How Jesinta Franklin celebrated Father's Day without Buddy

Over the weekend model Jesinta Franklin and her seven-month-old daughter celebrated their first Father's Day, but there was one notable guest missing.

Her husband and baby Tallulah's father Lance "Buddy" Franklin is in an AFL hub in Queensland with his Swans teammates, while Jesinta and her daughter remain in Sydney.

The 29-year-old admitted to the situation was "hard" but said she was determined to make the most of it for Tallulah.

READ MORE: Jesinta Franklin says her husband helped her overcome her severe anxiety

"I know there are a lot of families being apart," Franklin told Today.

"I know we don't have it the worst but it is sad not to be with him."

So, how do you celebrate when you're separated by thousands of kilometres?

According to Franklin, you find the daggiest gift possible.

"I sent him some jocks, the daggiest ones that I could find and socks that said 'Super Dad' and a little card from Tallulah," she said.

The couple welcomed their first child into the world on February 23, and Franklin said she's finally found her confidence as a mother.

"She is sleeping, we worked with an incredible sleep specialist at five-and-a-half months," she said.

"The last month has been so good and having her sleep literally changes everything.

"I feel so much happier and well-rested. I am not spending those days feeling like I am in this crazy whirlwind anymore. It is a lot more enjoyable."

In between balancing the commitments of motherhood and modelling, Franklin has managed to carve out time for another project: she's releasing her first children's book titled The Grumpy Crocodile.

"It was the perfect project for me while the country is in lockdown," she said."When I first gave birth to Tallulah, Lovekins - an organic baby brand – said, 'we want to create a book, would you be onboard with the project?'

"I thought it was a great thing, as a new mum, but also in isolation as I could do it from the comfort of my own home and all the meetings on Zoom."

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