Maria Menounos is going through a very beautiful period in her life with Keven Undergaro after welcoming their daughter into the world through a surrogate mother.
This year is a special year for her father too, as it's the first birthday he'll spend with his granddaughter.
In fact, Maria Menounos made a post on her personal Instagram account to honour him and wish him a happy birthday publicly.
In particular, she published a photo of her father holding her daughter in his arms and a card that said: "We love you, Grandpa."
On the kitchen counter, there is another card, which reads: "Happy Birthday," while Maria Menounos wrote under her post: "Happy Birthday Grandpa. We love you so much."
See the post:
Menounos was born in the Boston suburb of Medford, Massachusetts, to Greek immigrant parents Costas and Litsa Menounos who worked as janitors in a Boston nightclub.
She has a younger brother named Peter. Maria Menounos attended the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Somerville, Massachusetts. She also attended Medford High School in Medford.
Her journey
Maria Menounos has been incredibly open about her difficult journey to motherhood with her daughter Athena, now four months old.
The 45-year-old media personality dealt with infertility and earlier this year, revealed her bout with pancreatic cancer. She finally announced in February on (what was then) Live with Kelly and Ryan that she and her husband Keven were expecting their first child via surrogate.
After posting the video, they were inundated with comments that radiated positivity, including: “So special!!! What a moment,” and: “So beautiful and special. Athena will appreciate this video when she’s older. Much love to you all,” as well as: “The amazement and happiness on his face.”
The TV presenter spoke with Us Weekly when their daughter was born back in July, and said of the moment they saw their daughter for the first time: “It was the most special moment of my life.
“The doctor literally grabbed her and hiked her onto me. I sat with her on my chest, and Keven and I kept looking at each other like, ‘Oh, my god.’ It was just pure joy.”
Maria also revealed why they named their daughter “Athena,” saying: “We knew we wanted a Greek name. We had a list, and everyone says when you see the baby, you’ll know, but that was totally untrue for us.
“We were like, ‘What do we do?’ Athena is the goddess of war and wisdom, and Keven loved the power of that name, so that was it!
“For so long, I’ve felt something’s been missing. I’d go to kids’ birthday parties, and I’d be a little sad because I wanted my own family. And now I feel so grounded, like I finally know where I belong.”
In September, when they celebrated Athena being three months old, Maria gushed on Instagram: “3 months old today! Kev and I really want to keep her little face off social BUT no one ever saw her smile because she was too little when we shot the magazine cover.
“Anyway, while she’s still little I figure I get this one post out as she LIGHTS up our day everyday and I hope she can light yours up to! We love her soooooo much we may explode!!!”
READ MORE: My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Nia Vardalos Goes Public with ‘Secret’ Love.
