Jamie Lynn Spears 'Blessed' With a New, Better Life
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Despite spending much of her childhood in Hollywood filming her sitcom Zoey 101, Jamie Lynn Spears says those days — for now — are in the past. "You know, Hollywood is not really for me right now — not in the place that I’m at," explains the actress. Instead, Jamie Lynn and her fiancé Casey Aldridge have turned their focus to their baby girl, Maddie Briann, 3 ½ months, as they settle into their new life as a family in Louisiana, the couple’s home state. Although Casey shares that they "didn’t plan [having a baby] at all," he is more than thrilled with his new role as a dad, saying the situation has "turned out for the better."
While Jamie Lynn does admit that Maddie’s doctors "say don’t do it," according to the 17-year-old, Maddie is "perfectly happy sleeping right in between" her parents in their big bed! With a baby that sleeps well, Jamie Lynn stresses that neither of them lose any rest with their nighttime arrangements. In fact, co-sleeping, for Casey, allows him to spend each morning next to his daughter when she is "happier," moments he calls his favorite time with her. Casey, 19, — who reveals he has "changed a few" diapers and is "pretty good at it" — enjoys his bonding time with Maddie, whose favorite past-times these days include laughing during tummy-time. As for Jamie Lynn, who considers herself "so blessed," when it comes to her favorite time with her baby girl, she is quick to say "everything!"
"It is a whole new life, but it is a better life than I could ever ask for. Every day, waking up with a reason to go and do something. It is something to live for and to work for. It is that reason every day, right here in my hands."
Click ‘More’ to read about Jamie Lynn leaving Maddie at home for the first time, and her and Casey’s commitment to each other.
A full-time student at a nearby community college, Casey is studyingprocess technology, preparing himself to work on a pipeline after hegraduates with an associate’s degree. While his schedule has him inschool two days a week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Jamie Lynn is not yetready to join him at college. While the star agrees that she "could takeonline courses right now," she shares that with "Maddie being so young,it’s hard to sit down and focus." Instead, Jamie Lynn hopes to spendtime with her daughter until she is "a little bit older," before goingto college and earning her degree, something she says is definitely inher plans. However, as a recent trip to a football game proved, JamieLynn is still reluctant to leave Maddie at home even though the tinytot stayed with Grandma Lynne. Noting that the day trip was the "longest I’dever been away from her," the new mom admits longer breaks frommotherhood are not in the immediate future.
"Oh, not overnight! I’m not doing that until she’s at least a year."
Aftermonths of break-up rumors surrounding the couple, Casey swears that thestories are all fabricated, as he reveals that the threesome is "doinggreat." Says Casey, "I’m just happy and I love Jamie and Maddie morethan anything." While the new family is blossoming, as of now, there isno set date for the couple to tie the knot, a decision that Jamie Lynnand Casey both agree on. However, that certainly doesn’t mean thattheir special day won’t come, as the actress says that "definitely, oneday" they will get married, but not until Maddie is old enough to "be apart of it, so that she won’t just be sitting there the whole time."For Casey, the traditional timeline of marriage and then a baby is notfor him, as he explains that it is important to make the commitment forthe right reasons.
"Some people think that you should just get married if you have a baby and you’re young. I think you should try it out and see."
Source: OK!
