Nicole Richie & Joel Madden: 'We're So Blessed'
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Nicole Richie and 9-month-old daughter Harlow Winter Kate appear on PEOPLE’s latest cover, available on newsstands now. Nicole, 27, and partner Joel Madden, 29, of Good Charlotte chat with the magazine about everything from Harlow’s schedule to traveling with the band over the summer, goals for the family, and if they want more children.
Additionally, the couple have provided a playlist of their daughter’s favorite tunes, available for download on iTunes.
 Brian Doben for PEOPLE for use on CBB |
Click ‘More’ for all the photos, the interview, and to download Harlow’s playlist!
On Harlow’s looks and personality:
J: She smiles all the time.
N: She appreciates every single thing. It’s awesome. She’s very carefree, very independent. In the car, she’s in the back talking to herself.
J: She likes to have her own time.
N: Harlow’s a delicate soul. She studies people. She’s very coy. People say that she and I make the same expressions. But everyone says she looks like Joel.
J: I’m cool with it as long as she doesn’t look like me in a wig when she’s 16. I like that she looks like me — it’s my get-out-of-jail-free card.
N: I tell Joel, "Even when I’m really mad at you, I could never really hate you, because you look like Harlow." So it’s saving you. [Laughs]
On if they miss their pre-baby lives:
J: I can’t imagine life without her. It was never a moment where it was like, "This is inconvenient for us." We’re very blessed to have it happen the way it did. She’s the most important thing in the world to us.
On Harlow’s schedule:
J: She’s up at 7, eats at 8.
N: No, she eats at 7.
J: Eats at 7. I get up a little later. And we hang out, play…
N: Play until 9, then she takes a 45-minute nap. She breastfeeds at 10:30 and eats real food at 11. Naps from 12-2. Eats again at 2:30 and again at 6. We do a family bath, maybe every other day; everyone piles in. She goes to bed at 7. That’s my chance to do adult things. It’s a healthy balance.
On starting solids:
J: She’s got a whole system of trying food. We have a puree-er. We do green beans, peas, bananas, apples, carrots…
N: …sweet potatoes, squash. Her first food was sweet potatoes and she loved it. She ate the whole thing and it was all over the place – in her hair,on her nose, everywhere! Food tastes better coming from your Mom because it’s made with love.
J: We talk about it all the time. It’s an energy thing. I know exactly what’s going into her body.
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On traveling and being on the road with Good Charlotte:
N: At home, her wake-up time is 7 a.m. If I’mflying to the East Coast, I get her up at 4 a.m. She’s a bit jet-laggedthe first day, but she’s good about getting back on schedule. Ibreastfeed during takeoff and landing to help relieve pressure inHarlow’s ears. She’s teething, and she’s definitely had her moments inthe air. I get a little embarrassed, but if we’re calm, she’s calm.
J: We had a crib on the bus. These days on a Good Charlotte tour, there’s no partying on the bus.
N: I shipped everything Harlow needs in containers, labeled.I’ve never [been this organized]. Now I’m all about the schedule. Ithink Joel’s kind of annoyed about it. He’s like, "Stop talking aboutthe schedule!"
On making memories:
J: [Nicole] has notebooks and notebooks full of the first time she rolled over, the first time she laughed, the first time she…
N: …screamed…
J: Everything she’s ever done is in that book. It’s pretty cool. I really appreciate that because I come home and I can look through it.
N: My friend ask me what I wanted for my birthday, and I told her I wanted a notebook. She said, "You need to calm down!" [Laughs]
On extracurriculars:
N: I’m just now starting to get her into a music class. I’m going to put her in everything. I’m going to put her in ballet when she can start walking.
J: I can’t wait till she starts playing sports.
N: Sports?
J: Tennis.
N: Tennis?
J: It’s cute. A little tennis player?
N: No, she’s going to be a dancer. Or whatever she wants to do.
J: I just want to give her the option to try whatever she wants. I have a feeling she’s going to be musical because she loves instruments.
N: She loves to play the piano.
J: She has a little piano that I took the legs off and put on the floor. She lays there and just bangs on it.
N: No electronic toys. There’s plenty out there in nature to enjoy. She loves flowers in the garden.
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When asked if they pamper themselves:
N: Do I look like I’m pampering myself? I don’twear nail polish because she sucks on my fingers. I wear my hair upwith her. I don’t really shop. And I only wear heels after 7 p.m. No, Idon’t miss it.
J: Nicole is completely dedicated. I do whatever she tells meto do. I’m cool with that. She’s really good with the baby. I’m reallygood with the finances. All of Harlow’s education and all that stuff, Ialready have planned.
On Joel as a dad:
N: I’d love to say [Harlow]‘s a mommy’s girl, but when she sees her dad, she nose-dives for him. He’s really protective of us. It’s cute.
J: A couple weeks ago they fell asleep on the plane, and there was this guy, and his two teenage daughters wanted to take pictures of her. I was like, "Hey, she’s asleep now. Maybe when we get off the plane, you guys can take a picture." The guy just stood up, turned around and started taking pictures of her, and I kind of got into it with him. I was like, "I can’t believe you’re arguing with me. This is my newborn daughter and my girlfriend."
On if motherhood has changed how Nicole views herself:
N: I think my sense of self is still the same. But I don’t do things, we do things. I work around her. She and I do everything together. It’s so fun, especially now that she’s older.
When I was like 2 or 3, my mom and I would get our nails and hair done together. That was so fun. And I want her and I to do that when she’s older.
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On their pet project, The Richie-Madden Children’s Foundation:
J: The charity stuff is emotional — every kidbecomes your child. Every little baby deserves to be held and fawnedover. I’m happy that my daughter has been born into an easy life. Ialways thought I didn’t want that — I had a thing with people whodidn’t have to work, because I had to work so hard for everything Ihad. Hopefully by example from us, she’ll learn to do the right thingand to be a good person.
On if they have celebrity playdates:
N: No! [Laughs] My mom friends are people I grew up with. Her godparents will be our best friends Mark and Masha.
J: They’re "civilians." We are friends with Pete and Ashlee [Wentz]. We’re excited for th
em to soon be parents.
On goals for Harlow and the family:
N: I don’t think you can plan anything about having a child. It’s something so completely new, so you just have to go with whatever works for you. There’s a million different ways to be a mom.
J: Our baby’s healthy. She’s growing, so everything’s working.
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On getting married:
N: When we get married, everyone will know. It will happen when it happens.
More kids?:
J: If it could be as easy as Harlow, sure.
N: Right now? Oh my God, I need a nap first.
 Brian Doben for PEOPLE for use on CBB |
HARLOW’S PLAYLIST
Nicole and Joel shared a list of a few of Harlow’s favorite tunes!
- A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes — Cinderella. "I have a morning playlist that’s mellow Disney music," says Nicole. "I was a Disney kid!"
- Für Elise — Ludwig van Beethoven. "She has a classical playlist for when she’s on her mat," Nicole shares.
- Love Song – the Cure. "Harlow doesn’t dance yet, but she kicks her feet," explains Joel.
- Wild World — Cat Stevens. Joel reveals, "I can’t wait to write songs with her as soon as she can play an instrument!"
To download the Richie-Madden’s picks on iTunes, click here!
Source: PEOPLE, October 20th issue
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