Beyonce's Dh20m baby spree

As far as celebrity offspring go, possibly only a Brangelina baby could out-do the amount of attention, Twitter trending and publicity (both good and bad!) that the arrival of Jay-Z and Beyoncé's first child, little Blue Ivy Carter brought into the world with her on January 7.

And as the first child of two of the biggest names in music, BIC had better get used to a life in the spotlight and a ready-made circle of über-A-list pals as Jay and B's all-star acolytes rushed to tweet their congrats.

And as the proud new parents install their bundle of joy in a 2,200sq ft nursery at their multimillion-dirham Tribeca complex - with exact replicas at the pair's two other homes - and employ a phalanx of bodyguards to provide round-the-clock protection, takes a peekaboo into baby BIC's life to see what awaits pop's littlest highness…

Inside the luxury nurseries

Having spent a long time during her pregnancy poring over baby catalogues and working with specialist interior designers, Beyoncé decided to create three replica nurseries in their two New York homes and Miami mansion - and the Halo singer has her bestie, Gwyneth Paltrow to thank for the idea.

"The nurseries will be identical, so no matter which home they are in the baby will feel at ease - which was completely Gwyneth's idea," spilled a source.

With each nursery allegedly costing Dh900,000 each to fit out, bling-loving B, has splashed some serious cash ensuring that every detail reflects hers and Jay-Z's lavish lifestyle.

"Beyoncé wanted 18-carat gold trim on everything… and they're going to town with the cashmere throws," a source told Star. "There's a top-of-the-line sound system with an iPod dock so they can play her nursery rhymes, and a flat-screen TV that descends from the ceiling." Adding, "With their decorator they picked a mixture of calming tones - with some glam accents throughout."

And along with the superstar crib, B has splashed out a whopping Dh4 million on toys and extras, including Dh90,000 on a Swarovski crystal-encrusted high chair, Dh132,000 on a crib shaped like a carriage, Dh3.6 million on a gold, handmade rocking horse and Dh180,000 on a windmill-shaped playhouse.

And Beyoncé took her mum, Tina, and sister, Solange, along with her when she purchased another crib, shelling out Dh13,000 on a lucite option from celeb fave, NurseryWorks in Manhattan, while Jay-Z is keen to add a baby range to his Roc Kids clothing line, with a pal spilling, "He wants to start doing cool little onesies and hats."

Superstar Godparents

Topping the list of likely godparents is Beyoncé's bestie, Gwyneth Paltrow, who tweeted, "Welcome to the world Blue! We love you already," when she arrived.

And Gwyneth - who counts director Steven Spielberg as her godfather - along with her husband, Coldplay frontman, Chris Martin, are already said to have been signed up as godparents.

Having dubbed Chris "a superstar", Jay-Z has also gushed of the Paltrow-Martins, "They are a really cool family with beautiful kids." And a source close to the rap star revealed, "The two families are close; they go out for dinner together, hit the studio together and vacation together. Gwyneth and Chris are the logical choices."

And Jay-Z is also said to be keen to have his protégé, Rihanna, as a godparent, with the Rude Boy singer already dubbing herself ‘Aunty Rih'.

Presidential-style protection

Despite the couple's protection detail having allegedly upset other new parents at Lenox Hill Hospital, where Beyoncé gave birth, by refusing to allow them access to their newborns in the NICU unit, an undeterred Beyoncé and Jay-Z have employed an army of minders to keep over-enthusiastic fans and the paparazzi at bay.

Employing what one source has called "the sort of protection you'd expect to see accompanying a president", the rapper's security are not shy of confrontation, with one bodyguard involved in an altercation with a pap in Croatia a couple of years ago.

"They would be under strict instructions to keep snappers at arm's length," spilled a security insider. "And woe betide any fans or autograph hunters who get too close - they'll be steamrollered."

But after a clutch of parents came forward to claim they were denied access to see their babies due to overzealous bodyguards, Lenox Hill Hospital Executive Director Frank Danza was forced to issue a statement in which he insisted, "No security plan that we or the Carters' security team put in place would have prevented or delayed families from gaining access to the NICU."

Rap Daddy

"The most amazing feeling I feel, Words can't describe what I'm feeling for real, Baby I paint the sky blue, My greatest creation was you…

Hard not to spoil you rotten, lookin' like lil' me, The most beautifulest thing in this world,

Is daddy's little girl, You don't yet know what swag is, But you was made in Paris, And mama woke up the next day and shot her album package, Last time the miscarriage was so tragic, We was afraid you'd disappear, But nah baby, you magic..."

What's in a name?

With the number four holding special significance for Beyoncé and Jay-Z - her birthday is September 4, his is December 4 and they were married on April 4 - the pair plumped for Ivy to sound like roman numerals IV, with one Hollywood-watcher spilling, "Why not Blue Four? Well I guess that would be too Beckham Seven."

And insiders have spilled that Blue came about due to Jay-Z's three albums The Blueprint (2001The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse (2002); and The Blueprint 3 (2009).