All along, this was our plan. We didn’t care how we got a baby — just that we got one. I even decided that I would do both, if possible: adopt and give birth to children.

More: These Organizations Help People Afford the Cost of IVF

So what about that miracle? Here it is: During one midmorning hour on a Tuesday, we learned our adopted daughter had just been born — and that I was pregnant with twins. That's right: A birth mom had chosen us, our oldest daughter was born that morning, and the ultrasound revealed we were having twins. Suddenly, we were the parents of, essentially, triplets.

Through early testing, a few days earlier, we had learned that I was pregnant. Again. And we had declared this would be the last time we were going to go through this. We had endured so many losses, and we didn't have any expectations that this one would survive.

That Tuesday, I had insisted we go into our obstetrician’s office because I felt I was miscarrying (the day before, I had some spotting). Meanwhile, my husband had gone to work that day to find a message from the adoption agency telling him we had been picked by a birth mom. When he returned the call, they told him that the baby — a healthy seven-pound girl — had been born that morning, two weeks early. My husband told me this incredible news as he drove us to the doctor’s office for my appointment. And when we got there, during the ultrasound, we saw it — or rather, them — two heartbeats.

More:  The Real Cost of Fertility Treatments & Adoption

The doctors in Seattle had assured us that if we were, by some miracle, to become pregnant with twins, the pregnancy would be more likely to go to term. Twins. Plus one equals three. I was 44.

My husband’s response: “They are meant to be together.”


An Insider Is Talking About Jennifer Garner's Dating Life, & We Have Feelings

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We're all pretty interested in Jennifer Garner's love life right now. Sorry, not sorry. We can't help it. It's definitely based in the fact that we love her and want her to be happy in this post-Ben Affleck era of her life. But as interested as we are, we don't really want to hear from "anonymous sources" speculating on her love life anymore.

The latest rumors (because, yes, they are just rumors) came from an "insider" who told Entertainment Tonight that Garner "wants to be very careful and very selective when she does find the time to date — because of the kids."

More: Jennifer Garner Is Mourning the Loss of Her Favorite Pet Chicken on Instagram

The source added, "She hasn't made dating a priority. Jen wants to make sure that when she finally does decide she is ready for romance that her next man is in it for the long run."

While all of that makes sense, we kind of have to take it with a grain of salt, right? We don't know where that information is coming from. It's unlikely it's someone too close to Garner and her family, because the people she knows and trusts probably wouldn't give private information about her to reporters, anonymously or otherwise.

As a former newspaper journalist, I understand source mapping, which is what it's called when journalists build a network of people who are in the know and can give them tips about stories they should pursue. But I also understand that there are ethics concerns when it comes to printing information without attributing it to a source. You don't know if that information is true, and if the readers don't know who it came from, they can't judge whether the source is credible or hold anyone accountable for false information. Sure, entertainment news is a little different from politics or economics, but why shouldn't we hold entertainment reporters to the same standards?

More: How Jennifer Garner Moved on From Ben Affleck in 2017

Garner isn't even close to the first celeb to have anonymous sources speculating about her life. This is so common in entertainment news — Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan Tatum, Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux and Ben Affleck and his new girlfriend, Lindsay Shookus, have all been victims of this just in the last few weeks. Maybe it's time we stop speculating on celebrities' private lives until the information comes from the horse's mouth. What do you think?

Presenting: The Most Popular Baby Names of 2018

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When it comes to baby names, the options for expecting parents can honestly be a bit overwhelming. There are countless lists boasting classic, quirky, vintage, elaborately long and downright wild options, including everything from Jack to Chardonnay (yes, it seems one too many glasses were at play when choosing that one). But, before making a huge decision (this is your kid's name, after all), it's good to get a feel for the most popular titles on the market.

And you're in luck: Based on previous years' data from the Social Security Administration, Names.org just released its list of predictions for 2018's hottest baby names — and we've got to admit we were surprised by just how normal they are. Sorry, Chicago and Stormi. Maybe you'll have better luck influencing people next year?

More: Gender-Neutral Baby Names That Are Just a Wee Bit Out of the Box

Let's kick it off with the list of boy names you'll see more of this year.

Top 10 boys names:

1. Noah
2. Liam
3. Benjamin
4. Oliver
5. William
6. James
7. Elijah
8. Lucas
9. Mason
10. Michael

These are some solid selections. According to Names.org, Benjamin and Oliver are on the rise, while William and James are just a tad less popular than they were in the past. You might also be on the lookout for names like Matthew, Jackson, Grayson and Aiden, which are rapidly rising in the ranks.

More: 40 Western Names Perfect for Your Little Cowboy-to-Be

Top 10 girls names:

1. Olivia
2. Emma
3. Ava
4. Charlotte
5. Mia
6. Sophia
7. Isabella
8. Harper
9. Amelia
10. Evelyn

Just like the boy's list, there's not a bad name in the batch for girls. Emma, which has held steady in the top five for years, slipped just a bit according to Names.org, while names like Harper and Evelyn inched their way up the ladder.

More: 55 Celebrity Baby Names We Wished We'd Thought of First

It'll be interesting to see if the mix becomes more eclectic in the future, as celebrities keep coming up with unexpected names for their kids. Earlier this year, Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo welcomed baby Gio Grace, and Chrissy Teigen recently joked about naming her yet-to-be-born baby boy Urban Legend. (Get it?)

For now, we'll continue monitoring the list while keeping our fingers crossed that Bear doesn't make its way into the top 1,000 quite yet.

Chip & Joanna Gaines Just Welcomed a New Kid (Literally) Into the Family

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Holy shiplap, the newest member of the Gaines family is cute! But unlike Chip and Joanna's other children — Drake, Duke, Emmie Kay, and Ella — this new kid won't be able to help out at the family's Magnolia storefront, mainly because she doesn't have any thumbs.

Chip and Joanna Gaines new goat

Chip and Joanna Gaines new goat

"Chip woke the kids up this morning with this sweet baby goat... cutest wake up call ever!" Joanna captioned a sweet Instagram post of their newborn kid.

More: Chip Gaines Reveals How He Won Joanna's Heart All Those Years Ago

Sincere apologies to anyone who thought the couple had given birth to their fifth child, a baby boy, but we couldn't resist an udderly good (or cheesy... sorry — we'll stop) joke.

This isn't the first time Chip has surprised his family with new animals. He's been known to show up at the farm with puppies, kittens, pigs and calves. What can we say? If there's anything that man loves more than demo day, it's his collection of furry friends. And who could blame him? They're so darn cute.

More: Chip & Joanna Gaines Slammed for Having a 5th Kid

I for one will never fully understand just how the Gaines family can accomplish so much while making it all look so easy. All with a fifth kid on the way, they just wrapped their final season of Fixer Upper to prepare for their new show, Fixer Upper: Behind the Design, which premieres next week on HGTV. Additionally, they just opened a breakfast joint and Jo's about to release her first cookbook, Magnolia Table. Oh, and did we mention they're still running their shop in Waco, Texas, and selling goods at Target? It's almost annoying how together their shit is.

More: Joanna Gaines Says She Can't Hide Her Baby Bump Anymore

In all sincerity, we can't wait to see what this family does next — at the very least, we're counting on more baby goat pics, which in these trying times is something we all need.

Frozen 2 Is Happening, & Kristen Bell Has Things to Say

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It feels like we've been hearing about Frozen 2 for absolute ages, which means it feels like the movie should be released sometime soon, right? Well, if you can believe it, we're still more than a year away from the sequel to the hit 2013 film coming to movie theaters, with a scheduled premiere date of Nov. 27, 2019; that's just way too far away. It's especially too far away for Frozen fans, who have been champing at the bit for any kind of news about the sequel.

More: Because We Can't Handle Any More Sad News, Let's Talk About Frozen 2

Thankfully, national treasure Kristen Bell, who plays Anna in Frozen, made an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Thursday. While there, she was able to give us some kind of hint about where in the production process Frozen 2 currently is and managed to give us some tantalizing clues about the sequel as well. Even though she can't spill too, too much about Frozen 2 (thanks a lot, ironclad Disney contract!), the hints she did manage to give will surely delight you.

The biggest takeaway is that Bell has already recorded her Frozen 2 dialogue. "I have recorded the movie,” she revealed to DeGeneres. “There will be edits before it’s finished, but I know the songs. I know the story. It’s very good," she went on to tease just before cutting herself off. "I can’t say much more than that or I’ll get in trouble!"

Kristen bell Frozen 2 Ellen Video

Kristen bell Frozen 2 Ellen Video

More: Kristen Bell at the SAG Awards Proved She Should Host Everything

Even though Bell is trying to be coy about this, there's plenty to get excited about. First off, we can safely guess that if Bell has already recorded her dialogue, things like edits and any potential reshoots will be happening in the coming months or over the summer. From there, we can safely guess that with postproduction likely wrapping up in late summer or early fall, chances are good that around November of this year we could be getting our first teaser trailer. This is a fairly standard practice, especially for Disney, who likes to release trailers up to a year in advance of a film's scheduled release date. If that Frozen 2 trailer does drop this fall, that means we'll finally get our first big clues about the story. It also means we could get our first snippet of what will no doubt be an iconic new score or maybe even one of those songs Bell mentioned while chatting with DeGeneres.

Gah, this is too exciting!

GIF Anna Excited from Frozen

We also know most of the original voice cast is returning for Frozen 2. In addition to Bell, both Idina Menzel (who plays Elsa) and Josh Gad (who plays Olaf) are set to return. However, the rest of the cast is still a big mystery, so who knows if Anna's beau, Kristoff, will be back? We can only hope! Then again, Bell teased in an interview with CinemaBlend in late 2017 that there will be tons of new characters folks will fall in love with in Frozen 2, so maybe don't get too hung up on the possibility Kristoff might not be coming back. Additionally, The Telegraph seems to think big changes are afoot for Frozen 2. They're guessing it's possible Elsa and Anna are getting new wardrobes and Olaf may be getting a love interest of his own.

More: Let Frozen’s Elsa's Sexuality Go — Just Let It Go!

So, basically, there are still a lot of exciting details to be revealed about Frozen 2, but what we know now is pretty dang fun. Keep an ear to the ground, though, because something tells me this isn't that last time we'll hear about Frozen 2 in 2018.

Chrissy Teigen Was Once 'Embarrassed' By Her Ethnic Culture

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Chrissy Teigen has a best-selling cookbook, an Instagram brimming with chicken-wing belfies and topless salad-making, and a palette that ranges from cake-batter popcorn to tongue-singeing hot pot. But growing up, she was a surprisingly picky eater.

Raised by a Thai mom and a Norwegian-American dad, Teigen leaned more toward her dad’s tastes, eating mainly potatoes and meat and wincing when her mom would cook Thai cuisine. “My dad is a big white guy. We ate very meat and potatoes, cabbage and meat,” Teigen tells StyleCaster at the launch of Pampers Pure, for which she is a creative consultant. “Whenever my mom cooked, she hid it because I would make fun of the smell.”

Teigen tells StyleCaster at the launch of Pampers Pure

Though Teigen eventually grew to love Thai cuisine, she recalls feeling embarrassed to invite friends over and serve them food that might be foreign to them when she was younger. “I remember being really embarrassed by it when I was young and had friends over,” Teigen says. “It was weird to pull shrimp heads off and discard the body and eat the head. There were moments when as a kid you cringe.”

Teigen credits that complex about her culture to ignorance and a desire to fit in, things she’s since overcome. Now, as a mom to 2-year-old daughter, Luna, and a not-yet-born baby boy, Teigen is aware of the importance of racial representation and diversity, especially for children. This is why instead of “blonde Barbies,” Teigen gives Luna brown-skinned dolls—which they’ve named Coco Babies—who look like Luna. She also puts on children’s TV and movies that feature racially diverse characters whom Luna can see herself in.

“Having something that represents them or looks a little like them, it changes everything,” Teigen says. “I never thought that way before. I always thought, ‘Why can’t she just play with a regular blonde Barbie?’ There is something to be said about having something that has your skin color, your hair color, your eye color, your eye shape.”

Chrissy Teigen and Luna

Chrissy Teigen and Luna

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However, Teigen acknowledges that there are things Luna may face that are out of her control. Having grown up multiracial and not knowing where exactly she fit in, Teigen worries that Luna—whose father and Teigen’s husband, John Legend, is African-American—might face a similar complex. Though, with world’s fast-changing racial landscape, she hopes that things will be different for her kids as they grow up.

“I remember feeling confused when I grew up, filling out the forms on those standardized tests. I was like, ‘Am I Pacific Islander? What am I? I don’t even know!” Teigen says. “And then there was ‘Other.’ But I always said ‘Asian’ for some wild reason, even though it’s a perfect 50/50. Still, I remember the biggest question growing up was, ‘What are you? What are you? What are you?’ And you’re like, ‘Oh my God.’ I worry sometimes that Luna is going to be so much in the middle that she’s not going to know, but I think by the time she grows up, it’s such a melting pot, this whole world now.”

Though Teigen is multiracial, she now identifies strongest with her Thai side (“maybe because my mom is the stronger personality,” she says), which is why she feels an obligation to represent Asian-Americans in the media. So far, she’s done it by popularizing lesser-known Thai recipes, such as her pork-stuffed cucumber soup, in her cookbook, Cravings.

Teigen tells StyleCaster at the launch of Pampers Pure

More: Why Is It So Hard for the U.S. to See Asian-American Olympians as American?

Still, Teigen isn’t happy with the current representation of Asian-Americans in Hollywood. She recalls a recent conversation with Legend about #OscarsSoWhite and how she fought Legend’s claim that the Academy was steadily improving by referencing the lack of Asian-Americans in awards and movies.

 “I hope I can do more. So many movies come out where they’re putting people who have no Asian background at all in roles, and it’s frustrating because you know that there is so much talent out there. I think it’s really important to feature Asian-Americans. We’re so underrepresented in every single aspect of the entertainment industry, and I think our turn will come, and it’s going to be fantastic.”

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

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