ERIN

What is it like to be a single parent?

Being a single parent is a challenge. It definitely makes you think of who you have to reach out to when you're on your own. It makes you more self-aware and makes you more cautious. We learn a lot about our patience with each other because Lord knows there's only two of us. But it's good. It's a challenge. It's exciting. We got to take care of ourselves.

Tell me about your happy moments/triumphs.

The happiest moments with her are kind of every day. I think it's just neat to wake up every morning and listen to what she has to say, and that it’s different than the day before. You get a lot of new words every day. I think it's neat to see her interact with people in different environments—throw her in and let her fly. But there's no one particular moment that's good with her. It's kind of every day.

Tell me about your struggles and/or sacrifices.

Single parents don't really get a life outside of being a single parent, which can be hard.

What wishes or aspirations do you have for your child?

I hope that Aiva can be exposed to a lot of things in life where we're not judgmental and we like everybody. I hope that she aspires to be whatever she wants to be and keeps moving forward with it.

Describe being a single parent in one word.

Glorious.