Larry Birkhead trying to "pick up the pieces"

Now that Larry Birkhead can finally start a life together with Dannielynn, 7 1/2 months, he is looking towards the future and perhaps a more low-key lifestyle for the two. He tells OK! magazine that despite numerous offers for films, TV series and anchor duties, he hopes to bond with his daughter away from the spotlight.

Maybe I’ll just go off into the sunset with my daughter. I don’t want to live under the microscope, like Anna [Nicole Smith]. I want to make a difference for my daughter. I’m setting up a trust fund for her. Maybe we’ll live a quiet life by the beach, or go back to where I’m from, or find a place to start new. I want to take a few months off to get to know my daughter and for her to get to know me.

Although Larry would like to get married one day, he says it will be "tough" because he doesn’t want to "compare people to the mother of my child." He hasn’t, though, been in a relationship since his romance with Anna.

I can’t bring myself to do that, because I feel guilty, like I’m trying to find a replacement for her. Every bit of my energy has gone into fighting for my daughter.

One child is good enough for now, but Larry would like to have more kids in the future as well.

Yeah, at some point. But right now, I’m playing catch-up with the one I have. I guess the only dates I’ll be going on for a while are to the store and the park with my daughter!

As for Anna’s late son Daniel, with whom he says he had a good relationship, Larry says Daniel was happy "for the most part."

I took him up to college, and I’d get food for him when I was coming to the house. He traveled with us, and I got to know him really well. He was a good kid…He might have started hanging out with the wrong group of kids when he went to college. He was 20 when he went to college, so I think it was too much too quick.

Reflecting on the rollercoaster ride he’s been on in the past year, Larry still can’t quite believe everything that’s happened.

A year ago, I was flipping pancakes, making sure Anna had all the nourishment she could get, dealing with her morning sickness and taking care of her. Now, here we are today, and she’s gone and Daniel’s gone and it’s just me and Dannielynn. I’ve got to make sense of that and somehow pick up the pieces.

Source: OK!, May 7 issue, pgs 54-57

Comments

Oh I like how he said the only dates he’s going to be going on are with his daughter. Very precious!

- Ashley M on April 28th, 2007

I hope for Larry’s sake he can ride into the sunset with his beautiful little daughter and everything calms down around him, but I am afraid that is a bit of wishful thinking on his part.

There are still so many unresolved issues and Court cases around Anna Nicole with Howard K Stern pulling legal/financial strings that Larry Birkhead will have a hard time ever becoming an anonymous Dad.

Larry Bikhead may the biological father of Dannielynn and eventually get full custody transfered over from Howard K Stern, but Howard K Stern will always legally “own” this child.

As a lawyer, with a vested interest in the Marshall millions estate, he has made sure of that !!

Larry Birkhead is going to need a lot of luck and goodwill to be riding off into a glorious sunset with Dannielynn !!

- Miss Vickie on April 28th, 2007

He looks so happy and content in those pictures. Congrats to you Larry and good luck to you both in the future!!

- CaliAngel on April 28th, 2007

Something about that picture (with bare skin) bothers me. I can see the intentions of a beautiful photograph – but it just doesn’t seem “right”.

- imanut on April 29th, 2007

It all sounds so sweet – but I think he’s a bit naive. There are still Birkhead and ANS’s mother to reckon with. Further, selling his story to the tabloids again isn’t the first step into being an anonymous Dad.

- Pamela on April 29th, 2007

What he said is what I’ve always suggested he do for himself and for Dannielynn. She really should be raised far away from where she’s free game for any greedy photogs looking to snap up some pictures for money, story, etc.

I hope he gets to do this, because no matter how much you may want something, somebody is always lurking to pull you right back into the fold of things. And with Virgie still lurking around, I’m just hoping someone manages to muzzle her and let him live a life with his daughter–a real life away from it all.

That way he and Dannielynn can really start to bond without the strain of Hollywood drama ruining everything.

- FC on April 29th, 2007

Where does one ever lay their opinions? Either on the side of good or the side of suspicion.

This little girl’s life is never going to be normal, however we all may wish it. This does not mean her destiny cannot be anything less than wonderful.

If Mr Birkhead is true to his pledges then time will tell. This doesn’t mean not having nannies or new loves and children or dealing with issues surrounding his daughter’s potential inheritances. Life is never so cut and dry, for any of us.

No, what needs to come out of this is that this little girl, still so completely innocent and engaged in her own, beautiful world of discovery and joy, grows into a young woman who has really, really been cared for.

This is the duty of every parent blessed with a child.

It seems to me, from someone so far away from this thing called “celebrity” that such a stance may ultimately be impossible. Because celebrity intrinsically means to debase onself to the needs of all, rather than to cater for the needs of a few.

I hope, Mr Birkhead…and yes, Mr Stern too whatever role he may play in these very sad events, keep their eyes cast on the little child involved and understand that, at the end of the day, they must change who they are in order for this baby to blossom and succeed. It is their absolute duty to ensure that her destiny is not pre-written because of the circumstances surrounding her life.

This is what parenting is all about. Acceptance that life is not the same as before.That our children are individuals. They will have different goals. That we will not always agree with them. Parenthood is absolutely, totally, completely, about growing up ourseles so that we can grow our children up.

Mr Birkhead. Buy that house by the sea. Or a farm. Take a step back. Deal with what needs to be dealt with only because it has to be, not because it will mean anything different about the love you have for your daughter. Always, always, stay focussed on the chilyour daughter. Its a hard road. Not always picture perfect. But, when you are old, and not so gorgeous, you will have something much better than fame or wealth.

You will have a life and a daughter who adores you.

There is no value on this. None. And if anyone tries to tell you otherwise, and you believe it, then change your name to Virgie….

- jane on April 29th, 2007

yes and no, I think it depends on how much value Larry puts on the money. If his main priority is his daughter – well, Howard has already handed her over. As for the money, it’s a separate battle and Larry’s not directly involved. If he just goes home and raises his kid for a while, I think they’ve got a chance at a good life together (moral-free paparazzi not withstanding of course).

- lanie on April 29th, 2007

I hope he can have a reasonably “normal” life. He seems like a genuine nice guy.

- TwinMom24 on April 29th, 2007

Did I read that right? He can’t date because he’ll always compare the person to the mother of Dannielynn? Wasn’t she the one who dumped him, spent much of her pregnancy drugged up, and then fled the country in an attempt to keep him away from his daughter? So what virtue of hers is he so eager to replicate in another woman?

I think he’s fabulous for fighting for his daughter. I think he’s a shallow idiot for carrying on about Anna Nicole Smith. Really irritates me. He sounds psychotic when he talks about her.

- belinda on April 29th, 2007

I can not believe someone just posted that this picture of “bare skin” bothers them and doesnt seem “right”. These are the first pics of him and his daughter and by no way seem off. It’s sad that someone would insinuate that the intention is perverted. That’s so sad.

- nicksmomma on April 29th, 2007

imanut-

There is nothing wrong with bare skin. Babies are meant to be bare skinned next to their parents, they should always be bare skinned up to mother and father right after birth. Have you never seen those infant pictures where a bare-chested dad holds his infant in only their diaper or nothing at all? It’s completely natural and beautiful–not sexual.

- kristen on April 29th, 2007

While I respect Larry’s plight, I really don’t see him as having much to pick up, just something new and beautiful to start. DL is a salve of sorts for all that heartache. He now has the pleasure of looking into her eyes and making memories for her as best he can. I hope he’s a fantastic father to her, she deserves nothing less after all the loss and upheaval she’s faced in her young life. She’s lost her brother, her mother, and her emotional father. Thank God she’s oblivious to it, but there will come a time when the pain from it will come with questions that need answering.

This is where I hope he can continue to put DL first and include Howard in her upbringing. Whether he does or not, the fact is DL will find her way to Howard’s door step when she’s older. If they never mentioned his name she’d have a wealth of information that would point her to the man who was a constant in her mother and brother’s lives for 12 almost 13 years as well as hers for the first 8 months of her life. What ever lies or half truths were disseminated through the media will be weeded out and she’ll have the reality of the situation thankfully and probably a relationship with him no matter how delayed it is.

If he can’t believe the changes since the last year I can’t imagine what a heartbreaking turn Howard’s life has taken in 8 months along with the nastiness from the media courtesy of VA and her minions and their unfounded and nasty accusations. While Larry may miss Anna the fact is they were separated, Howard and Anna had plans to marry and make a life together making this doubly hard on him. He obviously adores that little girl so hopefully he’ll be allowed to see her from time to time. I hope once this all untangles he can heal, move on, and have a life independent of Anna and the drama that followed her. She was seemingly a wonderful person but the price tag for having her trust and friendship was one heavy one. Howard, as well as Larry, deserves a chance to be free of that knowing that everything that could be done for her has been.

- Grayson's Girl on April 29th, 2007

Jane, that was beautifully stated and so very very true!!

- tink1217 on April 29th, 2007

I wish Britney could read your advice, Jane…

- LaMama on April 29th, 2007

I think time will tell Larry’s motives. I would not be surprised to see a story about Dannielynn’s first birthday and anything else Larry can come up with to sell a story.

- Neke on April 29th, 2007

I think Larry is not going to have a choice of staying out of the media if Virgie fights for custody in the US. And Howard is still the Legal Guardian of the baby until the Custody Trial June 8th in the Bahamas….Thanks to Virgie.

Larry has Legal Bills to pay. With more court battles to fight, which means more bills.
I don’t see anything wrong with Larry getting paid for interviews. Once the fascination of all this goes away. Larry and Dannielynn will be able to live a fairly normal life. Hopefully he won’t have to start his new life under a mountain of debit.

Maybe there will be a book deal or updates now and then in the future… People will be curious to see how they are doing. But Larry isn’t an A list celeb…like Brad Pitt. His time to make money is limited.

- mimi on April 30th, 2007

I do hope that Larry and Dannielynn can have a much needed reprieve right now and enjoy his family and try to get some normalcy at this time. I think he is being honest when it comes to Anna about keeping her “alive” in his heart, I think he really did love her and I also want her tragic and Daniel’s life not to be for gotten. I think Larry will carrie that along with him. He and Howard have experienced the unthinkable and so much loss. For Howard it seems will be so much harder now that Dannielynn is gome, for Larry he will have Dannielynn but for both now they are now able to grieve. I hope Larry and Howard will remain friends so he can see little Dannielynn progress through life. We all think or most of us anyway think only the negative when it comes to Virgie,unbelevable! What an embarrassement for Anna. I may be selfish, but I look forward to seeing Dannielynn’s beautiful self in photos. She is so gorgeous and so healthy, you just want to see her picture’s all the time. One things for sure Anna, Howard and Larry have all been good Fathers and Mother in her short life, so they all should be comended for a job well done! Anna would be so proud and I am so sorry she is gone and what she had to go through to attain peace. May she and Daniel rest in peace, and that Dannielynn will know all the good things about her big Brother and her Mother.

- Samantha Fick-Parker on May 2nd, 2007