Kanye West doesn't want much for his birthday. Not much at all. When he turns 36 he doesn't need a fancy present from his very pregnant girlfriend, Kim Kardashian. A source says, "He’s not that f**king selfish!" No, of course he isn't -- and that's awfully sweet of him to not want Kim to go out of her way for him in her condition (but you know she has assistants to do her bidding, right?). "All Kanye really wants for his birthday is "peace of mind for himself and Kim.” Wow Kanye, that's deep. I feel you there. I really do. That's, like, the best birthday wish of all time.

But Kanye, you know that peace can only come from within, right? That's not something Kim can give you. Oh sure, we could read this quote from Mr. Source and interpret it as you saying, "All I want for my birthday is some PEACE and quiet for once, Kim!" Maybe it's his way of saying he wants a break from the paparazzi and madness. Maybe he wants her to stop nagging him about being on the show. Maybe he wants to observe a day of silence, I don't know.

SIGH. It's not easy being Kanye. I think he's under a lot of pressure. We know he's got a lot going on with this brands and his music. And then of course there are his erratic moods. Don't you get the sense that Kanye's FEELINGS take up a lot of time and energy in his life? I feel exhausted just watching him. If you ask me, and he's not asking me but I'm going to give out my advice anyway, I think Kanye should be intentional about this peaceful birthday and spend the day meditation. Check into a monastery and check out for the day, you know?

Snerk, he's so not doing that. Anyway, it looks like Kanye and Kim will probably be apart for his birthday because they have commitments in different places. But the friend/source/whatever says Kanye may try and get together with her anyway. "Yeah, he wants to have that on his birthday, so knowing him he’ll try to make some s**t happen." Well okay then, Kanye. You go and try to make s**t happen. But just remember, if you want a peaceful birthday, that's all on you.

What do you think of Kanye's birthday wish?

Image via Pacific Coast News

Who here loves pound cake? I know you can get it at any grocery store. But nothing beats the homemade version -- especially with a sweet, sticky glaze over it. Plus! You get that yummy baked cake smell in your house. I mean ... eating cake is great and all, but I think I like the smell of baking cake even more than the taste. Hell, you could forget the glaze if you want and just eat the cake while it's still hot. Or you could cover it in whipped cream and berries. Or you could spread Nutella over a slice. Or -- well, pound cake is pretty versatile. I don't have to tell you. So here's a classic pound cake recipe with glaze -- the rest is up to you.

Glazed Lemon Pound Cake via Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

For the cake

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan

3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

Zest of 2 lemons, finely grated

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups sugar

5 large eggs

For the glaze

2 cups confectioners' sugar

3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Butter and flour two 4 1/2-by-8-inch (6-cup) loaf pans.

2. In a small bowl (or liquid measuring cup), combine buttermilk with lemon zest and juice. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

3. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three parts alternately with the buttermilk mixture in two, beginning and ending with flour; beat just until smooth (do not overmix).

5. Divide batter evenly between pans; smooth tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes (tent with foil if browning too quickly). Cool 15 minutes in pan. Turn out cakes onto a rack; cool completely before glazing.

6. Make the glaze. Place confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup; stir in lemon juice (glaze should be thick, yet pourable). Add more sugar or lemon juice, as necessary, to achieve desired consistency.

7. Set rack with cakes over a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Pour glaze over cakes, letting it run down the sides; let dry, about 30 minutes.

Image via WorththeWhisk.com/Flickr

Chemicals and pregnancy: Two things I think shouldn't go together. They're not exactly chocolate and peanut butter. More like chocolate and battery acid. So when yet another study came out urging pregnant women to play it safe and be careful about exposing themselves to chemicals, I kind of thought, well duh. But chemical apologists some people are saying the study is too alarmist.

The advice from the study admits there's not a whole lot of evidence that exposing yourself to everyday chemicals in food packaging, cosmetics, medications, and the like will actually harm a developing fetus. But they say maybe we should assume it's possibly harmful anyway. Just because it hasn't been proven doesn't mean the risk isn't still there.

Okay, that does sound really flaky. But the problem, they say, is that women are exposed to levels of chemicals too low to be labeled -- but those chemicals are in everything. A lot of a little adds up, you know? It's the cumulative effect the doctors are worried about, not any one product on its own.

That's what's so freaky about environmental chemicals -- it's that they're everywhere. And we go around feeling safe most of the time. No one is dropping dead from using plastic wrap. But there's cancer, there's attention deficit disorders, there's all kinds of diseases and conditions that can't be traced to any one thing. It's just ... our modern-day lives. All we know is that some things cross the placenta -- and that should make pregnant moms especially vigilant.

So I agree -- I think it's better to be a little bit paranoid (maybe not OBSESSED) and pay attention to your exposure. What's the worst that could happen? You end up buying different things, eating differently, and it's all fine. 

Are you hyper vigilant about your exposure to chemicals during pregnancy, or do you think it's nothing to worry about?

Image via Erika/Flickr

I just read the most amazing article about an emergency room doctor who stitched up a gash in a little girl's forehead. The amazing part -- she wasn't even aware that he was stitching her forehead and left the hospital feeling like it had been a fun experience. Crazy, right? No, he did not hypnotize her. And the only chemical pain relief he used was Novocaine gel rubbed on her wound. Everything else was just skillful doctoring.

When Rachel Zimmerman took her daughter Julia to the ER, her daughter was treated by Dr. Baruch Krauss. Rachel was so impressed by Dr. Krauss' technique she had to share it: "When the Doctor Says This Won't Hurt a Bit -- And Incredibly, It's True." But I think there's a lot from Dr. Krauss' technique that parents can use when we're helping our kids deal with pain, too. 

1. More information is NOT helpful. Adults feel comforted when we know what's going on. But for kids, knowing what's going to happen just makes them more nervous. They don't know how to process it. So don't bother them with those details.

2. Distraction. Instead, keep your child focused on an activity they enjoy. In the article, Dr. Krauss had the injured girl color in a coloring book while he stitches her up. He didn't talk to her about what he was doing. Instead, he talked to her about what she was coloring while he stitched her up. Your child is going to remember most what she was focused on most. 

3. Keep calm and carry on. Parents and kids can transfer anxiety between each other. Kids are incredibly sensitive to their parents' stress. So don't freak out. If you are relaxed, your child will be more relaxed, too.

4. Build rapport. Of course, if you're treating your own child, you two already have a close relationship. But when your child is with a doctor, it helps if they get to know that doctor a little bit before they get started. Encourage a little friendly chit-chat, as much as the time and space allow, so your child feels like they can trust their doctor.

5. Desensitize. Dr. Krauss kept walking into the room, putting gel on the girl's forehead, leaving, coming back, more gel, and so on. That was to get the girl used to feeling him touch her forehead. She stopped paying attention to what he was doing.

How do you usually react when your kids injure themselves?

Image via Tup Wanders/Flickr

Swimming season is here, and some of us are getting ready to watch our kids like hawks when we're at the pool or the beach. But do we really know what we're looking for? Here's something I read recently in Slate that scared the bejeezus out of me: Drowning doesn't look like drowning.

No joke -- I had no idea. When we picture someone drowning, we imagine them splashing around noisily, but nope. It's silent and deadly. Drowning is the number two cause of accidental death for children. Even scarier, over half of the children who die from drowning will do so within 25 yards of a parent. So! Wouldn't you like to know what drowning DOES look like?

1. It's quiet. You can't yell when you're drowning. You're trying too hard to breathe.

2. There's no splashing. People may thrash around just before they start drowning. But once the Instinctive Drowning Response takes over, you lose control over your arms. Typically people will spread their arms out to either side and try to push down on the water so they can push their heads above the water.

3. Mouth near the surface. A drowning person will usually have their head back, mouth open. When their mouth is above the water, they will gasp in and out quickly before submerging back into the water.

More from The Stir: Mom's Failure to Call 911 When She Finds Her Toddlers Drowning Is Sad & Confusing

4. Climbing an invisible staircase. This is what experts say drowning victims often look like they're doing. Their bodies will be upright. Some people appear to be trying to roll over to their back. And they're usually unable to kick at all.

So now you know what drowning looks like. I hope none of you reading this ever have to witness the sight of your child drowning, but if you do, at least now you'll recognize it. Tell your friends and family, and maybe this summer, we'll have fewer drowning deaths.

Have you ever seen someone drowning?

Image via Mariana Amorim/Flickr

Welp, these two women tie for Most Embarrassing Mom of the Year. At an elementary school talent show in St. Cloud, Florida, two moms got into a brawl with each other. It all started when Latisha James stood up to take a photo of her daughter in the show. Jessica Tyler told her she was blocking her view and asked her to sit down. Things got ugly, fast, and next thing anyone knew, Jessica knocked over Latisha's 3-year-old daughter and Latisha was grabbing for Jessica's throat.

From there it was all cussing and ripping out hair and wrestling and a big hot mess. Each woman blames the other, of course, because that's how a grown-ass woman takes responsibility for her actions. Oh yes, I'm judging both of these ladies. Who behaves this way in front of their kids?

Latisha was arrested and charged with battery. Both moms have been banned from school grounds. Jessica could face charges, too. Jessica says she feels like a victim because now she can't attend her daughter's graduation. At least that night in jail helped knock some sense into Latisha. She later said, "I didn't go to the school with the intention of messing up the show or putting my hands on anybody. I don't behave like that. I cannot say how much, how remorseful I am. I am totally remorseful. I've never been to jail before." 

I don't behave like that. Apparently you do, Latisha! But hopefully this is the last time for both women. Aren't we parents supposed to be modeling for our children how to manage conflict peacefully? I won't go into how each woman should have handled this situation because I think we all have a pretty good idea. You've dealt with rudeness before, right? And you've noticed that if you react with rudeness, usually things just escalate? 

I don't feel sorry for Jessica or Latisha. Both should be ashamed of themselves now. I feel sorry for their kids. Oh the humiliation of going back to school the day after your mother went apeshit and wrestled with another mom at the talent show. Ladies ("Ladies" -- I should probably put that in ironic quotes), we can do so much better. Have some dignity.

Okay, with that bit of self-righteousness out of the way, you KNOW you want to see how this all went down. Here it is. Thanks, other parent who caught it all on video.

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

Have you ever seen parents fight with each other in public? Have you ever done it?

Image via ViralBlasts/YouTube

I'll admit, I am not the best sport when it comes to camping. Maybe it's because every damn time I've ever gone camping on the East Coast it's rained. EVERY TIME. When I was a little girl in Colorado, camping was an adventure. Not I feel like it's all about getting up close and personal with cold mud, my freezing hands turning numb while I lash the tent, grit in all my meals. Remind me why we go camping again, someone?

Now I've got a little boy who wants to go camping. "What is this CAMPING, mother? May we embark on this camping of which I have heard so much?" Okay, he doesn't really talk like that. But if we are ever to try camping again it had better be a hell of a lot more comfortable than I remember. And so, I'm checking out gear that's all about comfort.

You know that scandal about the National Security Agency's secret surveillance program, something about the government having access to all of our phone records? It definitely sounds creepy, but since it's not as dramatic as Game of Throne's Red Wedding, I get the sense people haven't been paying close attention. However ... maybe more people would pay attention if there were a cute guy involved. May we introduce you to the CIA whistleblower, Edward Snowden?

He looks just like Edward Cullen/Robert Pattinson; that is, if you walk across the room and squint your eyes. Also, he's not a vampire and he does wear glasses. But there's a resemblance, right? Maybe? No?

Because this is the LEAST important aspect of this story, I took an informal poll of the Stir staff. Most gave Snowden a "meh." (That was my vote, too.) But one staffer says, "There's something attractive about him in a geeky sort of way." Another admits he's average in the looks department, but "the fact that he's a whistleblower is totally hot. We need more courageous people like him in the world!" Well, she has a point there.

So with that debate out of the way, let's get into who Snowden is and why he blew that whistle. Edward Snowden revealed himself in an interview with The Guardian in Hong Kong. He is a 29-year-old former CIA technical assistant and current employee of consulting company Booz Allen Hamilton. He was earning $200,000 a year and living in Hawaii with his girlfriend -- but he was willing to give that up to reveal the NSA's surveillance program.

Why? Because he believes in transparency. Because he feels the government keeps grabbing more and more power and no one is stopping them. Because he believes the public should have more say about how much power the government has to watch us and keep information on us.

Since Snowden values transparency, he thought it was important that he reveal his own identity. He realizes that "subverting the power of government" is a "fundamentally dangerous thing to democracy." So he wants to be clear -- he is only revealing information that he feels is in the public's interest. He has enough information that he could shut down the NSA's surveillance program in an afternoon, but he's not going to reveal that information.

Yes, he does believe he could be in danger. He mentions America's "third-party partners" in particular as entities that could go after him eventually. "You can't come forward against the world's most powerful intelligence agencies and be completely free from risk ..." He is seeking asylum in another country.

But that's not Snowden's greatest fear. Snowden's greatest fearis that his revelation will change nothing. He fears our complacency. He worries that as long as we feel more or less safe, we'll let the government keep taking more and more power. And he fears that things will get worse with the next generation and the next.

But we won't stand up and fight to force our reps to take a stand in our interests. It's only going to get worse until eventually there will be a time when policies will change.

And that's why we should be paying attention. Did Snowden risk everything for nothing? That's up to us to decide.

Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames.

Does it worry you that the U.S. government has this surveillance program?

Image via ABC News

You think soy sauce is just soy sauce -- just an innocent condiment sitting there on the table, ready to flavor your sushi. But beware. A dark menace lurks within that bottle. Some goofy guy found this out the hard way after he went into a coma after overdosing on soy sauce. That's right, too much soy sauce sent a young man in his prime into a coma, and it's a freaking miracle he survived without permanent damage.

We don't know who the soy sauce drinker is. His identity as a total knucklehead is protected. We just know that he drank a quart of soy sauce on a dare from his friends. That's enough salt content to kill a person or at least cause permanent neurological problems. Here's what happened after he glugged down all that sauce -- it's not pretty.

First he began twitching and having seizures. His friends rushed him to the ER. He went into a coma and was sent to another hospital where he had the salt flushed out by pumping 1.5 gallons of a sugar water solution into his body through a nasal tube. Brown fluid came out. Five hours later his sodium levels were fine again, but he stayed in his coma for three days. He recovered, though, and went back to his college classes, hopefully a little bit wiser now.

So yeah. If someone dares you to drink a bottle of soy sauce, SAY NO. Just say no to drinking soy sauce, kids. No.

Not that any of us would overdose on soy sauce. But wow, can you believe soy sauce can do so much damage to a body? Too much of a good thing, I guess. I kind of figured drinking a quart of soy sauce wouldn't be very good for you since it's so salty. But I didn't know it could send you into a coma and cause permanent damage. Isn't it funny how we eat all these foods in tiny amounts and they're perfectly fine -- but in large doses, they could kill you? I'll always feel like I'm doing something just the teensiest bit dangerous now whenever I eat soy sauce.

Did you know soy sauce could be this dangerous?

Image via palindrome6996/Flickr

I bet the whole conversation about teen pregnancy would be totally different if boys could get pregnant, too. So imagine if that really happened -- if boys could get knocked up for having unprotected sex. That's exactly what an anti-teen-pregnancy ad campaign in Chicago imagines. It's plastered Photoshopped images of pregnant teenage boys all over bus shelters, buses, and trains in neighborhoods where teen pregnancy rates are high. I'm sure they're getting a lot of double-takes, especially from the boys who usually ignore anti-teen-pregnancy messages.

The Chicago Department of Public Health says the ads are trying to "spark conversations" and to "make the case that teen parenthood is more than just a girl’s responsibility." Oh my God, thank you! It takes two to plant that seed. Every other ad campaign you ever see is all about shaming girls or scaring girls about the poverty and ruin that follow teen pregnancy. And it's true that girls do bear the larger burden. Girls are the ones who carry the baby, for starters. But boys don't always get away scot-free. That's what spokesman Brian Richardson wants guys to realize.

We wanted to create an ad campaign that would cut through the clutter and get people thinking about teen pregnancy and teen births, and how it can affect more than just teen girls.

Think it'll work? I hope so -- I hope at least it gets some light bulbs flickering in more kids' heads. And I hope boys don't see these ads and go, "WTF?!? Oh, haha, glad that'll never happen." Because haha, boys, just because it's not your belly that gets big and round doesn't mean you get to avoid all the burden. Imagine if boys felt as responsible for avoiding pregnancies as girls do. With twice the effort, unplanned pregnancy rates would go way, way down.

Do you think these ads will get boys to take more responsibility for avoiding unplanned pregnancies?

Image via BeYouBeHealthy.org

Who knew breaking up could make you so happy? That's what I keep thinking every time I read what Robert Pattinson has been up to post-KStew. He is definitely not sitting at home, listening to Joni Mitchell warble and crying his eyes out. Instead he's launched a full-on bromance with new BFF Leonardo DiCaprio (Mr. Hook-You-Up-Wit-Models). And fans just spotted RPattz at a Bjork show surrounded by his favorite pals having the best time, ever. Did we mention Katy Perry was one of those friends?

"Apparently a lot of people love Rob Pattinson! He was with friends, just enjoying the show," tweeted a fan. Aww, lots of love for RPattz. Is that the key to his speedy recovering from Hurricane Kristen? He's gotten a little help from his friends. What better way to get over a breakup than to surround yourself with people who love you and will always have your back?

Rob must have been in a great mood that night -- he posed with one of his fans, and look at that smile. Yeah ... okay, it's not a huge smile. I don't see any teeth. But he looks happy and relaxed, and he's being a real sport about posing with that fan. Lucky girl!

Meanwhile, some guys just don't understand. "WTF! My girl went nuts over Robert Pattinson @Bjork concert tonight. Why does women do that shit?" Haha. I'm sure he's got his girlfriend's heart, but RPattz does have that effect on his fans. I can just see it -- someone whispers, "It's Robert Pattinson, over there by the bar!" Word spreads all over and girls are squealing and staring.

And they're all so happy that Robert's so happy. I think it's better this way. Yes, we loved Robsten. Of course we're sorry their love didn't last in real life the way it did in the Twilight series. But this is still better than watching Rob waste away with heartbreak, I think.

Are you surprised Rob seems so happy post-breakup?

Image via Statigram

We hear you. Kate Middleton married Prince William and now her name is officially Catherine Elizabeth, the Duchess of Cambridge. She is a countess now! Have some respect. And she's been married for two years, so why the persistence of her maiden name, Middleton? At the very least, we should be calling her Catherine instead of Kate. I suppose. Or the Duchess, or Dutchy, or Kitty Kat Crown, or -- oh sorry. I was having fun with her name again. Can't we just call her Kate?

Here's the thing. We know what her proper name is. But we're not going to use it -- at least, not on a regular basis.

First of all, it's just too formal. I feel like I need to put on my pearls and a pair of gloves to say "Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge." That's quite a mouthful. Seven or eight syllables, depending on how you pronounce Catherine. And the duchess bit, well, it's fancy and impressive, but we usually save our fancy things for special occasions. Why bring out the china for every single meal?

As for her "maiden name" -- how can anyone even use that phrase in this day and age with a straight face? When was the last time you actually met an engaged woman who was technically a maiden? You know what I mean. Half of us keep our born last names after we marry anyway. I sure did. (P.S., more convenient that way when you divorce years later, just saying.) And even if you don't keep your last name, the ghost of it trails after you even after you change to your husband's, always a part of your identity because it was your last name for the first 20, 30, 35 years of your life.

She may be the future Queen Consort, but she'll always be Kate Middleton to us. Using that name reminds us of where she came from -- okay, so she was never exactly one of us. But she wasn't born into royalty, either, and I think that's one of the things people like about her. Princess Diana was known as the "people's princess," and Kate is even more so.

We just like Kate better. Anyway, we're very casual on this side of the pond. No disrespect -- we love that the title exists. But it's Kate for us.

How do you feel about saying "Kate Middleton" vs. "Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge"?

Image via Pacific Coast News

Oh my God, as if KDash's pregnancy hasn't been difficult enough, now there's this? The latest preggo-related affliction is pure humiliation for our girl: Fat Face. Kim Kardashian has stopped smiling because she thinks it makes her face look too big. Guys, Kim's not smiling anymore! Because! Of the fat face!

Kim posted a selfie in the bathroom looking almost somber. "Love a good bathroom selfie! Here’s a hint of a smile! My face looks so huge when u smile these days otherwise u would see more lol." AND THEN SHE DELETED THE PHOTO. Kim Kardashian -- deleting images of herself from the Internets?!? That's unthinkable. She must have really hated that photo. Oh Kim, is it really that bad?

Look, every one of us who has ever been pregnant has been there. I know the so-called fat face well. I already have full cheeks and a square jaw in my non-pregnant state -- when I was expecting, my cheeks pretty much filled up the entire room like two giant Krispy Kreme filled donuts on either side of my fat face. Well, it sure seemed that way to me, anyway.

But here's the thing: It's all in your head. We do get a bit fuller in the face when we're expecting, and that pregnancy glow (if you're lucky enough to have it) can make those chubby cheeks seem even fuller. But to the rest of the world, it's not that big a difference. I mean, you're PREGNANT. The world expects you to have a fuller face. It would be weird if you didn't.

Maybe Kim doesn't feel like she has a lot to smile about because she's in her last month or so and feels all swollen and bloated. But she has so much to make her smile -- she's about to welcome a new baby girl into her life! So smile away, Kim. You'll get your cheekbones back again someday. But for now, we love the "huge" pregnant lady smiles.

Did you feel self-conscious about your fuller face while you were pregnant?

You know what, pregnant ladies? You go be your bad selves. You may have a dumpling in the oven, but why should that change who you are? There are still so many things you love doing that you can keep doing not matter what your condition. All the way to the third tri, baby! To the bitter end. Don't let anything stop you.

Here are eight women who aren't about to let a silly little thing like gestating a human baby in their bodies get in the way of some fun.

Edward Snowden, the ex-CIA whistleblower making headlines now, gave up a lot to expose PRISM, the secret government phone surveillance program. He left a home in paradise -- Hawaii. He lost his consulting job at Booz Allen. And he left one stunner of a girlfriend. Yesterday BuzzFeed revealed the identity of Edward Snowden's girlfriend as Lindsay Mills, a 28-year-old dancer. While Lindsay's blog was still online, BuzzFeed gathered images and quotes. The Daily Mail did some digging on Lindsay Mills as well.

The spy with the pole-dancing girlfriend. Their story is like something out of a movie.

Lindsay appears to have been an extroverted free spirit who studied ballet at the Maryland Institute College of Art. She and Edward met in Maryland when they were both living there. Her blog (which has been taken down) was titled, "Adventures of a world-traveling, pole-dancing super hero." Edward was her opposite, introverted and kind of a nerd.

Lindsay and Edward were at a rocky point in their relationship when he moved to Hawaii. She followed him there to repair their relationship. "It has been quite an up and down emotional roller coaster since the moment I stepped off the plane" in Hawaii, she wrote. While in Hawaii she danced for the Waikiki Acrobatic Troupe.

Lindsay referred to Edward as "E" and her "man of mystery." She followed Edward around the globe, visiting 17 countries.

As Edward went public with his story, Lindsay wrote the following in her blog:

For those of you that know me without my super hero cape, you can probably understand why I’ll be refraining from blog posts for awhile. My world has opened and closed all at once. Leaving me lost at sea without a compass. Surely there will be villainous pirates, distracting mermaids, and tides of change in this new open water chapter of my journey. But at the moment all I can feel is alone. And for the first time in my life I feel strong enough to be on my own. Though I never imagined my hand would be so forced.

As I type this on my tear-streaked keyboard I’m reflecting on all the faces that have graced my path. The ones I laughed with. The ones I’ve held. The one I’ve grown to love the most. And the ones I never got to bid adieu. But sometimes life doesn’t afford proper goodbyes. In those unsure endings I find my strength, my true friends, and my heart’s song. A song that I thought had all but died away, when really it was softly singing all along. I don’t know what will happen from here. I don’t know how to feel normal. But I do know that I am loved, by myself and those around me. And no matter where my compass-less vessel will take me, that love will keep me buoyant.

Lindsay and Edward moved out of their Hawaii home on May 1. The Department of Justice is preparing charges against Edward. He just checked out of his Hong Kong hotel and his whereabouts are unknown -- even, apparently, to his girlfriend.

Will she ever hear from him again? Will they meet in secret -- or is he lost to her forever? And how would it feel to know that your boyfriend was willing to leave you for his principles? On one hand, you would love him more for his heroism; but on the other hand, how heartbreaking. Lindsay says she still feels loved.

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

How would you feel if your husband or boyfriend did something like this?

Image via L - fever/YouTube

We know breastfeeding is great for your baby. But breastfeeding can be good for moms, too -- and we're still finding out new health benefits. You probably already know that breastfeeding helps you bond with your baby more, supposedly burns extra calories, can give you a mood boost, and even lowers your chances of some illnesses.

So a new study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology asks the question -- if 90 percent of new moms in the U.S. breastfed, how would that benefit us? Not the babies -- the moms. What kind of health benefits would we get, and how much would we save in health costs? The answers paint a dramatic picture.

I had no idea breastfeeding was linked to lower blood pressure. So with all these benefits, will getting the word out change women's decisions to breastfeed? I think it's helpful to know this -- but I don't know.

We're kind of funny about information -- having more of it doesn't usually motivate us to make different choices. Not information alone, anyway. And if those health benefits are abstract (your blood pressure isn't going to plummet THE DAY you start breastfeeding), that makes them even less motivating. Plus, moms have been known to put everyone else's needs first, sometimes above even our own health.

What makes people change is making it easier for people to change. So while this is all great for us to know, what women who might breastfeed really need are the usual: Clean places to nurse and pump including at work, free lactation consultants, and support from friends and families. Maybe the people who really need to pay attention to this study aren't moms -- it's the people who have the power to help make breastfeeding easier for moms.

Are you surprised at these health benefits for breastfeeding?

Image via Summer/Flickr

Oh no, what is happening to Heidi Klum's fairy-tale romance with her bodyguard boyfriend? Klum was spotted having a nuclear blowout with Martin Kristen at a Manhattan restaurant. Witnesses claim Heidi was dining with Martin and a second man when things got heated between the couple.

They went at it for about an hour until Heidi had enough and stormed out of the restaurant. She tried to hail a cab, but couldn't. So she wandered back into the restaurant entrance, refusing to return to her table because URGH! Martin walked over, they talked, and he called a car for Heidi and then left on his own because apparently she was still pissed at him. Heidi stayed for another hour or so and then went home.

Oh yeah, and witnesses say Heidi may have had a bit to drink.

Ah yes, the drunken restaurant argument with your mate -- I know it well. That pretty much describes every wedding anniversary dinner I had with my former husband during our last five years as a couple. You start out thinking, "Whee, let's have some fun!" And next thing you know, the apps are late, your aperitif has made its way into your bloodstream, they've already started pouring that bottle of wine, and you're screaming at each other over whether or not you really needed to buy that new vacuum cleaner. (Answer: Yes I fucking did.)

Sorry, where were we?

Oh yes, Heidi Klum's public fight with Martin Kristen. I'm a bit sorry to hear things got this intense between them, but not all that surprised. I mean, I think we all know why Heidi and her bodyguard hooked up with each other in the first place: S-E-X. Just look at them. Of course they're having blazing hot flying monkey sex with each other. And all that passion is bound to flip back on them and spark an equally blazing hot fight eventually.

But still ... even though many of us can relate, I think maybe Heidi should protect herself a little better next time. She's a public person, after all, so people are always watching. It isn't fair, but there it is. Unlike the rest of us, she doesn't have the luxury of privacy when she gets into a drunken fight with her boyfriend at a restaurant. So maybe watch the booze next time? Or keep it inside? Or neither? Maybe Heidi doesn't care what we think.

Do you think this was just a harmless fight, or is Heidi and Martin's relationship on the rocks?

Image via Splash News

You could be a vampire if you wanted to be. It's true. This is an actual lifestyle you can choose, and you don't even have to be born in Transylvania with pointy incisors or be immortal or anything like that. Just ask real-life vampire Julia Caples. The mom of two says she drinks nearly two liters of blood a month -- you know, kind of like how you do all that juicing? It's totally the same, only not vegan at all.

I just want to clear something up about Ms. Caples up front here before we go on: She does not, I repeat, does NOT go into people's bedrooms at night and suck their blood, turning them into new vampires. She is a highly ethical vampire, thank you very much, and only drinks the blood of friends. WILLING friends.

Julia is not the only vampire hobbyist in the area. There's actually a community of vampires who get together at their favorite goth nightclubs in New York, as you do. And she doesn't just bite into her friends -- she carefully slices into them with her custom sterilized pagan knife and then sucks their blood. She's been at it for 30 years -- ever since her teens.

Ms. Caples claims that sucking blood makes her feel healthier and stronger and that she's never sick. I guess it's all the extra iron? I'd love to hear a doctor weigh in on the health benefits -- seriously, I'm curious.

Oh my America. Isn't it great that there's room in this country for people like Julia? Instead of repressing her odd predilection for blood sucking, she just went for it. She's being the only Julia Caples she can be. This is the fullest expression of who she is, black velvet, caskets, blood-smeared face, and all. It definitely pushes the boundaries of self-expression, especially considering she's a mom. (Her kids do think it's kind of weird.) It's not for everyone, obviously. But hey, as long as she's not hurting anyone, why not?

Have you ever met a real-life vampire?

Image via Courtney Rhodes/Flickr

Ian and Linda Williams were confident about their choice not to vaccinate their children. But a recent health scare has hurled them into a 180 turn on immunizations, and they want to warn everyone they can: Not vaccinating nearly killed their child. When their 7-year-old son Alijah got a small cut on the bottom of his foot, they thought it was just an ordinary injury that would heal. But that cut turned into a nightmare that landed Alijah in intensive care. Alijah's foot was infected with tetanus bacteria, a serious infection that can put a child's life in danger.

"The mistake that we made was that we underestimated the diseases and we totally overestimated the adverse reactions," Ian Williams admits. And those adverse reactions were horrific.

First Alijah came down with a stroke on one side of his face (toxins had begun to attack his nerves). A couple days later he was in intense pain, with cramps spreading all across his face. The cramps and the pain spread throughout his body. Once he was in intensive care, doctors induced a coma to relieve the escalating symptoms. Alijah was put on life support and heavily sedated for three weeks.

The Williams felt horrible. Their decision had caused their son so much pain -- and threatened his life. How could they have been so wrong?

Linda had been set against vaccinations from the beginning. Ian, a scientist, decided to do his own research. What he found convinced him that vaccinations were dangerous and benefited pharmaceutical companies more than children. But as soon as the Williams found out that their son was suffering from tetanus, they had their other two children vaccinated against all childhood diseases. And then they started speaking out about their experience.

I feel like we've hit a turning point in the vaccination debate. The connection between MMRs and autism seems to have been debunked. But that trust between doctors and parents -- or, more accurately, between drug manufacturers and parents -- has been broken. Vaccinations still make a lot of parents nervous and skeptical. But most of us aren't quite ready to ditch them altogether, so we go with delayed schedules, or we ask our doctors a thousand questions.

I have friends who work in infectious diseases around the globe, and they take immunizations seriously. They save lives. But there must be some balance that gives parents a greater sense of control and arms us with trustworthy information. No need to throw out vaccination altogether -- but maybe if we avoid extreme positions, we can protect our kids' health from both diseases and vaccination schedules that don't work for everyone.

Do you trust the information about vaccinations that you can find on the Internet?

Image via Daniel Paquet/Flickr

I'm just a little bit obsessed with cocktails. NOT because I'm a lush -- I'm a lightweight, so I can't indulge very much at all. It's for the silliest reason: I just love the way they look. All those special glasses, and the way the light shines through the liquid inside. 

Okay, I also love the taste of a great cocktail, too. There are so many possibilities -- it's endlessly inspiring. But again, I'm a lightweight. The answer? Light, fruity drinks that guild your summer afternoons and nights. Add a little seltzer water, or a lot, to any of these recipes and you can enjoy that drink a lot longer (admiring it there in your hand) without getting totally sauced. Here's eight beautiful summer drinks for sipping.