Connect What is the most rewarding part of being a mom?

Motherhood has taught me a softness I didn't know I was capable of. My whole life I've had this tough exterior and strong work ethic to achieve a lot. That part of me now coexists with this beautiful softness for the purpose of building a life for her now too. Getting to influence her life so she can build her own dreams has given me a newfound sense of fulfillment. Making her proud of me and paving space for her to have her own experiences is the biggest blessing I've ever received.

What is one memory of your kids that you will never forget?

As moms, we of course focus a lot on holding our babies and comforting them. Usually, as new moms, we discuss what the best ways to hold them are and how long we should hold them for. We rarely think about the moment our babies hold us - at least I didn't. I'll never forget the first time my baby laid on my chest and stretched her arms out across me and embraced me as she fell asleep after breastfeeding. I never knew I needed her to hold me as much as she needed me to hold her. Truly magical.

What would you do with $20,000?

I would pay off some law school debt and use a portion to cover my baby's monthly expenses. As new parents who are both working and currently in school to reach our higher education goals, my boyfriend and I could use all the help we can get when it comes to diapers and formula. He has dreams of becoming a physical therapists and I want to become a lawyer so these funds would help us get there. We could also upgrade our 1 bedroom apartment to 2 bedrooms as our 2 month old baby girl gets bigger!