The National Enquirer has all the details on what actually went down at Britney Spears’ family home last weekend. Britney’s son Jayden was hospitalized with what was initially reported to be a seizure, and then turned out to be a food allergy. Earlier in the afternoon the family had picked up some fried chicken from a fast food restaurant, and they claim Jayden had a reaction to that, but both the Enquirer and Star say it was a shellfish reaction brought on by some cajun crawfish that Jayden’s grandfather Jamie had cooked that afternoon. The Enquirer has more details about what went on that afternoon:

Dad Jamie, a first-rate cook, had prepared a southern-style Sunday dinner with all the fixings, and everyone was getting ready to eat. But as the hungry family gathered at the table, Jayden didn’t respond to calls to join them, says the source. “Jayden didn’t answer back. His grandmother Lynne went running to get him, followed by Britney. They found him in the living room, sitting near the sofa – limp and unresponsive.

“He couldn’t talk or look at anyone who was speaking to him. It was as if he was asleep and couldn’t wake up.” A horrified Lynne picked him up and he was as limp as a rag doll. She shrieked and a screaming Britney tried to grab her son, but Lynne pulled back and clutched him to her chest. She knew it was urgent to rush the baby to the hospital. She had gone through a similar episode with her son Bryan when he was 7. Britney grabbed for the phone and called for an ambulance. Told it would take a half-hour to arrive, the family decided to rush the boy to the hospital themselves.

[From the National Enquirer, Nov. 24, 2008, print ed.]

Though the family clearly did the right thing and K-Fed’s lawyer publicly proclaimed that he was impressed with Britney’s parenting during the episode, the Enquirer states that K-Fed is in fact livid with her – and the entire family – because they took so long to let him know what had happened.

Jayden’s dad was back home in Los Angeles enjoying a quiet Sunday with no knowledge of the scary drama unfolding at the hospital 2,000 miles away. “No one called Kevin until nearly midnight Louisiana time – hours after the interrupted diner,” said the source. “Britney insisted on staying with her on and asked for a bed to be brought into Jayden’s room.

“Lynne and Jamie made the call to Kevin. By this time it was too late to get a commercial flight, and Kevin was stuck until the morning before he could get a flight to Mississippi. He is furious – absolutley livid it took the family hours to let him know what had happened to Jayden. He feels betrayed by the Spears family.”

A representative for the family said doctors treating Jayden concluded that he had a reaction to something he ingested. But the source says the youngster has no known allergies and is a finicky eater – not likely to experiment with new foods.

“He eats mashed potatoes, spaghetti, corn and chicken,” said the source. “He loves cookies and candy. Kevin feels if Jayden did ingest something as the family is reporting, then there was a lack of supervision. Britney had a nanny, her dad, her mom, and sister Jamie Lynn there to help with the boys. Kevin made it clear to Britney it will be a long time before she will take the kids on a trip again.”

[From the National Enquirer, Nov. 24, 2008, print ed.]

If K-Fed really is upset with the family it sounds like he’s overreacting. From pretty much every account they did the right thing and took immediate action. Just because Jayden is a picky eater doesn’t mean he won’t put something into his mouth, and it could be food as easily as anything.

I do understand him being upset that it took him so long to get a call, and the Spears definitely should have phoned him right away. I’m guessing they probably didn’t want to alarm him until they had some clue as to what the problem was, and whether it was minor or serious. But no matter what, it should have been the first call they made. Hopefully K-Fed can get past it and maintain good family relations. It sounds like everyone was just trying to do their best.

Here’s Britney and her father Jamie picking up from a school in Encino on October 10th. Images thanks to WENN.

It’s been revealed that Britney Spears’ youngest son Jayden had an allergic reaction to something he ate this past weekend, and that’s why he was hospitalized. At first it was reported that Jayden had suffered a seizure, but it turned out that wasn’t the case. What’s odd about the whole situation is that supposedly Jayden’s food allergy is to fried chicken.

Britney Spears’ son Jayden James’ recent hospitalization was down to an allergic reaction to fried chicken, doctors believe.

The two-year-old tot – who was rushed to Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center in Kentwood, Louisiana, on Sunday after suffering a suspected seizure and going into a “vague and unresponsive state” – had eaten the food from a nearby takeaway establishment an hour before falling ill.

While he was at the medical centre, doctors performed a variety of tests on Jayden in a bid to discover what had caused the terrifying reaction.

A statement posted on Britney’s Web site Tuesday read: “Doctors concluded he had a reaction to something he ingested.”

Jayden has now been discharged from hospital after being treated.

[From AZ Central]

It’s unlikely that he’s actually allergic to fried chicken. It’s probably one of the ingredients. That’s like being allergic to tuna fish and being told you’re allergic to tuna casserole. Yes, you can’t have it, but you’re not allergic to the entire thing, just part of it. I’m allergic to nuts – truly the bane of my existence – so I’ve dealt with food allergies for a long time. I’m guessing Jayden is probably allergic to something in the batter or the oil the chicken is fried in. Being allergic to chicken itself is unlikely though not impossible.

Britney was commended by K-Fed’s lawyer for the way she handled the situation. She must have been paying close attention to Jayden to notice the change in behavior.

Meanwhile, Mark Vincent Kaplan – the attorney for Kevin Federline, Britney’s ex-husband and primary carer of Jayden and the couple’s other son, three-year-old Sean Preston – revealed Kevin was impressed with the way 26-year-old Britney had dealt with the situation.

Kaplan said: “I think that whatever it is, a food allergy or some other case, we don’t know yet. We’re pleased that someone was aware enough to see that he was having some sort of reaction and do what was necessary to make sure there were no chances taken and got Jayden to the appropriate facility and got the appropriate evaluation to be timely.

“I anticipate that Kevin and Britney as concerned parents will exchange information and satisfy themselves that what happened was a freak occurrence and do what they have to do to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.”

[From AZ Central]

Britney was obviously really on the ball. They keep talking about this “vague and unresponsive state” but I wonder what that really means. If I were a parent I’d think the kid was sleepy or something. It’s lucky that Britney realized something else was going on, since food allergies can lead to anaphylactic shock and death – pretty quickly in some cases. Something tells me they’ll be avoiding fried chicken for a long, long time just to be safe.

Here’s Britney holding Jayden at Mr. Bones’ Pumpkin Patch on October 23rd. Images thanks to Fame.

Britney and her boys at the pumpkin patch on 10/23/08. Credit: Fame
For the first time since losing custody of her two boys following her highly publicized meltdown, Britney Spears was granted permission to take Sean Preston and Jayden to visit her family in Kentwood, Louisiana. Spears was accompanied by a nanny and her father, Jamie Spears.

E! News has confirmed that the Circus performer, her two little boys and her ever-present pop Jamie hopped a flight to Louisiana Friday morning to get a jump on a little holiday-season togetherness with the rest of the Spears clan, in what Brit’s camp has recently referred to as her hometown of choice.

And not only will Britney be reunited with little sis Jamie Lynn and niece Maddie, but this is the first time she’s been allowed to leave California with her brood in tow since Kevin Federline was awarded full custody of 3-year-old Sean Preston and 2-year-old Jayden James.

A source tells E! that Britney was “tearful”—in a good way!—when she got the OK to travel with her sons.

The group took off from Van Nuys Airport in a private plane, according to OK! magazine, which first reported the cross-country venture.

While the number of passengers may have been up in the air until recently, this trip has been months in the making. One family insider said in June that Britney was hoping to get all the Spears spawn together as soon as the court would allow it.

[From E!Online]

Britney has been back to Louisiana since her recovery started- just after the birth of sister Jamie Lynn’s daughter Maddie this spring – without the boys. But she didn’t stay long, because of all the paparazzi that followed her to Kentwood. Hopefully this time the paps will leave her and the rest of the family alone. Everyone deserves a little quiet family time. Rumor has it that Britney will be spending the holidays on tour supporting her new CD, so maybe this trip is her way of connecting with her family before she heads out on the road. She’s also said that she wants her boys to have a close relationship with their little cousin.

Website Bitten and Bound has an interesting story about Britney Spears’ latest magazine cover. Brit’s going to be on the December issue of Australian Cosmopolitan. The title of the article is “How a Broken Britney Bounced Back.” How nice and supportive. It features a super hot picture of Britney that we’re obviously meant to assume is recent – the implication being, “Look at how great and put together she looks now!” However the picture is over five years old and was originally taken for an Esquire photo shoot.

Britney Spears graces the cover of Australian Cosmopolitan magazine’s December 2008 issue. The photo is hot and according to our friends at TMZ, it’s five years old. The image was lifted from a 2003 Esquire magazine photo shoot.

This isn’t the first publication to use deceptively old photos. Check out Britney’s OK magazine’s April 2008 cover here. The photo was from a 2003 Glamour photo shoot.

[From Bitten and Bound]

It’s kind of sad that so many magazines are doing this. It’s like they’re saying Britney’s improved enough to be a story, but not enough that she actually looks good. Which isn’t true. She looks great, but she looks five years older than she did… five years ago. It’s just a “duh” point. She’s not going to look the same. Everyone ages, and Britney’s late twenties body probably won’t rock in quite the magazine-friendly way that her early twenties body did. But why can’t they show her like she is – she still looks great!

If I were Britney, I’d feel like this sent a real mixed message. “We’re going to write about all the improvements you’ve made and how great you look – but you don’t actually look great enough to show you how you really are.” It would make me feel like I’d never be good enough. And frankly at best, it makes the magazine look unprofessional and dishonest.

The header photo is from Brit’s upcoming Cosmo Australia cover – the photos below are from the 2003 Esquire photoshoot.

Britney Spears has released the cover image and tracklist for her upcoming album, Circus, on her official website. Britney has attempted to create a more controlled and together image in the press with videos and photos on her site and it seems to be working. Last week we saw two workout videos of Britney, one in which she lifted weights with her trainer and another that had her out running with her mom.

All these official photos from Britney mean there’s less paparazzi interest in her, which is likely a good thing for her well being and sanity, although she’s not getting the constant press she used to. A couple of weeks ago Britney tried to escape photographers waiting outside her estate by hitching a ride with her gardener. The paparazzi were quickly tipped off by the fact that her bodyguard was following the landscaper’s truck. Britney laughed it off when she was discovered, but she must have had several paparazzi-free days after that incident because we just haven’t seen as many photos of her.

She’s creating an image that draws on the sexy Britney of days past, but mature and more world-weary. She hardly looks like herself on the cover of her album, but that’s because she’s already morphed into Britney 2.0. It’s her circus, and she’s in charge of choreography and costumes now.

Circus is out in stores on December 2. Here’s the tracklist. Britney’s site also mentions that the next single will be the song “Circus.”

1. Womanizer
2. Circus
3. Out From Under
4. Kill The Lights
5. Shattered Glass
6. If U Seek Amy
7. Unusual You
8. Blur
9. Mmm Papi
10. Mannequin
11. Lace and Leather
12. My Baby

Bonus Track:
13. Radar

[From BritneySpears.com]

Simon Cowell has confirmed rumors that Britney will appear on his UK talent show X Factor. Britney is set to perform songs from her upcoming album at the end of the month. Simon said “I’m really excited about it, because she has got her act together and the new record is terrific. She has come back from a very dark place and is a terrific artist.”

I remember when the original trial of the century wrapped up. I’d brought my walkman to school so I could listen to the O.J. Simpson verdict. Though it ended up being unnecessary because the headmaster announced it over the intercom. I bet kids today will have a similar, vivid memory of the day the legal system stood still asking the question: did Britney Spears drive without a license?

Well it turns out it was a much more complicated question than the rest of us realized, because a jury of 12 of her peers were unable to decide. Yep, it was that hard, and ended in a mistrial.

The trial of the century is finally ovah!

The jury could not reach a verdict and the judge declared the whole thing a mistrial. The jury vote came back 10 not guilty, two guilty. That wasn’t a waste of time at all.

Britney was popped for driving without a license last year — and for reasons that defy explanation, it made it all the way to trial.

Jurors spent yesterday deadlocked 10-2 but were ordered to continue deliberating. She faced a maximum of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted of the misdemeanor.

Spears was a no-show the entire trial.

Prosecutors could ask for another trial. That would be a good use of taxpayer’s money.

[From TMZ]

My goodness I hope they try her again. I expect nothing less than prosecuting her to the fullest extent of the law – otherwise vigilante justice might break out. Clearly Britney’s life hangs in the balance – if someone doesn’t step in and help her – or lock her up – who knows what will happen? Oh wait, that was months ago. And no one gives a shit about this. With the exception of the prosecutor who clearly wanted some attention.

We’ll wait with baited breath to see if Britney escapes justice again. Or to see if the prosecutors in California have anything better to do with their time.

Here’s Britney visiting a studio in Hollywood last Wednesday. Images thanks to Fame.

Britney Spears’ official website got a major update yesterday with some pictures of Brit and her dancers practicing a routine for her concert tour. It looks pretty hardcore (and a tad dangerous) too – Brit’s holding what appears to be a real whip.

Gimme more! Brit was snapped rehearsing her latest dance routine — holding a whip.

The Spears Comeback Train is rolling on full steam ahead — she’s reportedly signed Wade Robson, the man behind her raunchy video “I’m a Slave 4 U,” to choreograph her world tour. She will reportedly hit the road in March next year.

Meanwhile, Brit’s driving-without-a-license trial has come to a grinding halt — jurors are at a deadlock! Jurors in her trial went home today without reaching a verdict after announcing they were stuck on a 10-2 vote. They’ll reconvene tomorrow.

Britney, 26, is charged with driving without a California license.

[From Extra]

It really is amazing to see how incredible Britney looks. Her body appears the same as it did years ago – she’s obviously worked incredibly hard to get it back into such crazy shape.

TMZ is reporting that the jurors in Britney’s trial are deadlocked, and they theorize that confusion of dad Jamie Spears’ testimony is partly to blame. Apparently Jamie has a very, very thick southern accent, and the website claims the jurors couldn’t understand much of his testimony. A court employee now has to read it back to them. TMZ loves to make fun of the Spears family for their southern roots, so it’s hard to tell to what extent they’re joking. I doubt Brit’s trial is hinging on even a very thick accent, but it probably doesn’t help speed things along.

Britney Spears capped off a good few months with a great week. Her new website launched, her first single off her upcoming CD hit number one on the charts, and she’s managed to talk a bit about her public breakdown without coming off worse for the wear.

Obviously Brit’s longest-running – and most important – struggle has been with motherhood. She’s been involved in a long and arduous custody battle and has worked with professionals on her parenting skills. With improvement has come increased visitation and a greater role in her sons’ lives. She looked truly joyful and happy to see them – in fact the entire Spears clan (sans a seemingly permanently shunned to Louisiana Jamie Lynn) looked really happy.

Britney Spears got to spend the day with her boys Sean Preston Federline and Jayden James Federline in Los Angeles on October 17, 2008. The pop star, who is holding down the #1 spot on the charts this week, seemed extremely happy to be joined by her parents Lynne Spears and Jamie Spears as she picked the little ones up from pre-school. Jamie and Lynne along with a bodyguard followed Britney closely as she smiled and carried Jayden while a nanny held a tired looking Sean Preston. Though she was flanked by people to help her, it seems Britney is getting back into the swing of being a doting mother!

[From Fame]

The only reminder of “old” Britney was her ongoing trial for the world’s most minor infraction of driving without a driver’s license. She does in fact have one, but has lived in California for the past several years, while her license is from her home state of Louisiana. The case appears to hinge on whether Britney is technically a resident of Louisiana or California. Though the jury started deliberating today, they didn’t reach a verdict and have retired for the weekend. I’m assuming they’ll manage to figure something out by the end of the day on Monday. If not, lawyers are even trickier than I thought.

Here’s Singer Britney picking up Sean Preston and Jayden James from school her parents and the help of a bunch of security guys yesterday. Images thanks to Bauer-Griffin and Fame.

Boy Britney Spears’ lawyers sure are intent on doing their best to bleed her dry. I don’t even want to imagine the kinds of billable hours she’s racked up in the last year on her dumb traffic court-worthy case. In August of 2007 Britney slammed her car into the side of a parked Mercedes in a parking lot. The whole thing was caught on tape, and Brit was seen getting out of her car and inspecting it thoroughly, while never moving her head four inches to even glance at the other person’s car.

Unfortunately for Brit – and fortunately for everyone else – the car’s owner saw the tape and Britney was arrested and booked for hit-and-run. The case is STILL pending in court – and she has rejected a more than generous plea deal.

An attorney for Britney Spears has rejected a plea offer that would have placed her on a year’s probation and forced her to pay a $150 fine in her misdemeanor driver’s license case.

Attorney J. Michael Flanagan says Spears would consider an offer that reduces the charge to an infraction and requires her to pay a $10 fine. He says if the case does go to trial as scheduled later this month, he will appeal any conviction.

He says the 26-year-old singer is being unfairly targeted because she is a celebrity and doesn’t deserve a blemish on her criminal record.

The charge is the last remnants of a criminal case that city prosecutors lodged against Spears after she hit a parked car in August 2007 and left without notifying the owner.

[From Yahoo News]

I appreciate that Britney has done a lot in the last few months in terms of improving her life. However the consequences from having a breakdown don’t just go away because you got better. Part of really improving is taking responsibility for her mistakes, and this was clearly one. It is no one’s fault but Britney’s, and I’m upset she was offered such a ridiculously lenient plea deal. I’m not saying they should lock her up and throw away the key, but there should be more than this. She was an absolute fool to employ this lawyer and a bigger fool for listening to him.

I can’t wait to see what kind of punishment she ends up with.

Here’s a slightly-disheveled Britney Spears arrives at JFK International Airport as she leaves New York City on October 2. Images thanks to Bauer-Griffin.

Britney at an indoor go-karting center yesterday. Credit: Fame

Britney Spears went through a lot of public trials when she was living in her Beverly Hills home in a gated community. That was were Sam Lutfi inserted himself into her life and started drugging her and disabling her cars and phones. It was also the place where she was carted off in an ambulance this January after she refused to hand over one of her sons for a scheduled visitation with his father. Not only does the home have bad memories for Britney, it also has bad memories for her sons, who remember their mom at her worst there.

Spears has a new exclusive photo spread with In Touch, featuring pictures of her in the mansion she purchased furnished in 2006 for $7.2 million and is now trying to sell for $7.9 million. Among the reasons In Touch lists for Britney wanting to sell the house is that a psychic told her it was “cursed.” As if she needed that extra esoteric excuse.

“Britney wants a fresh start,” says an insider, adding that “she feels that the home has too many bad memories attached to it.” Adds a friend, “To Britney, that home represents bad times. She is in a much better place in her life now and wants her home to reflect that…”

But that’s not the only reason why she’s selling the house. A psychic with whom she consults regularly advised her to move. “The psychic told her that the home was cursed and bringing bad energy into her life,” says the insider, adding, “Britney’s convinces that the house contributed to the horrible year she had.”

[From In Touch, print edition, October 13, 2008]

There is no interview with Britney in the accompanying article, but it seems like In Touch probably has some legitimate insider information if they’re publishing the exclusive new photos. Who knows, though. Maybe they just paid a steep price to purchase the pictures and no one really met with her.

It’s a little wacky to make major life decisions based on proclamations from people who claim to have extra-sensory abilities, but if Britney needed that little extra push to move on, more power to her. If she wants to sell the house, it’s not the wisest idea to tell anyone she thinks it’s cursed, though.

In Touch also includes a photo of Britney dusting in her office while wearing a silk silver-colored top. Her hair is pulled up and she’s wearing glasses as she holds a rag. Again, showing that you clean your own home may not be the best way to sell a nearly $8 million mansion.

Britney Spears is shown on 10/5/06 at “Dromo 1: The Real Racing Experience,” an indoor go-karting center in Anaheim, CA. It is thought that she is recording material for a DVD to come out with her CD, Circus. Credit: Fame Pictures