July 10, 2008

When it comes right down to it, most newborn babies pretty much look like itty-bitty, squeezably soft octogenarians, but the competition to nab the first shots of celebrity-spawned tots -- in all their wrinkly glory -- continues to heat up.

In the latest infants-as-income news, a mountain of moola is expected to change hands for pics of the soon-to-arrive twins of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt and the four-day-old son of Matthew McConaughey and model Camila Alves.

Brad, with Shiloh and Zahara, visits Angie in the hospital.

TMZ reports that bidding for the exclusive snaps of the double bundles of Jolie-Pitt joy to be creatively named later has reached an unprecedented $16 million, far exceeding the estimated $4 million the knee-deep-in-diapers duo reportedly received from People to pose with Shiloh shortly after her birth in May 2006.

In all likelihood, the cash will be earmarked for charity, just as it was with the Shiloh shots, but it turns out the media outlet with the deepest pockets may have to make one key concession to the megastars.

Sources tell TMZ that use of the nickname Brangelina will be strictly forbidden under terms of the deal, ostensibly because they loathe the label, especially Jolie, who has been on bed rest in a paparazzi-proof room at Lenval Hospital in France.

By the by, at least one tab believes the actress has been feeling a mite hormotional in her swollen state.

"I think she's in meltdown mode," a mole alleges to In Touch. "She's been getting upset if there's not enough ice in her glass ... She's not walking around anymore. She doesn't even take a shower early in the morning. She just stays in bed, talking on her phone, typing on her computer, reading magazines and watching TV."

(Or, as we like to call it, a day ending in "y.")

But the mag says Angelina "completely" lights up during visits from Pitt and kids Shiloh, 2, Zahara, 3, Pax, 4, and Maddox, 6.

Star, for its part, claims her boob tube programming of choice is "Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman."

Yeah, we don't quite buy that, either, although in a strange coincidence, the Medicine Woman herself, Jane Seymour, is blabbing to OK! about the incubating Oscar winner.

"My advice to her is to put some weight on," says the veteran actress, who is a mother of twins but has apparently forgotten that she only played a physician on TV. "I think she needs to keep putting on weight so she can feed those babies. I don't think she should think twice. She hasn't put on enough weight."

Meanwhile, it looks like little Levi Alves McConaughey will soon have enough green to keep him in hot and cold running bongos for life.

Camila and Matthew at the Los Angeles premiere of "Fool's Gold" earlier this year

According to TMZ, OK! is expected to cough up $3 million for the first images of the (presumably shirtless) little nipper, who made his debut on Monday.

And it could be a twofer for the mag: The deal is said to include a photo op of the family's first Christmas, which we're guessing will feature the actor-cum-exercise enthusiast showing off his son's first jogging shorts (likely emblazoned with his laid-back mantra, "Just keep livin'") and yoga DVD.

Not so coincidentally, McConaughey talked exclusively to OK! about the origins of Levi's name.

"Levi was another name for the apostle Matthew in The Bible. They were, in fact, two names for the same person," explains the deodorant-nixing former Sexiest Man Alive. "Our son was born at 6:22 pm, and this particular time represents my favorite verse in the book of Matthew in The Bible: 'If thy eye be single, thy whole body will be full of light.'"

McConaughey's mom is also proudly gushing about her grandchild, although she's probably just relieved her famous offspring didn't follow in the malted-moniker footsteps of his older brother, Michael, who dubbed his son Miller Lyte (no, we're not kidding).

" ... He has curly dark hair like Camila -- and of course he has that beautiful olive skin both of them have," Kay McConaughey kvells to People. "Can't you just see that little boy following his dad on the beach in Malibu with a surfboard over his head going, 'I'm right behind you, Papa!' That little boy's not going to need anything. He's not going to wear anything but a bathing suit -- and maybe not even that!"

Next: Britney Still in Touch With Paparazzo Squeeze?