He pumped his fists high, his face etched with a grin that stretched from Hollywood to the Bahamas. Larry Birkhead, the sandy-haired photographer and one-time boyfriend of the late Anna Nicole Smith, was finally vindicated by a paternity test as the biological father of Smith's infant daughter, Dannielynn.

The Kentucky native says he's more than ready to take custody of her as soon as he can.

"She's got lots of toys and a nursery ready for her, and she's got everything she's going to need," Birkhead had told NBC's Meredith Viera. "All I have to do is just give her the love."

Is love really all Dannielynn needs? As evidenced by the infant's catalog of would-be daddies, her late mother hardly suffered for lack of amorous attention — and the world knows too well how that fairy tale expired.

Parenting experts have some advice:

MOVE TO VERMONT

Birkhead's No. 1 priority should be shielding Dannielynn from the limelight, according to Sally Lee, editor of Parents Magazine.

"She's had enough press to last a lifetime, and the spotlight really didn't do her mom any good," Lee says.

The pair should vacate the whirlwind of Hollywood life for greener pastures, where fame and money are less important, says psychologist Sharon Lamb, co-author of the forthcoming "Packaging Girlhood."

Birkhead might emulate celebrities like Reese Witherspoon and Jodie Foster, who have successfully navigated the murky waters of parenting and stardom.

US Weekly deputy editor Caroline Schaefer points to Anna Nicole's deceased son, Daniel, who was teased by other kids for appearing on his mother's reality TV show. Daniel, 20, died of a drug overdose Sept. 10.

"Celebrity parents should let their kids be kids," Schaefer says. "Let them enter show biz when they've actually grown up and can make a rational decision."

MEND FAMILY TIES

With her mother's dark past found all over the Internet and re-enacted on cable television, Dannielynn must learn who the "real" Anna Nicole was — beyond the breathy-voiced Playmate.

"She needs to get a sense of her roots," Lee says. "Dannielynn needs to know how much her mother loved her, and have happy memories of her."

Reuniting with Anna's family could provide some positive female role models, which are crucial to the child's upbringing.

"(Dannielynn) shouldn't feel that the only way she can have her mother is by imitating her mother," Lamb says.

A strong father figure also is instrumental to cultivating a little girl's self-image, says David George, author of "Good Dad /Bad Dad: Do's and Don'ts from the Trenches," which came out in March.

A KEY FIGURE

"He is going to be the first important man in her life," George says. "His actions and behavior will have a profound impact on her."

Some might say therapy is too soon for a 7-month-old, but it may well be necessary as Dannielynn matures and learns about her troubled family history.

"This family has a lot of addiction issues," Lee says. "(Birkhead) needs to be vigilant about that. The more open he is about it, the better."

Experts agree that Birkhead's zealous pursuit of his daughter — who stands to inherit millions — may be Dannielynn's greatest asset, should his intentions prove to be noble.

"As she grows up, if she has a sense that this man fought long and hard to win custody of her, that will be a positive message for her," Lee says.