For those oblivious to things like, you know, oxygen in the air and all, Angelina Jolie adopted another baby today. In Vietnam.
Having read this story about 1800 times in the past few days, I’d like to clear up the following:
1. Her son Maddox is not 3 years old, TMZ. He’s 5, going on six. While I know it’s easier for folks to count down Maddox - 3, Zahara - 2, Shiloh - blob, it doesn’t hurt to check facts. Say on Wikipedia, even.
2. No, Brad Pitt’s name is NOT on the adoption petition. They have this funny thing with adoptions that they sort of want you to be married. If you aren’t married, they’ll let you adopt as a single parent, but there is no box to check for “shacked up.” So let’s move past it.
3. Yes, Angelina and Maddox went to pick up the latest addition to the family without the rest of the family. Call me crazy, but that makes sense. Imagine that you are three years old, being taken away from the only family you’ve ever known by a skinny white lady with eyes bigger than your head. Would you also want to see some blonde dude, a white baby with big blue eyes, and a browner baby than you’ve ever seen? Or would you feel better with JUST the new mama and a little boy who looks at least a little bit like you? The kid’s gotta be scared shitless. The less craziness the better.
4. Yes, the boy probably cried during the adoption ceremony. He’s THREE. I can tell you from my unfortunate amount of experience with three-year-olds that they cry at the drop of a hat. Don’t let them get the Spiderman ball at the grocery store? Sobbing. Don’t let them go to sleep with a full juice box? Sobbing. Look at them cross-eyed? Sobbing. So just imagine you’ve taken this ball of toddler hormones out of the only place it’s ever known. What do you think it going to happen? A freaking party?
Look, hate her as much as you want. But at least she’s trying to do some good. Which is more than you can say for the Paris Hiltons of the world. I’d rather Angelina adopt 50 kids from foreign countries than be seen puking outside a bar. It’s not like she doesn’t have the money to do it.
Still. Sometimes, doing good means taking care of the little ones you already have- like, the new baby, for instance. I don’t care how many nannies she can hire, she has a little baby, and new babies love and need their moms. Yes, I really am that much of a bitch. No, I don’t hate her, and adopting hard to place children is a good thing. Just not when it means avoiding your own baby.
:(
I agree with all your reasons why it made sense for Maddox to accompany Angelina to Vietnam. From Maddox’s point of view, he’s gone from a family that consisted only of himself and Angelina to quite a crowd in a relatively short period of time. Bringing him to Vietnam to help the new child re-emphasizes his importance to the entire family as a whole.
One more thing….
I love the way in all her pictures Zahara has this look on her face that says “What is wrong with all you paparazzi folks? You are all crazy! Get a life!”
She’s thinking that every time she is in the public eye!
Cindy, from the reports I’m reading today, this adoption was actually started a while ago, possibly before Shiloh was born. Foreign adoptions can take a LOOOOOONG time.
Sarah, you are totally on the money with Zahara’s expression! Let’s hope it stays with her as she grows up.