Bunnie Xo Shares One Parenting Change She Will Make for Future Kids

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Bunnie Xo is ready to try something new with her future brood.

The author, whose memoir Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic is recently released, says she and her husband, Jelly Roll, are expecting twins via surrogate. She predicts their approach to parenting these new babies will be different than it was with Jelly Roll’s older children, Bailee, 17, and Noah, 9, from previous relationships.

Bunnie explained to TopMob News that she and her partner, J, plan to be more playful and carefree parents. She shared that they were both in recovery when their daughter, Bailee, was born.

We were changing and developing, and Bailee helped us grow. Now, we’re expecting another group of children who will be like younger versions of ourselves. It’s exciting because we’ll get to experience the fun of childhood again through their eyes.

Bunnie (whose full name is Alisa DeFord) is really looking forward to being a mother, as she’s never had the chance to experience motherhood in any way, other than through her bond with her daughter, Bailee.

At 46, she said she’s never experienced the joys of having a baby, and her husband feels the same. He wasn’t involved in the early stages of his children’s lives, so he missed out on a lot of those precious moments too.

After raising Bailee following her marriage to Jelly Roll in 2016, she felt confident she was ready to be a mother again.

Plus, it helps that she and the teen have such a close mother-daughter bond. 

“That’s my girl,” Bunnie said. “I might not be her birth mother, but that’s my baby.”

Jelly Roll (whose real name is Jason Bradley DeFord) and his wife want to have two children so neither one feels lonely growing up as an only child. They made sure to talk to their children, Bailee and Noah, before deciding to expand their family.

Bunnie shared that Bailee was initially upset when they talked about having another child. Bailee reportedly said, ‘I’m your only child – why would you want another one? I’m enough.’ They decided to give her some time to process her feelings.

The host of the Dumb Blonde podcast remembers her daughter returning about four or five days later and saying, ‘Mom, I want you and Dad to have a baby!’ That was all she needed to hear.

Bunnie playfully compared getting Bailee’s approval to receiving a blessing from “the Godfather.” Once Bailee and Jelly gave their okay, she felt confident they could move forward with their plans.

The podcaster explained in her memoir that she and Jelly Roll now feel financially secure and emotionally ready to have another child.

We’re using a surrogate – she’s incredibly kind – and I’m about to begin the stimulation phase of IVF.

She shared that they plan to raise their children with all the love and opportunities they themselves missed out on. She expressed excitement at the idea of seeing their child—a blend of both her and her partner—grow and play in the world.

For more revelations from Bunnie’s memoir, keep reading. 

In August 2015, Bunnie Xo was already in a relationship when she first met Jelly Roll. He was performing as an opening act for the Moonshine Bandits at the Las Vegas Country Saloon at the time.

He completely broke down her emotional defenses. As she later wrote in her memoir, Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic, she admitted to being, in her own words, “mesmerized.”

She confessed that he wasn’t the kind of person she usually went for. However, when they shook hands, she felt an incredible connection – like a powerful, instant recognition. It felt as though she’d known him forever and had been searching for him her whole life.

She doesn’t remember the specifics of his performance, but she took lots of videos of him. She wanted to really observe him – how he moved and spoke. She admits she wasn’t usually attracted to Southern accents, but his captivated her. She clearly remembers thinking he had a bright future and would become a star.

Bunnie and Jelly Roll had been connecting for months through texts and online chats. She often had company when he called, and she couldn’t stop thinking about his charming smile. So, she was overjoyed when he told her he was filming a music video in Las Vegas.

I usually go for strong, edgy guys – think tough types, or those with a goth or emo look – but J wasn’t really my style, and I didn’t think I was his either. So it was so strange that I felt an instant connection with him the moment we met. I just couldn’t understand it.

She said things really clicked after a night out at a country bar. “We had incredible chemistry,” she explained, “and were instantly attracted to each other.”

Bunnie recounted returning to her Las Vegas penthouse, where she initiated intimacy with a man, but he didn’t reciprocate. She described removing her clothes, sitting on his lap, and starting to undress him, only to be rejected.

He then asked about her plans for the future – where she saw herself in five years. “I was annoyed, but also curious, so I moved closer and lay down beside him, putting my arm around him,” Bunnie explained. “That’s when I began sharing all my hopes and dreams.”

She shared her dreams of hosting a talk show and starting a family, while he talked about his music career and his intention to gain custody of his teenage daughter, Bailee.

Bunnie described spending hours talking and dreaming about their future together. She said they were completely open and honest with each other, making it the most genuine conversation of her life.

Let me tell you, when I met J, he was truly one of a kind – totally different from anyone I’d ever dated. But surprisingly, he also felt… familiar. I have a type, and I admit it – a bit of a rough around the edges type! He had tattoos and a past – he’d been involved with some things he wasn’t proud of, let’s just say. But what really drew me in was that he was actively trying to change, to build a better life for himself. And honestly? That resonated with me, because I’ve been on a similar journey myself.

She wanted to be upfront about her past. When they first met, he asked about her job, and she told him the truth. As Bunnie explained, “I told him I was a sex worker, and that I earned a lot of money. There are different levels within this profession, and I’d say I was one of the more upscale providers.”

And Jelly certainly did. 

She said he wasn’t bothered at all. He told her, ‘I respect your drive. You’re a hard worker, and I have no issue with that.’ She added that from the very beginning, he never judged her for doing what she needed to get by.

When she started traveling with him, she updated her website with her tour schedule to let clients know where she’d be. As Bunnie explained, she was completely booked with appointments even before the plane touched down in each city.

Jelly explained that it was the first time she’d been in a relationship where both she and her partner accepted each other completely, without trying to change one another.

The couple’s spontaneous August 2016 wedding in Las Vegas had lasting consequences. Bunnie confessed she was initially terrified when Jelly proposed to her behind the scenes at a show, admitting she questioned whether she was ready for such a major commitment despite their unique connection.

Honestly, I thrive on living in the moment! This whole thing was incredibly exciting, and I really connected with the energy. Did I know it might all fall apart? Totally. But you know what? It was a blast while it lasted, and I wouldn’t trade those fun moments for anything.

They celebrated all the way to the courthouse, playing Jagged Edge‘s “Let’s Get Married” and Bruno Mars‘ “Gorilla.” As Bunnie put it, “We were feeling amazing—in every sense of the word!”

She described herself as being heavily under the influence of cocaine on her wedding day, and woke up the next morning in a torn black dress, feeling incredibly angry and wondering if getting married had been a mistake.

Their first major argument happened soon after, and it led to a serious talk while they were looking out over the Grand Canyon. Jelly Roll assured her that he only would have married her if he truly meant it.

Bunnie explained that J instantly eased all her anxieties with just one sentence. She’d always lived a life where nothing felt truly permanent – relationships, even marriages, seemed easily reversible. No one had ever considered a future with her, but J was different. He envisioned a lasting relationship, a long-term commitment.

Seven years later they returned to that Vegas chapel to renew their vows.

She’s always been attracted to guys who are a bit rebellious. “Before me, J was a womanizer,” Bunnie admitted. “He dated several women simultaneously for years.”

That includes the mother of his son Noah, born a week before his dad’s Vegas vows. 

Bunnie explained that Jelly Roll and his previous partner had a complicated relationship lasting around ten years. Although it was unhealthy, they tried to raise their son together as well as possible. She also mentioned she and Jelly Roll started dating while she was already eight or nine months pregnant.

Bunnie admits her relationship with her husband’s former partner started off rocky, but now she genuinely loves her. She’s grateful to have someone who understands their child as well as she does and appreciates the wonderful person and mother she has become.

Bailee, who was only seven years old when she first met Bunnie, likely prevented the Dumb Blonde podcast host from making a bad decision.

Bunnie explained that after a few months of marriage, she and Jelly Roll were on the verge of gaining full custody of Bailee, as the child’s mother was struggling with a severe drug addiction.

Bunnie began each day by taking a mix of medications – half a Lortab, a quarter of a Xanax, and a diet pill – which made her realize she needed to make a change in her life.

She explained she didn’t want to make things even harder for the child. Getting sober, she felt, would prevent her from causing further pain and trauma.

Thinking about Bailee helped me make a change,” Bunnie explained. “I stopped taking pills and using cocaine completely, but I knew it would take me longer to stop drinking alcohol.

I was so excited when Bunnie announced she was going with Jelly Roll all the way back to Tennessee! Leaving Vegas was hard for her, but she was determined to go with him.

Bunnie admitted she was feeling homesick and overwhelmed by the demands of being a full-time mother, especially because of her difficult relationship with her own stepmother. She found herself longing for her previous life in Las Vegas. Everything had changed so quickly, and she was now facing a lot of responsibility and a repetitive routine – things she’d successfully avoided since becoming independent at fourteen. These pressures were beginning to strain her marriage.

Bunnie described girls from her past who, after she arrived in town, actively tried to make her life difficult.

After arguing with Jelly Roll frequently, Bunnie woke up a few days following Bailee’s tonsil surgery and decided to leave. She later realized how important family is, stating, “I truly believe I would never abandon my family,” but admitted she did at that time. She explained that despite any reasons she could come up with, her decision ultimately came down to being incredibly scared.

Bunnie quickly realized she’d made a mistake and soon found a large five-bedroom house in Las Vegas for everyone to live in together. She explained it was her way of making up for leaving Bailee and his father. She wanted to show them she was committed for the long haul, and believed her actions would speak louder than words.

However, Jelly Roll quickly changed his mind. “Out of nowhere, he decided to cancel everything,” Bunnie explained, adding that she was completely surprised.

Five months after moving to Las Vegas, Jelly Roll told Bunnie they were going back to Nashville. Bunnie later revealed the real reason for the move wasn’t what he’d told her. He’d been secretly communicating with a former girlfriend he’d dated briefly before they got together. Bunnie had suspected something was off but couldn’t confirm it. She also recognized that both she and Jelly Roll were still dealing with past emotional pain and hadn’t fully learned how to love healthily.

Even though she sensed his invitation to join them in Tennessee wasn’t very enthusiastic, she accepted, saying she would never leave their little family again.

Bunnie explained that she believed allowing other women into their sexual encounters would prevent future infidelity, based on past experiences. However, she clarified that it wasn’t an open relationship; they simply wouldn’t usually refuse if someone wanted to join them.

Bunnie wrote that if she ever wanted to be with someone else, her partner, “J,” had previously told her she was free to do so. Initially, this made her feel insecure, as she wondered if a lack of jealousy meant he didn’t truly love her. However, she later came to understand his perspective.

She explained that they both believe in maintaining their independence within the relationship, and see it as a free connection rather than simply an open one.

Bunnie made it clear that while she valued independence, honesty was paramount. She emphasized, “Just don’t lie to me, and always be upfront with me about everything.”

I’ve been following Jelly Roll for a while now, and I always felt something was off with him and one of his exes. She really made my life difficult for over a year, constantly harassing me online. It was so obvious she was trying to get a reaction – she’d share his song lyrics, flaunt his merchandise, and make little digs at me in her posts, knowing I suspected something was going on. It was incredibly frustrating because I couldn’t find any concrete proof of what she was up to.

Bunnie explained that when she questioned Jelly Roll about his posts, he would manipulate her and make her feel like she was the one being unreasonable.

Couples’ therapy didn’t help, and things continued to deteriorate for ten months, according to Bunnie. Eventually, the situation reached a breaking point and completely fell apart.

She came home from a trip to find her husband had already left their house in Nashville. A conversation with his best friend’s wife then confirmed what she had feared – he wasn’t coming back.

Bunnie shared that she had considered suicide that night. She explained the pain she was feeling was overwhelming and she just wanted it to stop.

Instead of staying, she drove back to Las Vegas and learned, through Instagram, that Jelly Roll had already announced their breakup – even though he’d said he would wait several months before doing so.

Bunnie explained that after everything that had happened – the disagreements, the pain, and all the trouble with J – she’d finally reached her limit. She decided she was done talking to him for good.

They were completely committed to the situation, seeing it through to the very end. Bunnie recalled that he told her a story – “about a drug dealer’s daughter he met at a bar” – and she admitted she believed it.

Until a random number began blowing up his phone. 

It suddenly occurred to me,” Bunnie said. “It was her ex—he was still involved, even though he’d insisted they’d broken up.”

Her trust in Jelly Roll demolished, she reached out to his affair partner for the full story. 

Bunnie explained that she found out he’d bought a house for them both and wanted her to be a stay-at-home mom to his daughter, Bailee. She said that, more than anything, this was what upset her. It wasn’t about a physical affair, but about the emotional betrayal and him expecting her to raise a child she’d grown to love.

Bunnie explained that even though she eventually forgave Jelly Roll, the experience left a lasting impact. “You don’t stop loving someone who hurts you,” she said, “but your heart changes. It becomes more cautious, less open, and a little broken.”

Bunnie admitted things weren’t okay after their disagreement. She explained that arguments became heated, and she even confessed to hitting Jelly Roll after he refused to apologize for his actions.

She wrote that it would take a long time to get over the affair and even longer to truly believe her partner loved her and didn’t see her as easily replaceable.

Now nearly seven years into the pair’s fertility journey, the pieces are starting to come together. 

Bunnie shared that she discovered her Fallopian tubes were blocked, meaning she’d need surgery – and even then, there was no guarantee she could get pregnant. However, thanks to advancements in IVF and the incredible generosity of a surrogate mother willing to carry twins, they were able to achieve their dream of having a baby.

Their plan is to use her eggs and his sperm and try for twins. 

Bunnie responded to criticism about having children at her age with a defiant, ‘I don’t care.’ She explained that they plan to raise their children with a lot of love and provide opportunities they didn’t have themselves, and she’s excited to watch their children grow and express themselves.

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2026-02-19 04:49