Nadia, 28

Aubrey, 7

"Before I had Aubrey I was selfish. When I had her I became selfless. Nothing that I wanted mattered anymore, because I was so concerned about how I could get her a better life. What could I do to be a better woman for her? I started looking for a career with benefits instead of regular jobs. My whole entire life shifted. I also understand that I'm her first example, so she's watching every single thing I do. Every move I make, she's right there. When I think she's not watching, she is. She likes to play dress up and I can see her doing the same things I do. The way I walk around and look in the mirror, she does that. So I have to be really mindful. Even when I'm on the phone, I have to watch how I talk because she's a sponge. She will soak up and repeat everything she sees and hears from me. Before I had her I had the motivation to go to college, but she gave me that extra push. I can't tell her to go get a degree if I don't have one. I can't tell her that she should be a college graduate if I'm not. She shaped and molded me into the woman that I am."

"My mom was so furious that I was pregnant, that she didn't speak to me for months. She came back around towards the end of my pregnancy to help. That was the most challenging time of my life. That's when I needed her the most. Like, who was I supposed to call? You start losing friends once they know you're having a baby. They're not your friends anymore. I only had one friend who stuck around throughout my pregnancy and she's my best friend to this day, and Aubrey's godmother. From that I learned to not give my all to people, because they don't always have the same heart that you have."

"My mom just had dreams and aspirations for me. She felt like I was the one who was supposed to be somebody. Nadia's gonna' go somewhere. She's gonna' go to college. So when I pregnant, it was like, what are you doing? Why are you pregnant? My family didn't understand. I was the princess. So I didn't get the support for most of my pregnancy, but once I had my baby shower they supported me like crazy. And now my mother worships the ground she walks on."

"I don't want her to face the struggles that I faced, but sometimes life just throws it at you. Like, I wish that I would've waited to have her because I probably could have accomplished more, sooner. That's something that I don't want her to have to go through, but if it happens I'll never treat her differently. I'll stand by her no matter what decisions she makes. I'm just praying that she sticks to the values I teach her, and that God sees her through."

"I love taking pictures and creating memories with her. Taking her to different places and experiencing different things. I know she'll always remember that. I want her to be level headed and I want her to be balanced, and to understand that it's okay to be different. It's okay to have different experiences from the kids around her."

"I understand that I can't live my life through her so whatever she wants to do, I have to support her. I'm not in the business of trying to control her life but I also want her to know Mommy worked hard so that you can be somebody. But whatever she decides to do, I'm praying that it will put her in a good condition. When she was younger, I used to try to get her to do things that I wanted for her, like dance and gymnastics, but she didn't want to do that. I had to learn that she has her own interests and support her in them."

"I didn't have everything I needed when I was having her, but I still chose to have her. I chose to struggle even though I couldn't give her the quality of life that she deserved. But now my struggle is different. It has more of a purpose because I know that one day I will be able to provide. So this degree was for her. I want her to keep the legacy going, and be the best that she can be. "