Nicole Richie, Joel Madden, Harlow (and Lionel!) in Harper's Bazaar
In a extensive interview and photo session shot at Lionel Richie‘s palatial home, Nicole Richie chatted with Harper’s Bazaar for their June issue, discussing everything from motherhood, the start of her charity, whispers that she was attending events too soon, marriage, her and Joel Madden‘s relationship, their decision to do a People introductory photoshoot, her changing body, what she would think if Harlow got a tattoo (Joel is covered, Nicole has nine herself!) and more.
Click below for the interview highlights; also be sure to check out all the photoshoot images (including Harlow Winter Kate, 4 months next week, with grandpa Lionel!) and a behind-the-scenes video with Nicole.
How she would describe her experience with motherhood thus far:
Hmm, I would say how fun it is. Everybody talks about how difficultit is in the first three months, but I absolutely love it. Everything Ido is for her. My whole life revolves around her and I absolutely loveit.
I was so excited from the minute I found out I was pregnant … and it’s been nothing but an amazing ride since.
How Lionel thinks Nicole has changed:
Motherhood has given her all the keys to understanding how her motherand I were trying to raise her. Now it has come full circle.
On her and Joel’s opposite personalities:
Yeah, for being so opposite, we could possibly hate each other. (smiles) [Joelis] very conservative. [He has] a different way of thinking. But at the same time, he’s never tried tochange me. And if anything, we were friends first.
We just have funtogether. When we’re apart, we just get on iChat and don’t even say anything toeach other. (laughs) He likes to get girly sometimes.But he’d kill me if he knew I said that!
On the topic of marriage and more kids:
One day, yeah — not tomorrow, not today. We are committed to ourfamily. I’m 26. I’ve definitely had a very eventful year. So right now,it’s about me enjoying my time with my daughter.
I want five children: twin boys and three girls. I’ve wanted that since I was a little girl.
On her pregnancy style:
It’s not like I blew up overnight. It graduallyhappened, and then I wasn’t pregnant anymore. When my jeans stopped fitting, Iwore the Balenciaga riding pants. I like to be comfortable. Luckily forme, I’m completely comfortable in six-inch heels!
On her post-baby body:
Half my wardrobe is already stretched. Not all myclothes fit the same. I don’t even think it’s a weight thing; I thinkyour body just changes after you have a baby. I don’t care either way,but (gestures to newfound chest) I’m not used to having atank top or bra underneath my clothes.
You always hear that people withblond hair or larger breasts get more attention, but I never reallythought that was real! I like wearing shirts that are a bit see-throughbecause before it didn’t really matter. But now it’s like, ‘Uh-oh, Icould get arrested.’
On Joel as a father:
Joel actually changes more diapers than I do! It’s his time with her.He sings to her … he laughs with her, plays with her. It’s amazing.
On changing perspectives and ideals:
You know, I went through a stage of thinking that once you had a baby,you moved to Brentwood, had a white picket fence, and it changed yourentire life. But I love where I am right now.
Everysingle thing is for Harlow. Joel took me out last week, and he waslike, ‘Why don’t we go out and have a shopping day?’ But I ended uponly going to kid stores. (laughs) I didn’t get to buy shoesor anything.
On the choice to do a introductory photoshoot with Harlow:
The day before it came out, I was nervous, because therewas going to be a picture of my daughter everywhere. But if I didn’t put a picture out, itwould have been 10 times worse. I wanted to stop people trying to getpictures of her. I was just being a protective mom.
On the decision to start the Richie-Madden Children’s Foundation:
I got like 10 cribs and 20 strollers. For one little girl! So we wantedto take the gifts we got and give them to the people who actuallyneeded them. [We met with charity advising firm]Inspired Philanthropy, and they really opened our eyes.
On the paparazzi:
It is scary. I don’t want that around her, I just don’t … it’s definitely the thing that makes me most nervous. [But] I’m the luckiest girl alive right now. I have nothing to complain about.
On complaints that she attended events at a few weeks postpartum:
You know what? (furrows brow) I was gone formaybe three hours. I never go out. I go four or five days withoutleaving my house. But the press just went wild with it. [We have] adate night once a week. [Sometimes we see] a movie if the runningtime’s not too long.
On tattoos:
To be honest, it would completely break my heart if she got a tattoo!
On her close celebrity friends, such as Paris Hilton, Mischa Barton, and Mary-Kate Olsen:
I feel like my group of five to ten friends, they really love [Harlow], likeshe’s theirs … my friends never go outside for smoke breaks anymore,they don’t curse, they are definitely more demure. It’s actually beenreally interesting.
When asked who among her friends she expects to have a child next, Paris was brought up as an option. Nicole responded,
Ha, nooo!! But I don’t think anyone would have bet on me.
Source: EXTRA; Harper’s Bazaar June issue article; photoshoot; behind-the-scenes video
