All About Maria Menounos’ Daughter Athena

Maria Menounos and husband, Keven Undergaro, welcomed their daughter Athena in 2023

Maria Menounos is basking in motherhood as she watches her daughter, Athena, grow.

The Heal Squad podcast host and her husband, producer Keven Undergaro, welcomed their first child via surrogacy in June 2023.

The couple started a family after Menounos experienced several health issues, and she has since shared that she's "grateful" for enduring a lot to be with her daughter.

While guest hosting Live with Kelly and Mark, Menounos described becoming a mom as the “greatest feeling ever.”

"I think the space I'm in right now is just overjoyed. I'm just so happy," she later told PEOPLE in December 2023. "I could float. I think I could levitate."

Here's everything to know about Maria Menounos’ daughter, Athena.

Related: Who Is Maria Menounos' Husband? All About Keven Undergaro

She was born in 2023

Menounos and Undergaro welcomed their daughter, Athena, on June 23, 2023, in Milwaukee, Wis.

Following years of wanting to start a family together, Menounos announced that she and her husband were expecting via surrogacy.

“Just after a decade of trying everything, we are so grateful to the beautiful family helping us conceive our baby,” she told PEOPLE in February 2023. “Keven, my dad and I are all beyond excited for this soul to come into our lives. What a blessing.”

Three months after Athena's birth, Menounos revealed that she had been visualizing her life as a mom “since the get-go.”

"When I was manifesting my baby, I would feel all the feelings of her being in my life — walking, holding her hand, pushing the stroller, seeing my dad with her. I was constantly focusing on what I wanted," she told PEOPLE in September 2023.

Her name has special meaning

While appearing as a guest host on Live with Kelly and Mark in July 2023, Menounos shared the story behind Athena's name.

"[Athena is] the goddess of war and wisdom and courage and strength, all of those wonderful things," she told host Mark Consuelos, explaining that she chose it without really thinking about it.

The One Tree Hill star continued, "Her middle name, Alexandra, is the defender of humankind. I didn't put all that stuff together, so it's kind of crazy."

She made her social media debut at 3 months old

Although Menounos previously kept her child's face off social media, she revealed a first glimpse of Athena's face in September 2023.

In an Instagram post, Menounos explained that although she and her husband "really [wanted] to keep her little face" offline, they also wanted to share her smile.

Shortly after, The Pentaverate star revealed behind-the-scene details about the photo they decided to upload.

"That picture that I posted of the three of us happened. I'm like, 'Oh my God, she's owning us.' She's in the middle, with her one hand on your chin and the other one on mine," she said on the Heal Squad podcast. "It just happened and it was perfect."

She's her mom's “best medicine”

In the handful of years before Athena's birth, Menounos was diagnosed with a variety of health conditions, including a brain tumor in 2017. She was later diagnosed with pancreatic cancer while awaiting the arrival of her baby girl, and it was a difficult moment.

"I was like 'How could God finally bless me with a baby and then take me before I get to meet her?'" she told PEOPLE in May 2023 about hearing the news. "I guttural cried, it was so intense.”

Afterward, Menounos considered what it could mean for her growing family, and she created a childcare plan for her husband in the event he had to raise their child alone.

"'If something happens, here are the people I want her around and what I want you to do. You'll probably have to move back East to be with my dad so that she has him.' We talked about all of it. We imagined the worst,” she recalled.

In February 2023, she had the tumor removed and remains cancer-free. Speaking to Today six months later, Menounos called her daughter the “best medicine.”

She shares her mother’s affinity for spending time outdoors

As Athena has grown, Menounous has enjoyed sharing glimpses of her childhood.

In January 2024, the Sharknado 3 alum posted a photo on Instagram of Athena's foot, with evidence that she had been walking barefoot.

“Mommas not the only one who grounds! Look at this dirty little foot! Athena loves grounding too bc she’s the CEO of her health,” Menounous captioned it.

She previously told PEOPLE in September 2023 that she and Athena had a morning routine incorporating the outdoors.

"I wake up at sunrise and I go outside with her sometimes, when the timing works," the TV personality said. "I give her her first bottle outside in that morning sun when I can, so that she's getting her Vitamin D."

She enjoys celebrating the holidays

During her first year, Athena was busy celebrating different occasions.

After participating in her first Halloween dressed as Sesame Street's Cookie Monster, Athena enjoyed Thanksgiving alongside her parents.

"Happy Thanksgiving friends! I always have so much to be grateful for but today I get to be grateful for my greatest blessing Athena," Menounos captioned photos of her family on Instagram.

To wrap up the year, The Holiday Dating Guide cast member reflected on how much her life had changed.

"One year ago in the womb..now Grabbing poinsettias! Merry Christmas to you all! Lots of love ❤️," Menounos wrote alongside a photo of her and Undergaro holding their daughter's hand.

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Read the original article on People.