DIARY OF A MUM
MY TOP FINDS
MY STAR PRODUCT I’m literally obsessed with – and living in – these leggings by Kate Hudson at the moment. They have a super-high cut, which makes them really comfy over my bump. High-Waisted Printed PowerHold 7/8 Leggings, £84, fabletics.co.uk
@JAKKIDOODLES
Cold Plasma Plus+ advanced serum, £75, perriconemd.co.uk
DIARY OF A MUM PART 1
Meet our latest columnist Jakki, who’s excited about the new chapter on the horizon for her blended family – but will she be able balance it all and keep up with the Joneses? was brought up in West London – a Londoner through and through – and am fortunate to have had a gorgeous childhood. With Irish parents, I was the youngest of three girls and still to this day love being the baby! Music has always been my passion, so it wasn’t a surprise that I went on to study classical music – and have since fallen into a career in music and entertainment. I head up the talent and influencer relations department at an American PR firm called PMK*BNC. I deal with a lot of musicians, actors and celebs in my daily work and – like most – balance a crazy family life on the side. I started working at PMK*BNC in 2011, prior to which I was at Warner Bros Records and MTV, where I booked talent for various shows. I also have a little side-hustle called Jakki Doodles, something that transpired out of mid-meeting doodling. Over the last few years I have been fortunate enough to have cards published and sold in various shops such as Selfridges and Paperchase. But it was at MTV where I met my husband, Kelly (lead singer of British band Stereophonics) – and I may add – he has been my best booking to date. I have two wonderful step kids, Colby and Misty and I entered the parenting world relatively young, at the age of 25. My first experience of being a mother was through them. Becoming a stepmum overnight – and at such a young age – was sometimes quite challenging, but a great learning experience for me. This absolutely
I
Alice band, £12, mimiandlula.com
Dry shampoo, £18, livingproof.co.uk Smocked cotton dress, £109, rachelriley.co.uk
with JAKKI JONES
set to add a and Kelly are Jakki and hu sb ehold in May the Jones hous fourth child to
meant that when I did decide to become a mother, I was absolutely ready for it. I became pregnant at 33. It was a good time for me personally – and my career – I felt confident. I took to motherhood ‘third-time round’ like a duck to water – everything felt familiar and dare I say it, easy? Riley, now three, is my world. I think being a stepmother definitely taught me to be selfless – if you can help bring up other people’s children, you can most certainly bring up your own. I willingly took the full year’s maternity and enjoyed each and every day. And transitioning back to work wasn’t too daunting as I’d kept my foot in the door. I just desperately missed Riley in those early few months. The juggle became even more apparent – and still to this day I feel like I’m spinning a million plates. Is this just what it’s going to be like? Luckily for me, the hours I work are flexible – the negative side being that I never switch off and am always on call. Entertainment certainly isn’t a 9-5 job. Having Riley definitely helped me be a better step-parent and wife – as I saw things from a different perspective and finally saw everything I didn’t ‘get’ before. I was no longer a mum in training! Just when everything seemed to calm in the Jones household with a now 15 year old, 12 year old and three-and-a-half year old – we thought we’d crank it up a gear! 2020 is going to bring us a whole new set of challenges with an exciting new chapter in May, as we’re expecting another baby! Naturally, I penned this little doodle to tell our friends and family the good news. Let the crazy commence…
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