Fifteen minutes before the party started I was struggling to put Finn into his furry Ewok costume. Liam came running from the jumpy house. “Jack fell,” he said. “He fell really hard. There’s blood everywhere. He’s hurt.”
I came running out, and Jack met me in the hall. He had his hands to his face and there was blood pouring out from under them. I’m usually good with blood—I’d certainly seen my share with placenta previa—but I started feeling woozy. Dean was in the kitchen making a veggie option for the party. (I had suggested that he do cheese sandwiches, but Dean is just as bad as I am. He was in the kitchen making tomato-soup shots to go with the grilled cheese.)
I called for Dean, and he came into the hall. As soon as Jack pulled his hands from his face, it wasn’t hard to diagnose the injury. He had totally broken his nose. Badly. It curved dramatically to the side. Dean got him into the car and left for the ER. (If anyone knows his way to, around, and home from an ER, it’s Dean.)
The hallway looked like a crime scene, and I followed the trail of blood out to the jumpy house. There was a massive amount of blood in it. It looked like someone had killed and drained three large-sized dogs. There were pools of blood, and blood running in rivers down all the seams. My new assistant came over with a bin of wet wipes. I gave him an embarrassed smile. “Welcome aboard?”
During the party, Liam, the birthday boy, was in a mood. He rejected the costumes that he’d wanted everyone to wear. He didn’t want to eat anything. He was only persuaded to do a tiny bit of Jedi training. He had to be coerced to cut the cake. He did the piñata under pressure. But all he really wanted to do was to jump, at some points all by himself, in the wiped-down bouncy house. What was I trying to achieve? Who was this party for if not for him? Lesson learned. I should have just had a bouncy house, stuck it in the middle of the yard, and called it a day.
The kicker came when it was time to pose for the photos for Crocs. After we wrangled Liam, which wasn’t easy, we posed for a few shots. Dean and Jack weren’t there, of course, because they were still at the hospital. Halfway through the pictures Bill leaned in and whispered to me, “You know this is going to be a problem. People are going to notice that Dean’s not in any of the photos and they’ll say it’s because you two are getting divorced.”
He was right. As soon as the pictures went online, my publicist started getting calls. It never ends.
I THINK ABOUT the challenges of the past few years—moving houses too many times, falling into debt, the end of Tori & Dean, a high-risk pregnancy, and a life-threatening complication—and I can’t help but weigh them against the incredible fortune I have. Four healthy babies whom I love more than the world, and a husband who is my confidant, hero, and the love of my life. The more life goes on—the happy and the sad—the closer our family is bound.
I’ve gained strength and perspective that I wouldn’t have had two years ago. I’m coming to terms with who I am—a wife, a mother, Aaron Spelling’s daughter. I have dreams I can accomplish, and some that I may have to set aside until the time is right. But I know what is most important to me. My family comes first. I want to make a home for us, one that is simple, and warm, and fabulous (within our means), and somehow fits all of us and our menagerie. I’ve shown the reality of my life on-screen, and I’ve shared the reality behind that reality. Now it’s time to just live it.
Doing belly shots—kids kiss the baby not knowing if it’s a boy or a girl (soon-to-be Hattie).
(Courtesy of Dean McDermott)
Stella hugging her cousin Simone at the baby shower for baby Hattie.
(Courtesy of Bill Horn)
My gusband, Mehran, and I have a much-needed girlfriend day! Here we are watching our last movie before Hattie was born the next day.
(Courtesy of Tori Spelling)
Me in my DIY hospital gown with my three babes, currently unaware that one month from this photo I’d be preggers again!
(Courtesy of Dean McDermott)
My first moment with newborn Hattie—one reality moment I wish had been private.
(Courtesy of Mario Panagiotopoulos)
Liam cuddles with baby sister Hattie.
(Courtesy of Dean McDermott)
Just a normal day in the McDermott household. . . . What? Not everyone has a pig peeking in their fridge?
(Courtesy of Tori Spelling)
My chicken, Coco, reminds me so much of my pug, Mimi La Rue. She even loves to wear clothing! #FashionablePoultry
(Courtesy of Jill Keenan)
Our whole gang!
(Courtesy of Tori Spelling)
Hattie’s first time in the pool. One milestone that was all her and me.
(Courtesy of Tori Spelling)
Stella giving her new cousin Simone a welcome-to-the-family kiss! #GunclesBabe
(Courtesy of Bill Horn)
Hattie sporting Mom’s shades. #InfantChic
(Courtesy of Laura Miller)
Loved our Christmas vacations at Lake Arrowhead with our family and the Guncles’ family.
(Courtesy of Bill Horn)
Filming my ABC Family Christmas movie, The Mistle-Tones. No one knew I was hiding this scary early pregnancy, so I was wearing two pairs of Spanx and trying my best to keep up with all the singing and dancing.
(Courtesy of Tori Spelling)
Putting my best pose on after I just had a major bleed when pregnant with Finn. After this pic, I went straight to the doctor and then on bed rest. #TheShowMustGoOn
(Courtesy of Tori Spelling)
The view from my hospital bed—the chic wallpaper we decorated with made me smile and gave me hope every single day!
(Courtesy of Tori Spelling)
Here’s my nurse, Hope, washing my hair. We had a girls’ bonding night. Everyone at the hospital truly became family to me.
(Courtesy of Tori Spelling)
I celebrated my thirty-ninth birthday scared and bleeding in the hospital. My family brought me a Wonder Woman cake. #DidntFeelLikeASuperhero
(Courtesy of Tori Spelling)
Liam graduating from preschool. I waited three years for that moment, spent months choosing the perfect outfit for him, and sadly had to watch it via FaceTime from my hospital bed.
(Courtesy of Dean McDermott)
My amazing family sent me pictures like this daily to lift my spirits while in the hospital.
(Courtesy of Dean McDermott)
Stella waving to me from her fourth birthday party, which I also missed because I was hospital-bound. #MomentsICantGetBack
(Courtesy of Dean McDermott)
Departure day—saying good-bye to the hospital, aka my second home, after two and a half months. Hardest, darkest, yet most eye-opening experience of my life. #MomWarrior
(Courtesy of Dean McDermott)
My first moment holding baby Finn. I softly whispered in his ear, “We made it!”
(Courtesy of ElizabethMessina.com)
Mommy and Finn. Still in awe of the journey we took together.
(Courtesy of Tori Spelling)
Finn’s first family shower. Loved it so much he fell asleep. #CozyFamilyTime
(Courtesy of Tori Spelling)
Brotherly love!
(Courtesy of Dean McDermott)
Finn’s got swag!
(Courtesy of Tori Spelling)
Dear Martha: You crushed my dreams . . . so now I must take you down! Love, Tori.
P.S. I still worship you!
(Courtesy of Jill Fritzo)
My four water babes.
(Courtesy of Laura Miller)
Our traditional family foot shot. We are now complete!
(Courtesy of ElizabethMessina.com)
My complete family!
(Courtesy of ElizabethMessina.com)
Me and my backyard farm.
(Courtesy of ElizabethMessina.com)
Doing belly shots and photobombed by a pig.
(Courtesy of ElizabethMessina.com)
My true love.
(Courtesy o
f ElizabethMessina.com)
My dad would’ve been proud of the woman and mom his baby girl has become.
(Courtesy of Kay Crow)
Me and my first baby! They grow so fast.
(Courtesy of Tori Spelling)
I can’t believe my stepson, Jack, towers over me. #IFeelOld
(Courtesy of Tori Spelling)
My very own rock band!
(Courtesy of Tori Spelling)
Just a farm girl at heart.
(Courtesy of Tori Spelling)
Acknowledgments
I am so grateful for the people in my life, and thankful for everyone who once again helped me share my reality with all of you!
First, the team at Gallery Books, who, among other virtues and publishing geniuses, never complained when I moved around the chickens on the jacket. Many thanks to Jen Bergstrom, Patrick Price, Jennifer Robinson, Kristen Dwyer, Kiele Raymond, and Lisa Litwack.
My fabulous biz peeps who are all dear friends to me . . . Ruthanne Secunda, Gueran Ducoty, Ennis Kamcili, Paula Friedman, Meghan Prophet, Jill Fritzo, Jamie Mandelbaum, Peter Sample, Sara Fernstrom, Dana B., Gary Schneider, Eleanor Burke, Michael Kagan and everyone at ICM, Dan Strone and Trident, Eqal, Tawil, JCP, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Keeco, and Darice.
And always, my friends and family, who saw me through a revolving hospital door with immense love and unbelievable support: Dean, Jack, Liam, Stella, Hattie, Finn, Mom, Randy (and his beautiful family, Leah, Sage, and Lotus), Mehran, Patsy (and her family), Scout and Bill (aka The Guncles), Simone, Grandma Jacquie, Jenny, Amy, Sara, Jennifer, Marcel, James, Steven, Dr. J, my Canadian family, Aunt Kay, Brandy, Paola, Laura, Randy and Fenton, Jess, Chris W., Seth, Richard, Lindsey, Mo, Megan, Brendan, Anthony, Erica, Mike Rosenthal, Patty Penn, Jill K, Fay, all the amazing doctors, nurses, and staff of Cedar Sinai, and the fabulous Hilary Liftin, who always calls it like it is!
I love you . . .
Tori xoxo
TORI SPELLING starred in and executive produced the Oxygen hit reality television series Tori & Dean: Inn Love and Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood. She recently hosted TLC’s Craft Wars and appeared in the ABC Family original musical The Mistle-Tones. The creator of the online lifestyle magazine ediTORIal at her website torispelling.com, she is also a #1 New York Times bestselling author of three memoirs; a party-planning book, celebraTORI; and a children’s book, Presenting . . . Tallulah. She and her husband, actor Dean McDermott, live in Los Angeles with their four young children, Liam, Stella, Hattie, and Finn.
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Gallery Books
A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
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Copyright © 2013 by Tori Spelling
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Gallery Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.
First Gallery Books hardcover edition October 2013
GALLERY BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
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Interior design by Davina Mock-Maniscalco
Cover design by Tori Spelling
Jacket photography by Mike Rosenthal
Author photograph by Dean McDermott
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data is available.
ISBN 978-1-4516-2859-3
ISBN 978-1-4516-2864-7 (ebook)
Spelling It Like It Is Page 20
