Lou Samuel Celebrates First Birthday with a Cupcake

Katie B/Eagle Press

What does Heidi Klum and Seal’s baby girl Lou Sulola have to look forward to on her first birthday Saturday? Cupcakes, candles and some heartfelt gifts.

“We’re just hanging out at home for her birthday,” Klum, 37, told PEOPLE at the launch party for her new activewear line, Heidi Klum for New Balance, on Thursday in New York.

“I got balloons and I got cupcakes — she’s going to eat her first Sprinkles cupcake!”

As for the birthday girl’s present? Her mom has decided to make her gift a new family tradition.

“I made her a beautiful necklace,” she said. “It’s the same necklace I made [now 6-year-old] Leni when she [turned] 1. It’s an ‘L’ with blue diamonds. Leni’s is pink, [and] she still wears it. It’s like their 1-year present.”

While baby Lou might be sharing a present with big sister Leni, she’ll also be sharing something else on her special day … the candles on her birthday cake.

“You don’t know how many times I have to turn the candles on again,” the model said, laughing. “It’s always a fight, they’re all going to help her blow out the candles.”

Even though her siblings — including Henry, 5, and Johan, 3½– may try to steal her candle glory, Klum says they all adore their youngest sister. “They’re always around her,” she said. “She’s like their little princess.”

– Mussarat Bata

Comments

That’s such a sweet gift.

- Lacey on October 9th, 2010

So cute. Lou just looks like Seal

- Julie on October 9th, 2010

I actually think she’s a perfect mix of both mum and dad.
And what a sweet story and gift

- Sandra on October 9th, 2010

I think it’s great to give a child a gift on their first birthday that they can keep forever. We gave our daughters beautiful wooden jewelery boxes for their 1st birthday. Now we have to figure out what to give our son on his first birthday – something that he can keep forever. Any suggestions?

- Mum of 3 on October 9th, 2010

Too cute! Happy Birthday!

- Karen on October 9th, 2010

Oh my gosh! She is so seriously adorable. Of course, what else would you expect from an offspring of Heidi and Seal. They are such a loving, happy family. Best wishes to little Lou!

- Donna on October 9th, 2010

finally a celeb who does not feel the need to have the sponsered party with “giving bags’ and the name \’fisher price’ all over the party! doing a party fro the child and not for their publicity!
good job heidi and seal! I applaude you!!!!

- ekaterina on October 9th, 2010

Love that gift idea! My Dad gave me a gold heart shaped locket for my first birthday. Here in a few months, I will celebrate my 31st birthday and I still have that locket. Gifts like that are ones to cherish, and pass down as family heirlooms. Also, love that they are going to have a low key party for Lou.

- Mavs2980 on October 9th, 2010

Also Mum of 3, it’s hard to think of something for a boy! The only thing I can come up with is quite impractical for a 1 year old, and quite old fashioned……. a pocket watch. I just remember being fascinated with the one my Dad had, when I was younger. It was something my Dad had been given by my Grandfather.

- Mavs2980 on October 9th, 2010

Funny, no one is raking Heidi over the coals for not ramming sugar down her baby’s throat like they did with Ellen Pompeo. Ellen says that Stella had her first bites of cake on her birthday and people carry on about Ellen’s “food issues” and act like she’s a freak for not giving junk food to an infant. Heidi says Lou had her first cupcake on her birthday and no one bats an eye, not one word. I say this as a person who thinks both women are right and acting responsibly, I just wonder why Ellen is setting Stella up for a lifetime of food issues and Heidi is a breath of fresh air?

- meghan on October 9th, 2010

Mum of 3 ~

When my sons turned 1 they each received a “Time Capsule”. The capsule was actually a very special, beautiful, handmade box shaped like a steamer trunk, made by their Grandfather, replete with a lock and key. Family & friends placed items, letters and photos (even a taped recording by a great-great grandfather of his journey as a little boy across the plains), in the boxes. We continued to add precious and sentimental items to their boxes through the years.

They came with the following instructions:
“Not to be opened until your 21st birthday”. They are both beyond that age now, but they looked forward to opening their very special gift every year and they were the first gift opened on their 21st birthdays. They are one of their most prized possessions to this day and will carry on this tradition with their own children. This is a unique and wonderful gift for any child.

- PinBox on October 9th, 2010

mumof3 that’s a really nice idea. it is hard to come up with something. how about a photo frame that you have specially made (maybe a wooden one, handcrafted) with a photo of him as a baby with parents? or for some reason i thought of a harmonica, like a really nice one. something he can use as a child and learn to love as he grows up. you could even have it engraved.

- JM on October 9th, 2010

Mum, what about a “treasure chest” instead of a jewelry box? That way, he’d have a place to always keep his most important treasures?

- Cindy on October 9th, 2010

That is one adorable baby! Just want to pinch her cute little baby legs. I really like this couple and their take on life and their family.

- Kim Chrisman on October 9th, 2010

I love this family and if I ever have a daughter to join my son Martin I am gonna call her Leni!

- Marija on October 9th, 2010

did anyone see the prices they are trying to charge for this new heidi klum line? ABSOLUTELY ridiculous. $159 for a short sleeve zipper up. light weight, black, nothing to it! these celebs just take advantage of regular people! unreal!

- dena on October 9th, 2010

No one is taking advantage of “regular” people. They don’t FORCE you to buy their clothes. If you don’t want to pay $159, then go to Target and get your kids’ clothes.

- gdfg on October 9th, 2010

OMG What a cutie And I too like the idea of a low key birthday party. Unfortunately, even non-celebrities seem to view their children’s parties as a way to one up their neighbors.

- Aoife on October 9th, 2010

hey mom of 3
we gave our son a wooden ‘memory box’ for his first birthday. we put an engraved brass plaque on the outside & i actually keep it in our room, and have been filling it with some of the really special landmark mementoes, when he is a bit older we will give it to him to keep in his room & he can add to it his own special memories as he ages. hope this helps

- janice on October 9th, 2010

OMG!What a beautiful child.She looks just like her Daddy.

- Red Skye on October 9th, 2010

It’s been a year already!!!! Wow, where did the time go? Holy cow!

- D on October 9th, 2010

What a cutie!

- Tara on October 9th, 2010

Meghan, this is not an article about Ellen Pompeo so why even bring her up? Stick to the issue at hand. Btw, Ellen Pompeo is horrid and deserves any criticism she gets.

- Tara on October 9th, 2010

Umm Tara, how is Ellen horrid? The only horrid people in the world are people like rapists, pedophiles, bigots , etc.

- Molly on October 9th, 2010

There is nothing off topic about what I said, Tara. Ellen said the exact same thing about her daughter’s first birthday a week ago and there are over 80 posts debating what she said, while in Heidi’s thread the same topic doesn’t even get mentioned. I’m sick to death of the double standards in this site. Everyone likes Heidi so it doesn’t get mentioned. Meredith Grey is annoying, so Ellen must be an awful person, mock her for doing something any parent would agree with. I don’t care if she is the most horrible woman alive, posts attacking her for not letting a tiny baby have sugar in her diet is absurd!

- meghan on October 9th, 2010

Meghan, I think more people responded to Ellen’s post because she mentions her own/her daughter’s eating habits much more often than most other celebrities, including Heidi Klum. That’s likely the reason why so many people responded. On another note, I love Heidi’s idea of giving special gifts to her daughters. A similar thing has been done in my family for nearly 80+ years on both the day of birth & the first birthday: a special stuffed animal on the day of birth from the grandparents & a special, creative first birthday present from the parents.

- Daniella on October 9th, 2010

Thanks for all the ideas! I love them all!! Now how to choose…:-)

- Mum of 3 on October 9th, 2010

meghan,

I don’t really have an opinion on the whole sugar thing. But there is a difference between “She’s going to eat her first Sprinkles cupcake!” and “She doesn’t really have a lot of sugar, just only in fruit. So the cake was a pretty big deal because she’d never had anything that sweet before.[But] she’s not going to have it again until next year!” Ellen specifically mentions how strict she is about sugar and Heidi doesn’t say anything about her daughter’s sugar intake, just that she is having her first cupcake.

- kay on October 10th, 2010

Saying that she’s going to have her first cupcake is very different than talking about how your child doesn’t ever have sugar.

My kids didn’t have cake/cupcakes before the age of 1 but that doesn’t mean I was a food nazi and restricted everything that had sugar in it.

- Lorus on October 10th, 2010

the day i was born my dad bought all different kinds of newspapers that came out this day. He gave them to me for my 18th birthday! i must tell you that i have never read them but still i keep them on my desk, i found this gift quite original and sweet

- h on October 10th, 2010

h – I used to sit for a family (they’ve since moved out of state) that had a similar thing made for their oldest daughter when she was born. It was a framed sheet that had all sorts of important stuff that happened on the day she was born, famous people with the same birthday, important things that happened in history on the same day, etc. They had it hanging up in her room. I thought it was really neat.

- Sarah M. on October 10th, 2010

Meghan,

Could be because just a few days ago their were pictures of Lou eating an ice-cream cone. So, she may not have had cake, but she’s very likely had sugar.

OK, maybe it was sugar-free ice-cream. But seriously, probably not.

- klm on October 11th, 2010

What a sweet gift! My 8 year old was born on Easter Sunday and every year she gets a box in the shape of an egg. Inside we tuck in a note to tell her how loved she is and how she’s grown over that year.

- Joslyn on October 11th, 2010

Kim, Lou has never been seen eating ice-cream since Heidi never gives them ice-cream before they’re one. If it’s the picture I think you’re talking about it was actual rice cereal.

- Lessie on October 11th, 2010

To Mumof3….I think you should give him a treasure chest! He can keep his most prized childhood toys in their….favorite marbles, special rock or anything he deems a treasure. I know guys who’ve collected things over the years and kept them there. Ribbons one for things ie a school award for? Athletic ribbons or medal etc. I think he would have just as much fun having a special place for his goodies as his sisters only it would be the “guy” version being a Treasure Chest. Just a thought.

Heidi…I love your tradition. Please keep it up. They may not realize now, but one day that is going to be the most special thing they own in their life. I’d give anything to have something special like that from my Mum. She’s about to leave us.

- Nanie K on October 15th, 2010