Giuliana and Bill Rancic waited a long time for their baby Duke, who will turn one on August 29. The couple went through multiple rounds of IVF and Guiliana undergoing treatment for breast cancer before they were able to conceive a baby via surrogate. So on some level I understand why they’re celebrating Duke’s birthday with a big blowout. On the other hand, the kid isn’t really going to remember it. They realize that, and Giuliana admitted that she’s hoping to impress Duke on some future date when he’ll be able to know what’s going on.
Giuliana and Bill Rancic spared no expense celebrating their baby boy Duke’s first birthday Sunday afternoon in LA, and In Touch has the first look inside the cowboy-themed birthday party.
“He had the greatest time, ” Bill exclusively tells the new issue of In Touch, on stands now. The Giuliana & Bill stars threw their little guy a Western- themed party with exhibits including a petting zoo, a mechanical bull and a Crayola coloring station. “Duke’s eyes lit up all day long,” Giuliana tells the mag.
The party may have seemed extravagant to some, but after undergoing IVF and battling breast cancer as she tried to have a child, Giuliana and Bill felt every element was worth it for the 1-year-old. “We wanted to make sure he would look back on this in awe.” The E! News host admits, “We went over budget,” and enlisted the help of LA-based event planner Liza Naguib of DessArt Designs. “ We struggled for years to have baby Duke, and there’s nothing like the first birthday.”
So what will Duke’s next big present be? A sibling! “We’re ready,” Giuliana tells In Touch, who had Duke via surrogate. “Hopefully, we’ll have some good news to share soon!”
For more the details and photos inside Duke’s birthday party, and more from Giuliana and Bill, pick up this week’s issue of In Touch, on stands now.
If you had the money to throw your kid a huge birthday party and hire a party planner would you? I probably would to some degree. I mean I doubt I’d ever do it up Real Housewives style with a $60k party for a four year-old, but when your kid is old enough to remember it I can see having a big party. I’ve done it for my kid, within our budget. Plus these people are reality stars, they probably filmed it all for their show as some kind of plot point. We know they invited In Touch to film it. I shouldn’t be so cynical, Duke is adorable, he looks so thrilled and it was a special day for their family.
The last interview we covered with Giuliana, she said that she wanted a little girl so that she could dress her up and added “It’s like having a doll – but it’s a real person.” I hope they do have a girl so Giuliana gets brought back down to earth a little.
Some photos credit In Touch. Giuliana and Bill are also shown on 8-5-13. Credit: WENN.com
Her body language is always so off when she’s with the kid.
And look at the first picture – She’s looking at the camera, not at Bill or the kid. The way she talked about her future daughter, I really think everything in her life is an accessory to complete her look.
I think he is the natural parent. She was in love with the idea of having kids. And her own mother seems very nurturing and wonderful.
I think she is a natural work-aholic who is very devoted to her job.
That being said, I do really love watching the show and I do really like them as a couple.
I noticed that he was the one who wanted to be sure to go to the baby when he cried at night, and she just turned down the monitor so she couldn’t hear him! I thought it was odd only because I couldn’t imagine feeling that disconnected and insensitive towards my son. I feel wholey compelled to comfort him whenever needed. I’m a pushover, though.
It’s for her own safety….One swift movement and the baby accidentally hits her, her bobble head could fall right off!
Or break a rib…Or a nail…
He seems so SMARMY, and you know he thinks that every woman in the world thinks he is the most fantastic husband in the world…
I watch their show and in most scenes with the baby, Bill is usually holding him. Always seems odd she doesn’t hold him more often, but maybe he gets too heavy for her. She is quite frail looking
Yeah, I feel like there’s some kind of awkward disconnect between her and the baby. I can’t quite put my finger on it. When I see her with him it’s like she’s his babysitter…there’s some warmth missing.
SWOON.
love Bill. hahahaha
To each their own, but when you throw a bday party for a baby, you are really throwing it for yourself…not that there’s anything wrong with that…
Exactly.
I don’t have children so I can’t really speak from experience, but I honestly never understood why people spent buttloads of money on a baby’s birthday. When they’re a bit older and can remember it, okay, but at 1? I do agree, at that age it’s a party for the parents more than the kid.
I know for me, my child’s birthday is important because it’s also a special day when I became a Mom. Unfortunately, I don’t get to celebrate my Push Day, so we have to celebrate birthdays. I agree that the first birthday is more for the parents, I even said the same, it’s still something nice to acknowledge the first year of one’s life.
The only way this wouldn’t be offensive, and I could applaud it, is if it was mandatory that no gifts be given and instead, donations made to a reputable childrens charity. That would benefit something other than the parents ego’s.
Or donate the money to women who have fertility issues & can’t afford treatments. I still think they’re a couple of idiots tho.
Yes! I read she asked merchants & manufacturers to donate the very expensive stuff that she wanted to give Bill for his b’day. Don’t know if anyone actually gave her the swag. She offered publicity & product placement on their show in return.
He turned me so off when he first hit fame as the winner of an early Celebrity Apprentice that I don’t watch anything they’re in.
THIS completely.
Ultimately, it’s their choice as parents but in my opinion, it’s self-serving and wasteful. One-year-olds don’t GAF about all this extra shit, it just seems like a silly status thing to me that’s fun for the adults.
I don’t know…it makes me think of when I buy my cat an expensive toy that she never looks at, because she prefers to play with an old feather or a Q-tip–cats and babies don’t have very discriminating tastes.
I feel the same way. But I know people who go to this extreme who by means can afford it. It’s so over the top, and commpletely competetive with other mothers.
Having said that, I had insane birthday parties when I was little. But then I was an adopted only child and my parents waited years for me. Also, back then you made your own cake and a lot of your own decorations, so the expense was controlled. Also, I had tons of little cousins, so my parties were always fun for them too.
Cats and kids often seem to prefer boxes…
Actually I am sure that they did it for something for the show.
And, I will bet, the show foot the bill
All a one year old needs to have a good birthday is love and attention. They don’t even need toys, bc they’d rather play with the wrapping paper.
for her, I’d say it’s just about right. she seems to have a “keeping up with the Jones” quality about her, normal Hollywood behavior?
in other news I say “Go Mel B” but why are they fighting?
Darn you Blue! You made me scroll back up to see the byline and now I need to know too.
haha, sorry but it caught my eye. well that and Lamar Kardashian really has a type right?
Her hair is sooooo much better without those ugly extensions. I feel for them and at the same time they love to keep the reality show money rolling in…..annoying
I stopped watching E shows with her on them (which is like half of their shows)
because she is such a famewhore.
How she became a celebrity I will never know. There is nothing appealing about her at all. I don’t watch Fashion Police anymore, its just a mockery of glorifying who they like and slamming who they hate. That cast is the biggest mess they should not be judging anybody at all.
Everything they do is for show so it makes sense. They are gross.
Aw man, if her motivation for having a girl is to dress her like a doll, plus growing up in LA, she is going to be lots of fun when she hits 11.
I can’t stand those tabloid photos where one is focused on the people with them, and the other is staring at the camera. I call it the Kim Kardashian wedding pose.
A huge party for a 1 year old is only to show off and try to impress other adults.
I really don’t understand why she is famous. Is it because she tried to get knocked up, failed and then got breast cancer? are medical problems now the key to becoming famous?
I mean, I’ve got a numb leg and some carpal tunnel if they wanna call me for my reality show.
Bingo! We have a winner! It’s a mystery to me too.
Her solution to everything is to write checks. Don’t eat a sammich, pay for IVF. Then pay a surrogate. Then pay a nanny. Then pay a party planner. See? Being a mom is simple!
HA! Made my afternoon.
+1, and she is so homely.
Who are they? Nice hat on the horse.
holy hell! I didn’t even notice that at first but since I read your post and scrolled up I’ve been cracking up. It makes you think about the people whose job it is to come up with this cheezy nonsense. Thanks for pointing it out!
You can’t say they don’t love that little boy. I think that of they had a girl, they would love her just as much. I just wish they would adopt if they want to go that route, there are so many children who need loving homes.
I find it difficult to look at her. Her eating disorder and malnourishment make looking at her skeletal frame painful. I remember reading her food journal one day – how dismaying.
I have wondered before if her fertility issues had anything to do with being underweight (not making assumptions, that may have nothing to do with it)…
no, they do. In fact her doctor told her to gain 15 pounds and she’d have no trouble becoming fertile. But her anorexia was stronger so they started the IVF route and that’s when they discovered the breast cancer.
And then she made herself into some kind of champion for women with infertility issues, when she was the main cause of her own infertility! Totally agree that her anorexia was why she couldn’t conceive.
I believe it was suggested she gain 10 lbs to see if that would help. She gained 5 and said that was enough and that she couldn’t gain more due to her job. Which is ridiculous.
Yes, there is a direct linking between being malnourished and infertility. She promotes an extremely low-fat and low-calorie diet, which starves the body and depresses the immune system. That depressed immune system then cannot fight off the invaders that it should, such as cancerous cells.
I looked at that food journal also- and she said she was working out 4-5 hours a day at that time. I couldn’t figure out how she was alive, much less able to menstruate. I was glad they had a boy rather than a girl, too much chance she would pass on her attitude toward food to a girl.
They’re both a little on the creepy side.
It would almost seem scary to look at those faces from the crib.
On my daughter’s first birthday in Nov I want to throw a ” yay! We kept her alive and we survived party”. Lol
That is really cute. Congratulations!
Hahaha…hilarious!! Just had our “Yay! We all survived the first year and came out relatively unscathed” party for our one year old in June. No circus performers or petting zoo, but everyone had a good time regardless. Have fun and take lots of pics!! Time really does fly eh!?
Congrats! Now you just have to do that 17 more times 😉
I hope so!! I want to do it even longer! My brother is 38 and our (immediate) family still does the cake and song thing Love it! 🙂
Ugh she annoys me to no end. I don’t know how she became semi- famous. She interviews celebs and criticizes their fashion. She has no actual talent ( but you don’t need it these days)
I doubt her kid is going to look back on these pictures when he’s 18 and be in awe of the day.
Yes, going over budget for a 1 year olds birthday is a bit much, but it’s their money.
What I don’t understand is not doing things because the kid won’t remember it. Experiences shape our life if we remember them or not. Reading books, a trip to the zoo, touching snow, a first christmas/birthday/etc. all help a child nurture and grow.
Obviously I don’t know this woman personally, but it seems to me from what I do know of her that she has some major issues. It is unnerving the relationship she has with her weight. I kind of hope she doesn’t have that little girl she wants, because to expectations may be very dangerous.
I think they’re adorable.
Party planner or not, many many parents go OTT for the first birthday when the kids won’t even remember it. The amount of first birthdays I’ve had to attend is outrageous.
She reminds me of Kate Gosselin- she wants a baby, not to be a parent. She doesn’t even seem interested in her son. This party is for HER, to get attention for HER.
She is just another Kardashian at this point.
She just wanted $ and fame, freebies galore. I am sick of her.
Vapid woman. She is so engrossed with fame and fawning over Leann Rimes that she has little time for anything else.
^^This!
I was put off by her since I first watched her on E!. The fact that she is so far up LeAnn’s butt makes me disspise this woman.
Bill on the other hand is great and sexy. However, there has to be something off with him to put up with this woman.
Yeah I agree. Must be something off with him if he’s married to someone as shallow as her.
I think it’s just fine, especially when you consider what Bill and Giuliana went through to get him, and Giuliana’s breast cancer.
A lot of people bring up the fact that the child won’t remember the party, but that’s not the point of these parties for most of the parents who throw them. It’s usually a celebration of the fact that the little one is here, you know, a celebration of life and the fact that the child has reached this milestone — and it is a milestone.
Have to agree 100%. Pre-baby I thought “why would/should I go to a child’s first birthday?!” and then when my little girl turned one and we had a small little backuard Bbq, one of my bffs went camping instead. My feelings were hurt: if you care about me, then why wouldn’t you want to celebrate someone so special in my life?!
Totally my opinion and I don’t want to be ripped apart for it, lol. I get so nervous posting stuff on here sometimes!
LOL I hear you, but I don’t agree you’re right. It’s your child. It’s a big deal to you. To your friend she loves him but it’s a one-year-old birthday party that he’s not even aware it’s his birthday party. So it is more about you than the child in you wanting her there and shouldn’t feel slighted. More importantly, is if she shows him love on normal days and in your life.
“LOL I hear you but….” and then you go and do it anyway?
I’m not going to defend my feelings and I shouldn’t have to. Lets agree to disagree.
I understand why that hurt, Amanduh.
I think it’s for the best that she wasn’t there. That way you don’t have to deal with someone who isn’t comfortable or who may be a downer during the festivities. And, unless there were some circumstances that are unknown, you know where she stands when it comes to these parties. You can leave her off the guest list.
I remember my third birthday. Maybe there’s somebody out there who remembers their second. But I guarantee, that nobody remember their first. (I just goodled and scientists seem to agree that for most people older than 10 years old, the earliest memories are between 3 and 4. Very few people might have older memories but I really doubt that anyone has memories of their first birthday.)
The point of the party isn’t for the child to remember it. It’s about celebrating the child being here, usually. It’s basically a celebration of life.
I do. First time I felt humiliation. The animal cracker box my aunt gave me didn’t contain cookies, but a harness. I cried & sobbed because because I felt I was being treated like a dog. 40 years later, I told my aunt & she remembered. Everyone had laughed because they thought I was disappointed about not getting the cookies. (No b’day pics until I was 3.)
A harness? Oy vey, that’s ridiculous. I’m sorry that happened.
linlin: This reply isn’t really directed just at you but also other posters who say, “Well they won’t remember it, so what’s the point other than it’s for the parents?”.
Sure it’s for the parents on some level to celebrate this person they have been raising for the past year but the baby usually has fun too! So what if they don’t remember it? On that day, the baby is happy and loved. I really don’t understand why it matters or not if the baby remembers it.
We’ve taken my son (who is only turning 3) to trips, museums, etc and yes he might not remember it but when he was there he was happy and usually inquisitive and in awe. Are most of you saying, that if they don’t remember it, it doesn’t shape their little neurons in some way?
So in that same vein, would traumatic things that happen prior to the age of memory (around 3) be just nothing then? This reasoning makes absolutely no sense to me.
I can’t hate on the big splash for the one-year birthday party – they have the $ and it’s a big milestone! Just so long as there’s not a big one every year.
Exactly.
Yes. And after everything they went through to have Duke, I say they should have celebrated big for his first birthday. Why not? She does seem too much at times, and too absorbed in keeping up with what’s the trendy thing to do, whereas Bill seems more level headed and doesn’t go for the LA lifestyle so much.
I like them, and wish them the best of luck for baby number two! Happy Birthday Duke 🙂
We had a big party for our son’s first birthday but only because my cousin had died shortly before he turned one and our son was one of the only things that gave my cousin and our family some happiness during a sad time. So yes it was really for us, not him, but the little dude just brings so much joy to our families we wanted to celebrate that. This year for his second birthday it was only us, nan and pop, my brother, 2 sisters, brother-in-law and 2 nephews. Oh and the Fat Controller and Thomas the Tank. Both years were fun.
A lot of cultures have big community first birthdays. Nothing to get riled up about.
Precisely.
I’m Italian and neither my brother nor I had big first birthday parties. My grandma was the type to do everything big, and we didn’t splash out. This is for them… do you think they’re going to put a one year old on a mechanical bull?
We’re not saying it’s not for them.
What we’re saying is that these parties, and this party, are a celebration both for and about the child. The child won’t remember everything or possibly anything, but the children tend to be happy. There are a lot of things they don’t and won’t remember, but we still do them.
They are celebrating the child and how important he is to the family. Everyone is meant to have a good time, from the baby to the oldest person. A nice celebration of the milestone of reaching one year, the child, and the happiness of the family.
These are family milestones and friends,clergy and co-workers come out to support the parents.
I went to one of these on the week-end. Ethnic food, kids running around, getting to see the new mom emerging back into the adult world. We all admired the one year old clapping to some music as if he had just invented fire.
When did a little joie de vivre become a target for so much anger? Can’t we be happy for each other?
Using the excuse “all that we went through” as justification is starting to sound hallow. Spend your money how you like, but then don’t complain when the public finds it in poor taste or when your children become spoiled and out of touch. I don’t dislike them, but I went through fertility issues too. I now have 3. When I reflect what I *went through* I want to hug them and spend more time with them – not throw them an extravagant party. She acts like a child herself half the time.
Why does it sound hollow?
We’re not saying that parties like this are appropriate for every year of the child’s life. We’re saying that she had cancer and they weren’t sure they were going to be able to have a child at all, so why not celebrate the first year of the child’s life. This is something that also touched their whole family; it was a relief and great joy for all of them. Why not celebrate? They have the money.
This isn’t a one thing or the other situation. It’s not a “Well, they threw a big party, so they don’t hug the child and spend more time with him”, kind of thing. They are most likely doing both.
Well, we know they need material for the dang show b/c otherwise you’re just sitting there watching this chick flit around as if she has an important job and Bill worry about how he can tackle the *real* stuff happening in his life. All with some cutesy music in the background. Hooray that she’s one of the lucky ones who survived cancer and got a cute baby. Hooray hooray for these ding dongs!
I’ve seen many people stretch or blow the family budget on a baby’s Bday party to the point of not paying bills etc.
They didn’t break the bank, so oh well.
Extravagance is retaliative. To me its worse to spend $100 and not have gas money or pay the light bill.
WTH do parents think they have to prove something to KIDS or anyone else. Stuff isn’t love.
I think its lunacy to spend a bunch of money on a child’s birthday, but I’m poor so that probably has something to do with it.
One of my good friends got a boob cake for her daughter’s first birthday & it was hilarious! What does a 1 year old like? Well, an EBF one love boobs!
I work in an industry that deals with parties. I see people drop $4k on a 1st birthday all the time. Honestly, I think it is a bit weird. Neither of my kids had first or second birthday parties.
I think they’re overexposed. She doesn’t live in the real world… Most of her texts are like a teen? I’m sure she adores that sweet baby, she doesn’t seem bonded to him or something. She is painfully thin, Duke will out weigh her in another year. Why do these people feel the need to advertise the price of everything they do? This party was probably free for the advertising.
A monster party for a 1 year old who won’t remember any of it? Kinda dumb but I’m sure it’s more for the adults. Is there booze being served?
He won’t look back on it with awe. He won’t even remember it. He’s 1. Seems to me it’s all about them and impressing other people rather than their baby. I really dislike her though so I’m probably viewing it in a negative light from the start, but everything they’ve said and done since this baby arrived has turned me off them.
who made olive oyl happen? time to put her back where she came from
I am happy for her, and him too. I think she is not a natural when it comes to mothering, not everyone is. My ex-daughter-in-law was like that. Lucky for my grandchild my son was, and Bill is too.
well, count me in the minority because we had a blow out of 1st birthday party for my twins.
We had clowns and face painting, cotton candy machines and hotdog carts, popcorn and a petting zoo. We had pony rides and bouncey houses (2 giant ones with slides).
We also had a full adult buffet catered as well as a complete with bartender open bar.
I don’t remember the exact cost but it was over $6K.
Why? Because we felt like it. Because we were celebrating. Because everything we went through leading up to their pregnancy (7 miscarriages). because they were micro preemies born at 27 weeks. Because by one year we had been to 5 different hospitals, had multiple blood transfusions, 6 different surgeries, over came staff A infections, NEC, PDA, ROP, apnea and more.
Because we wanted all our friends and family to share in our joy.
If that’s stupid, or hollow or wrong or anything else that people posted well, then fine. We’re all those things and more.
My children, who always have kick butt birthday celebrations, are the sweetest, kindest, non-spoiled kids i know. They are kinder and more caring than I could ever be.
It’s not how much money you spend on them that is going to spoil them, its the example you set for what money and material objects mean to you.
For us, things are just that – objects – and money is just a means to an end. a way to buy things or pay bills; If you teach them that no matter how much or how little money you have, the most important things in life are people and how you treat them, then no matter how much they are given, they will not be spoiled.
Point taken and for what it’s worth, I think it’s a well-made one.
My SIL wants to do something like that for my niece and nephew. Their birthday is in September and she wants a pirate themed party. I didn’t think my brother’s face would return to normal after she told him…
When they’re that young, it’s really for the parents. The kid will be happy with some mashed cake and a hat.
I’m sure they got at least partial subsidies for the expense from sponsors & advertisers. G has no hesitations about asking for expensive freebies. Maybe guests had to pay to attend? Wouldn’t put it past them.
it’s part of the cycle of pimping out your kid to have fodder for your show to generate money
I’m a cynic too. The kids 1st birthday still isn’t for another 2 weeks from now and they’ve already had a party? It would have to have been at least another week ago so why celebrate it at least 3 weeks early? As I understand it, September is a big month for magazines. One has to wonder if one didn’t have something to do with the other.
She’ll only get down to earth when the girl gets in her preteen/teenage years… I was an easy, if mischievous, kid and then my teenage years hit and it was angst and a lot of sass.
This couple is quite silly.
I love parties and getting on Pinterest and looking at all the cute decorations. I love making decorations and planning it all.
Having a party planner would take out the fun. If I had their budget my kids would probably have insane parties too.
Plus it’s only twice a year (once for each kid) that my husbands family and mine get together to celebrate. They get along so well it’s always so much fun!
Can anyone explain why they call their son Duke when his given name is Edward? Was this her idea? It would be completely different if the kid decided himself that he’d rather go by his middle name, but he’s not even a year old so obviously this isn’t the case. It just seems silly IMO.
I think the names Edward and Duke are names from family members — the grandfathers I think. They talked about it on an episode of their show, but I can’t recall the details.
Anyway, I think they’re calling him Duke because it’s almost like a nickname, you know, kind of casual. They’re not the first people to do it.
His parents can choose to call him whichever name they please. Both of the names have significance, and both names are, in fact, his names.
I still watch their show when I have nothing else to watch or to do, but I don’t like her anymore. She became a very shallow and superficial woman since she joined the Fashion Police and I rooted for her when she went through the fertility issues, the miscarriage and the masectocmy but I am very dissapointed to see her attitude towards her son, I don’t know if it’s because she never carried him in her belly therefore she didn’t have the mother/child bond but while Bill looks like a hands on parent she looks like she treat the little Duke like the family pet, gives him attention just for short amount of time. Very dissapointed of her, she doesn’t act like she is a very good mom.