Maria Menounos is showing gratitude for those who helped write her next chapter.
After trying to expand their family for a decade, the Extra alum and her husband Keven Undergaro are expecting a baby—and it's partially thanks to a few familiar faces.
"Zoe Saldaña and Kim Kardashian have been so helpful to me in this journey and they both gave me all their advice and people," Maria explained during a Feb. 7 appearance on Live with Kelly and Ryan. "Kim especially gave me this wonderful lawyer and he found me this woman who helped me find my surrogate."
Looking back on the journey, Maria noted how she wouldn't be where she is today without those who helped guide her along the way. "We're just so, so grateful because these people really help you bring life forward," she continued, "and without them, we wouldn't be able to do this."
It's not the first time Maria has shown love to Kim on this topic.
In February 2022, Maria told People that she and Keven began considering the surrogacy route in 2018 and that Kim—who welcomed her daughter Chicago, 5, and son Psalm, 3, with the help of surrogates—gave her advice on the matter. She noted, "I was grateful that I had her to share and help me."
Unfortunately, Maria said she and Kevin learned in 2021 that their first surrogate was no longer a match medically. "That was a really hard breakup because we had been together on the journey for almost two years," Maria recalled. "She was just so lovely and so amazing and very patient with us."
Despite the roadblock, she didn't lose hope. "Hopefully, all will be well," Maria told the outlet. "And we'll get two little brats that I will tell every day, 'You have no idea what we went through to bring you here! You better do great things in this world.'"
Fast forward to now, Maria has a little one on the way. "We are so grateful to everyone who helped make this beautiful blessing happen!" she said in a statement to E! News on Feb. 7. "I am so excited to be a mom and Keven is so excited to be a dad! And my dad is over the moon to be a papou! (Grandpa in Greek)."
The 44-year-old also gave a nod to her mom Litsa Menounos, who passed away in 2021 due to brain cancer, when announcing the baby news on Instagram.
"I know my mom had a cup of greek coffee with god and said it's time," she wrote Feb. 7. "So grateful for the blessing in our lives. Cant believe I'm sharing this news without her in the physical , but I know she made it happen on the other side and is going to be with me every step of the way."