Cradle Q & A
Talking with... Nancy O'Dell

ancy O'Dell, co-anchor of Access Hollywood, has gained access into a new club - Mommyhood. Here she shares her most favorite and most challenging moments from her first year with baby.

The Cradle: Describe motherhood in three words. 

Nancy: Bliss, fulfilling... heaven!

The Cradle: Your daughter just turned one in June. What are some of your favorite moments from the past year? What did you find most challenging? 

Nancy: Gosh, there have been so many favorite moments - where do I start?!

• Watching her sleep sweetly on my husband's chest when she was wee little.

• When she belly-laughed out loud for the first time...

• Ashby doesn't easily go to anyone besides me and my husband, but after my Mom was diagnosed with ALS, Ashby crawled over to her immediately and put her head on my mother's chest as if to say "I know and I love you, Grandmama." Ashby was only 5 months old, but I know she sensed our pain, and it was one of the sweetest moments I have ever witnessed.

• How she idolizes her older brothers (my stepsons) and hangs right with them. She's definitely a tomboy.

• How her face lights up when I walk in from work, and then her hands reach out for me. I completely melt.

• Nursing... it was such a bonding time, and it was our time together.

• Rocking her to Celine Dion's Miracle CD. I would just cry and cry out of happiness. Oh, and perhaps a few hormones were kicking in as well.

Regarding the most challenging moments... 

• The very first month when I felt like I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Luckily, my husband has two boys from his first marriage - my fabulous stepsons - so he was the teacher.

• Changing Ashby’s diapers for the first month - she HATED having her diaper changed those first few weeks.

• Her first fever - which she didn't get until she was one - I stayed up staring at her all night making sure she was okay, constantly checking her temperature while trying not wake her.