On March 22, I became a mother to a little girl I call Diana Rose. My life has changed radically overnight and my lifelong dreams have come true. We could have shared a March birthday but she decided to come early instead of late like many firstborns. I am slowly falling in love and quickly slipping further into sleep deprivation with each passing day. Yes--nothing has changed in the sleep department over here.

I am only five months in and parenthood with a newborn is the most difficult physical challenge I have faced. Women's bodies undergo enormous hormonal transformations while they are pregnant, great pain while they are in and heal from child birth, and potentially breastfeed. I always was "rah rah women" since I was a Girl Scout, but this experience has given me first hand knowledge on how much women do and are to the children they create, carry, birth and care for. For me, there is no greater challenge or greater reward as a woman than this.

I was in total shock my firstborn was a girl but could not be more elated. Now I get to raise my own little warrior woman, my own benevolent princess, Diana Rose. She follows in the footsteps of many powerful and graceful famous Diana's and will be her own unique person one day which I can't wait to witness. Until then--she needs to get through the poopy diapers and I need to get through the nearly sleepless nights.

Thank you God for my little girl.