Do you ever Google someone who was in the headlines and then disappeared from the headlines to see what they are up to now?  Yesterday — just yesterday, people — I spent a significant amount of time Googling Jennifer Hudson’s sister Julia.  You’ll remember that Jennifer’s mother, brother and nephew (Julia’s son) were murdered last year by Julia’s ex-husband.  I wasn’t able to find out too much information except that some people were criticizing the singer’s sister  (they felt it was too soon after the tragedy) for participating in a plus-size fashion show this past spring.  

Today, Star is reporting that Julia Hudson is expecting in five months.  There was no word on who the father is, but Jennifer had a son last month; hopefully their kids will be close.  A new life can never be a replacement for a lost child, but I do hope this goes a long way towards helping to heal that wound.

Good luck to Julia!

How’s this for a pregnancy confirmation?  Actress Jennifer Hudson gave birth yesterday to a 7 pound, 14 ounce baby boy named David Daniel Otunga Jr., after his dad.

Jennifer and her fiance never gave an official confirmation that she was expecting, though the baby shower and burgeoning belly offered up clues, and they did not find out the gender of their baby ahead of time.  Personally, I always felt like there were enough other surprises during the process of giving birth — I wanted to know the sex.  

Congrats to the new parents!

Jennifer Hudson performed today at Michael Jackson’s memorial service.  Here she is backstage with Usher casually resting his hand on her belly.

Now I know what people mean when they refer to that pregnant glow — I certainly never had it, but Jennifer looks beautiful and healthy!

In a year that has brought so much loss to Hudson, I’m excited for her impending arrival.  She’ll never know so deep a love as the one she will have for this little tot.

Things that  have been inside Jennifer Hudson’s uterus! (I left out one very obvious and important item. Can you guess what it is?)

The pregnancy rumors that have been flying since April have finally been confirmed! Jennifer’s friends threw a baby shower for her this past Saturday at the downtown Chicago home of a close relative. Hudson is engaged to former reality TV star David Otunga.

Hudson’s longtime friend, Felicia Fields, reported that it was a quiet gathering in which Hudson received lots of yellow clothes and accessories. Jennifer is reportedly being very hush-hush about both the baby’s gender and the due date.

I think it’s great. Bringing a new life into the world, and all the wonderful distractions that entails, may be the best thing to help her get through the tragedies she’s endured over the past year.

I have talked a lot of shit about Jennifer Hudson’s fiance, I Love New York contestant David Otunga, in the past, but I take it all back. Apparently he has stuck next to Jennifer’s side throughout all she’s been through recently — and he walked the red carpet with her at the Grammys, where she took home the award for Best R&B album.

It takes one hell of a man to support someone through that kind of emotional crisis — to not panic and run — so I give mad props to David, and I’m so grateful that Jennifer has had him throughout all this.

Here is the gorgeous and talented Jennifer Hudson singing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl game.

J-Hud did a phenomenal job with this.

If only the refs had been equally competent!!!

Last year ended on a really, really horrible note for Jennifer Hudson, but it’s so inspiring to see that she’s moving forward with her life and her career despite the tragedy that’s surrounded her recently.

JHud will be performing the national anthem at the Super Bowl in Tampa in February.The performance will come just days before Hudson is also scheduled to sing the songs of Neil Diamond at a MusiCares Person of the Year gala in Los Angeles.

These are Jen’s first performances since the slayings of her mother, brother and nephew in October.

We’re all rooting for you, Jen!!!