Proud mum Jess Wright is preparing for a big celebration for her son Presley – his first birthday. The party, which will be attended by close family and friends, is due to take place in the garden of the new home she shares with husband William Lee-Kemp, and in an exclusive interview and shoot with HELLO! she reveals their plans to mark this milestone occasion and how they’ve finally overcome the tough challenges they encountered after their son was born.
"I can't wait to see Presley's face light up when he sees his cake, and the garden filled with balloons and cut-outs of all his favourite cartoon characters," she says. "He loves Mickey and Minnie Mouse, The Lion King, Moana and Toy Story, and they’ll all be part of his special birthday theme." Looking back in awe on the first year of her son's life after he was born on 17 May 2022, Jess, 37, continues, "Time really has flown by and I can hardly believe that Presley is about to be 12 months old. To me he's still a baby in arms, but he's turning into an amazing little boy. He's very active and lively, has started waving and clapping, and just wants to be on the move."
© Karis Kennedy"It's been a year of change, learning and growing," continues the glamorous TV star, adding, "and I'm more relaxed now. Make-up and heels are pretty much a thing of the past. I've given up all the contouring and lipstick and just wash my hair and let it dry naturally. It’s much more liberating to walk out the door wearing no make-up, and to go for a quiet dinner with my husband, baby and family - I love it. However, Jess would be the first to admit that parenthood brought life-changing challenges which she has only recently overcome. "Nobody speaks out enough about how mentally and physically exhausting becoming a parent can be," she says. "You can’t describe it until you're living it. It's full-on, the most unselfish role you'll ever have. Unlike with a stressful job, you don't get to go home at the end of the day because it's 24/7. I realise now how parents are hugely unappreciated and like a doula, I could be there with advice for people who've just given birth."
"My initial experience of motherhood was brutal," says Jess, candidly recalling what they endured. "Presley hardly slept, was suffering from reflux and a dairy allergy, and cried all the time. I was in tears, seeing him in pain, and felt helpless and exhausted. I also suffered from post-natal depression." It was six months before Presley settled into a routine, and as he gives her a heart-warming cuddle, Jess smiles and tells how the positive side of parenthood and its emotional rewards far outweigh the challenges. "It's been a huge rollercoaster," she says, "but I wouldn't change it for the world. The love you feel for your child is all-consuming, and one you've never felt before."
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