More than a week ago, Jill Duggar-Dillard finally gave birth to her first child, a son named Israel David Dillard. Jill was two weeks past her due date, and when Israel finally came out, he was HUGE. Which was enough to make me feel really sorry for Jill, because two weeks overdue must have been really uncomfortable, plus I thought squeezing out a gigantic baby probably hurt like hell. As it turns out, Jill had a C-section. It wasn’t entirely her choice – Jill wanted to have an all-natural, drug-free, home birth. But Israel had other ideas. And the whole ordeal involved Jill being induced after a 70 HOUR LABOR.

Jill Duggar and her husband Derick Dillard had planned to have their first child at home, but after a series of frightening circumstances the first-time mom had an emergency C-section for her baby Israel David Dillard. RadarOnline.com reported last week on the growing speculation that Duggar had gone under the knife, and the 19 Kids & Counting star confirmed the dramatic delivery details in an article out Tuesday.

She spent 20 hours in labor but tested positive for strep B, a bacteria that is common during birth but required her to take antibiotic via an IV, according to People magazine. She also saw a slight trace of meconium (fetal waste, which can be a sign of distress) and decided to forgo her home birth plan and head to the hospital.

“I was praying to God to give me strength,” the first Duggar daughter to give birth said. “I was really scared and nervous, but I was praying.”

The 23-year-old tried everything she could to avoid drugs once at the hospital. Duggar explained that she initially declined the drug Pitocin, which helps induce labor, and pain medication, but the baby turned into a transverse breech position. Finally after 70 hours of labor, when the fetus was showing irregular heart rates and had not yet descended, the doctors expressed concern for both her health and that of her son. So the Duggar and Dillard agreeded hat it was time for a cesarean section. Jill’s own mother, Michelle Duggar, has had 4 C-sections and 13 regular births in a row.

They then safely welcomed their son, Israel David Dillard, at 11:49 pm and he weighed a healthy 9-lb., 10-oz. Despite the change in plans, Duggar says that she wouldn’t change a thing.

“I love our birth story because it bonded us so well,” she told the magazine. “I still haven’t changed a single diaper. Derick has been changing them all.”

[From Radar]

Well, I’m glad she finally agreed to a C-section. It didn’t sound like she had much choice in the matter – I mean, what else could the doctors say to her? This is the way it had to happen. But I do feel sorry for her because it sounds like her birth plan went to hell almost immediately and she was in pain for a really long time. You’d think that after an experience like that, Jill and Derick would want to wait to get pregnant again, but ten bucks says she’s knocked up again in the next eight months.

Photos courtesy of Jill & Derick’s Instagrams, cover courtesy of People.

Congratulations to Billy Joel and Alexis Roderick.

The legendary Piano Man singer, 65, and his longtime girlfriend, 33, are expecting their first child together this summer, Us Weekly reports.

The Grammy Award-winning singer is also dad to daughter Alexa Ray Joel, 29, with ex-wife, supermodel Christie Brinkley.

The parents-to-be started dating in 2009, following Joel’s split from his third wife Katie Lee. The Uptown Girl hitmaker was also previously married to first wife Elizabeth Weber Small in the 1970s and early ’80s.

The pair plan “to keep any further details of her pregnancy under wraps until their new addition makes an official debut.”

Joel has a regular residency at Madison Square Garden in New York City. His next show is scheduled for May 28.

Sofia Vergara and Nick Loeb were together, on and off, for years. They were engaged, they lived together, they were planning a future together, and then they weren’t. They repeated that cycle many times. At various points, Sofia talked about having a baby with Nick, and how she froze some of her eggs and was thinking about either getting pregnant or having a gestational carrier. I always thought that Sofia really wasn’t all that interested in having another baby, that Nick was the one wanting to turn Sofia into a stay-at-home wife and mother, because he just seems like that kind of dude (the kind of dude who was jealous of her career and success). I also heard stories that Nick and Sofia had gone so far as to create some frozen embryos and they had picked out their gestational carrier and everything.

Well, now that Nick and Sofia are totally done and she’s with Joe Manganiello, Nick is apparently suing Sofia over their frozen embryos. This is according to In Touch Weekly – they got their hands on some documents claiming Loeb (going by John Doe) wants to stop Sofia from destroying the embryos they created while together. I’m pretty sure this was a case on Law & Order.

Sofía Vergara’s former fiancé, Nick Loeb, has filed a lawsuit in California to prevent her from destroying two cryopreserved female embryos created through in vitro fertilization, In Touch Weekly is reporting exclusively. Court documents obtained exclusively by In Touch reveal that just six months before their split, in November 2013, Nick and Sofía had embryos created as a result of his sperm and her eggs being fertilized.

Nick, who filed the suit under the pseudonym John Doe, “seeks to ensure that the Female Embryos are not destroyed, but Jane Doe [Sofía] refuses to agree to their preservation under all circumstances,” the document obtained by In Touch states. (The lawsuit was originally filed in August 2014; it was amended with new information and refiled on April 1 after Nick sought new representation.)

The court papers also claim that the 42-year-old actress “was physically and mentally abusive” to Nick on numerous occasions. “She punched him in the face on two occasions, kicked him, and threw her phone at his head. She also routinely bullied him, calling him a ‘loser,’ ‘worthless’ and other degrading names,” according to the papers.

In Touch has also learned, via the documents, that the couple previously used a surrogate and twice unsuccessfully had their embryo implanted in her. “Nick has always wanted to be a father and will do whatever it takes to save these two remaining female embryos,” an insider close to the situation tells In Touch. “Nick is very emotionally invested in these female embryos because he’s pro-life and believes life begins at conception.”

The court documents also state “John seeks to save from destruction two cryopreserved Female Embryos created using John’s sperm and Jane’s ova for the purposes of attempting to have children. However, before the Female Embryos could be implanted in a surrogate, the Parties ended their relationship,” adding that Sofía “hoped for the Female Embryos to ultimately be destroyed” but “John does not desire for the Female Embryos to be destroyed.”

The documents claim that when Nick and Sofía met at the California-based fertility center on Nov. 16, 2013 — four months after their engagement and prior to undergoing a second round of IVF — they got into a heated argument about what should happen to the new embryos in the event of their death. (The center provided forms to the couple for a decision about what would happen in the event of death — but not separation, Nick claims in the document. Because of this, he is also suing the center to prevent them from destroying the embryos.) “Jane insisted that in such a circumstance, the Female Embryos be thawed with no further action,” state the documents. “John did not agree with Jane and refused to initial his agreement regarding that term.”

“Jane insisted that John agree to the destruction of the Female Embryos under that circumstance, and began vigorously berating him in the offices,” the documents claim, adding that Sofía had a history of physically and emotionally abusing Nick. “John Doe signed this portion of the Former Directive, even though he did not agree with it, in order to avoid further abuse.”

[From In Touch Weekly]

This is pretty crazy, right? Loeb is very much aligned with Republican politics (there was even talk of Loeb running for political office in Florida), and I figured he was anti-choice. But honestly, say he gets what he wants and these embryos are not destroyed. What will he do then? Ask some other woman to be his gestational carrier and then raise the daughter on his own? I wouldn’t even put it past Loeb to sue Sofia for child support in that situation. And yes, this was definitely an episode of Law & Order.

As for Sofia abusing him and hitting him… O RLY? I’m sorry, but I don’t believe that.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

Kelly! Happy Birthday with love from Mags!

Srdjan is 31 years old, a computer programmer in Croatia, graduating after 5 years in university, through 20 surgeries, 11 cycles of chemotherapy, and 30 radiation treatments. Because he’s been suffering from bone cancer in his leg since he was 15. S…      

Kelly! Happy Birthday with love from Mags!

Srdjan is 31 years old, a computer programmer in Croatia, graduating after 5 years in university, through 20 surgeries, 11 cycles of chemotherapy, and 30 radiation treatments. Because he’s been suffering from bone cancer in his leg since he was 15. S…      

Congratulations are in order for Kimora Lee Simmons and Tim Leissner.

The model-entrepreneur, 39, and her financier husband, 45, have welcomed their first child together – son Wolfe Lee Leissner – PEOPLE reports.

“We are filled with joy, adoration and gratitude as we celebrate the birth of our son,” the proud parents gush in a statement.

No further information – including the baby’s birth date – has been announced at this time.

Mom and baby are doing well, and Leissner is “ecstatic,” according to the rep.

Simmons is already mom to daughters Ming, 15, and Aoki, 12, with ex-husband Russell Simmons, as well as 5½-year-old son Kenzo with Djimon Hounsou. Also, Leissner is dad to two daughters, ages 9 and 12, from a previous relationship.

Dear Gossips,

The 2015 list of the Worst Jobs came out yesterday with Newspaper Reporter ranking #1 followed by Lumberjack. I totally thought Telemarketer would be on there but it’s not. Do you know how mean people are to Telemarketers? You’re about to tell me how annoying they are and how aw…      

Dear Gossips,

The 2015 list of the Worst Jobs came out yesterday with Newspaper Reporter ranking #1 followed by Lumberjack. I totally thought Telemarketer would be on there but it’s not. Do you know how mean people are to Telemarketers? You’re about to tell me how annoying they are and how aw…      

#repost

A photo posted by Perrie Edwards ?????? (@perrieeele) on Apr 2, 2015 at 12:23pm PDT

Zayn Malik has been laying low for a few good weeks. My daughter asks daily whether Zayn has returned to One Direction, and she’s always disappointed at the answer. Media coverage tells me that Zayn doesn’t regret quitting the band and immediately starting his solo career. It will be okay, despite what millions of heartbroken tweens still feel at this moment.

The future of Zayn’s musical career is still unknown. His personal life, on the other hand, is on the up and up. Zayn has dated singer Perrie Edwards (of Little Mix) since late 2011. Despite a cheating scandal and continued rumors, their 2-year engagement is still going full force. He’s 22, and she’s 21. What could go wrong? A new report says Zayn and Perrie are very serious about getting married this summer. Granted, the source (Heat magazine, via the Irish Mirror) isn’t the greatest, but they’ve gathered up a number of breadcrumbs that point towrads a June wedding …. at Disneyland Paris. Here are the clues:

1. Zayn’s sister Safaa shared a picture of Perrie in a wedding dress which was captioned “Cinderella #loveweddings”

2. Perrie surprised Zayn with a trip to Disneyland Paris for his 21 birthday in 2014- the pair have never looked happier in pictures.

3. Pictures linked to Liam Payne’s girlfriend Sophia Smith showed Perrie standing in front of a carriage – just like Cinderella’s AND a bunch of cream invites.

4. Perrie’s best mate Katherine Spires told a Little Mix fans that she was going to Disneyland in June

5. The Little Mix singer LOVES Disney – just recently a picture of Perrie, Trisha and Zayn’s sisters Doniya, 22, Waliyha, 16 and Safaa, 12, was circulated on Twitter with the suggestion that they had watched Disney movie Cinderella in VIP seats at a Vue cinema.

6. Everyone wants them to have a happy ever after – a source said. An insider says, “Perrie is a huge Disney fan. So what better way for Zayn’s family to support her and encourage her to press on with wedding plans, than reminding her of her favourite fairytale. The family are hell-bent on Perrie and Zayn having their own happy ever after.”

[From Irish Mirror]

All of this could be fanfiction because all of the alleged Instagram evidence has been erased. But it could be true. I think that Perrie is eager to tie down this marriage for whatever reason. She seems to be in denial over Zayn’s cheating, and he’s now a free agent (in search of an anchor) after leaving One Direction. If they get married, it will never last more than a few years. They’re both internationally famous pop stars and so young. I also agree with Gawker when they say getting married at Disneyland is a sign that you’re not ready for marriage.

P.S. Here’s the first official 1D photo without Zayn.

#tbt #Disneyland ????

A photo posted by Perrie Edwards ?????? (@perrieeele) on Nov 27, 2014 at 3:51pm PST

Photos courtesy of Modest Management, Perrie Edwards on Instagram & WENN

I’m in love. WITH THIS COAT. This coat is amazing, right? It’s Armani. It looks like Game of Thrones-meets-Star Trek. I don’t even want to look up the price. Don’t even tell me, I’m sure it’s thousands of dollars. Anyway, Cate Blanchett covers the new issue of Harper’s Bazaar Australia. It’s a great cover because A) Cate actually looks like herself and not some Elizabeth Banks fem-bot, B) the coat and C) Cate looks sassy. In the Bazaar interview, Cate talks a bit about the #AskHerMore campaign, which was introduced during this past awards season. I’ll rant about it after we read Cate’s thoughts:

Cate on the way the red carpet has changed: “Since I’ve been struttin’ the red carpet, things have changed a lot. The way women are asked about those red-carpet moments. Oh my God. It’s just a dress! People forget the fact that women are up there [at the Academy Awards] because they’ve given extraordinary performances. It’s a wonderful excuse to dress up and have F.U.N. But let’s not forget the work.”

On E!’s now-defunct mani-cam: “Next it will be, ‘What brand tampon are you wearing? How much more intimate can they get? ‘Show us your knickers’? There is a line.”

[From Bazaar Australia via TooFab]

I ranted about #AskHerMore during the Oscars recap this year and I’ll do it again here. I think it’s fine for a woman on the red carpet to refuse to answer certain questions or to hit back and say “Are you asking the men the same thing?” Do some red carpet interviewers cross the line into sexism? Sure. It’s not acceptable to ask an actress to “twirl”. But having watched the red carpet shows recreationally and professionally for years, I tend to think most of the red carpet interviewers are just trying to create interesting, watchable moments in between ID-ing the dresses. Most will just get the dress ID out of the way quickly (and believe me, the actresses are trained at this point to list all of their IDs at the top of the interview) and then ask some fun questions.

I also think that the Oscars are a HUGE international deal that can make or break designers, and millions of dollars are on the line every time an actress walks on a red carpet that significant. Most of those actresses are wearing borrowed clothes and borrowed jewelry too – part of the now-standard give-and-take system, where the celebrities get to keep or borrow thousands of dollars’ worth of clothes and jewelry because it’s worth millions’ in advertising for the designers/jewelers when the actress says “This dress is Armani, the jewels are Neil Lane.” If you don’t want to be part of that, fine. No one is forcing you to walk the red carpet!

Oh, and having watched hundreds of hours of red carpet coverage, let me tell you: there’s nothing that ruins a fun night more than an actor who wants to give a ten-minute lecture on their “process” in the middle of the red carpet. The red carpet is not Inside the Actor’s Studio. Lighten up and have some fun. But I take Cate’s point. The next time she comes onto the red carpet and says her gown is Galliano (like at the Oscars this year), ask her about Galliano’s hate speech conviction and whether wearing his clothing is her way of implicitly aligning herself with anti-Semitic hate speech. Then ask her about Woody Allen and the accusations made by Dylan Farrow. I mean, she wants to talk about something deeper, so let’s go deeper.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Bazaar Australia.