It's A Wonderful Life

Stork Magazine, January 2007

With the imminent birth of their baby daughter, Milan, Jaclyn Stapp and rocker hubby Scott Stapp are making beautiful music together

Someone is playing the piano in Jaclyn Stapp's home. The sound of tinkling ivories resonates throughout the whole house. At first, you'd be inclined to think that it's Jaclyn's husband, Scott Stapp, former lead singer of Creed, creating a melodious lullaby for his soon-to-arrive baby daughter. As it turns out, the piano is just being tuned. In the Stapp home, everyone and everything is being prepared for the premiere of the Stapp family's latest masterpiece: Baby Milan Hayat Stapp.

Jaclyn Stapp's life seems to be one made of perseverance and steadfast determination. As one of five children, Jaclyn excelled at sports and received numerous scholarships. "Education was very important in my family," says Jaclyn. She credits her strong upbringing to her mother, Hayat, who raised her five brothers and sisters alone after Jaclyn's dad passed away when she was only nine years-old. Her mother is now the Executive Director of the National Association of Orthopedic Nurses, and among her brothers and sisters there are doctors, meteorologists and even a high ranking government official.

After graduating college (and a brief stint as Princess Jasmine at Disney World), Jaclyn went on to snag the Miss NY USA Pageant state crown and title. "It was a great time in my life," says Jaclyn, who still counts Miss West Virginia as one of her closest friends.

After her reign, Jaclyn met Scott at The Muscular Dystrophy charity dinner in New York. After a whirlwind romance, they married and are now expecting a girl, Milan Hayat. Big brother Jagger, 8, is super excited about the new baby. "He talks to my belly and kisses it all the time!" says Jaclyn. "She always kicks whenever he talks to her." And his brotherly affection doesn't end there. Jaclyn reports that when it came time to pick out a stroller for the baby, Jagger grilled the salesperson on all of its features and he even wanted to help assemble it! "He is such a little gentleman!" says Jaclyn.

Certainly, Jaclyn is blessed with two wonderful men in her life. Scott, now a solo artist, also puts in lots of daddy duty time by making frequent runs to Babies R Us for any supplies they might need. "He's going through a nesting phase!" laughs Jaclyn. Since recently moving into their home, "Scott is very concerned about having the house ready for Milan." At night, when things are quiet, Scott sings lullabies to the belly, songs he used to sing to Jagger when he was a baby.

It seems that the Stapp family is well-prepared for the baby. And for Jaclyn, that means top physical fitness, too. She has always been in top physical form by being active and eating healthy. "Taking care of myself and my body before pregnancy was very important to me, and I know it has helped me a lot," says Jaclyn. When she found out she was pregnant, Jaclyn started prenatal training up until she was 5 ½ months pregnant. "My training included a lot of body sculpting," says Jaclyn, "I also did a lot of back work, to prepare my body for the pregnancy."

All that training paid off, because up until she was 6 months pregnant, no one could tell she was expecting. "I got tired of people asking me, 'Well, where is she?'", she says, laughing. And she's quick to admit that she didn't lovingly embrace her newfound curves. "I have felt challenged by my ever-changing figure," she admits. "I was not used to everything getting bigger!" Another challenge Jaclyn faced was an aversion to red meat, including seeing, tasting or smelling it. "I feel so bad for Scott and Jagger," says Jaclyn, who have also stood in alliance with Jaclyn and don't eat red meat as much as they used to. "When I have the baby, I'll cook them their big 'ol T-bone steak!" What is on the menu are midnight cravings of salami, pickles and olives…all at once!

It was with Scott's support that Jaclyn started loving her body again. "He tells me every day how beautiful I am." And it was also with Scott's encouragement that Jaclyn became a maternity model. "My husband and I would watch Runway Moms because we loved the show" said Jaclyn. "But I never thought I would be a pregnant model," she says. On the advice of a friend, Jaclyn began working with Expecting Models and has been featured in a campaign for Belly Dance Maternity and has graced many magazine covers.

Jaclyn proudly embraces her Jordanian heritage. When she was about to enter the Miss NY USA Pageant, she told her uncles she was doing it, out of respect for her family. "I didn't want them to turn on the television and see me walking across the stage in a bathing suit!" she says. Her uncles were very supportive of her decision, she says, based on how she carried herself. She says that things are not as old-fashioned as they used to be, something she herself is helping to change. "I hope to be an example for other Middle Eastern women," she says. In fact, Jaclyn receives many letters from young Middle Eastern girls all over the world asking her questions. "They look up to me, which makes me feel so proud," says Jaclyn. "I always tell them to be professional, to make their families proud of them and others will follow their example, as they are following mine." Her number one rule: Be classy and true to yourself.

In the future, Jaclyn plans to provide image consulting for young girls. It will include fitness and personal growth sessions. "I am an example of if I can do it, they can do it, too." Jaclyn plans on devoting all her time to her family, but is open to any great projects. "I would love to model with Milan after she is born," she says. And she is going to take it one day at a time, with her favorite men by her side. "I'm at a wonderful place in my life, the best it has ever been. I am truly happy."

For more info on Jaclyn, visit her website at www.jaclyn-n.com. Be sure to Jaclyn on Season 2 of Runway Moms, airing on Discovery Health.

.Jennifer Parris