Time to call in the back-up anchors -- there's a baby boom
happening over at the "Today" show. Last week, Hoda Kotb and her boyfriend Joel
Schiffman welcomed daughter Hope Catherine through adoption. Little Hope joins
big sister Haley Joy, 2.
Kotb started teasing the new addition early last week by
posting memes on social media that said “Choose Hope” and “There is always hope.”
Kotb had been wanting a second child and told her “Today" show family, "In my heart I was like, 'Please, God, I hope this is something you
anticipate for me.’ To get the call is so mind-blowing, you can't believe
someone's saying come and get her, she's here. It's amazing."
She chose
the name Hope because as she journaled about longing for another child, the
word “hope” was a frequent theme.
With amazingly coincidental timing, her brand new co-star of “Today
with Hoda & Jenna” (recently replacing Kathie Lee Gifford), Jenna Bush Hager announced
she’s expecting her third child (and first son!) with husband Henry Hager. She’s
five months along and broke the news to daughters Mila, 6, and Poppy, 3, on Easter
morning in a cute video shown on "Today with Hoda & Jenna."
Bush Hager said on the show that they were not necessarily going for baby number three -- it was just “date night!” "It is a shock," she said. "But
we're grateful."
Former "Today" anchor Meredith Vieira has been subbing in for
Hoda on both the “Today" show and “Today with Hoda & Jenna,” and we’re
thinking she’ll have a steady job for the coming months, if she wants it.
Meanwhile, on the same day that Bush Hager announced her news, meteorologist and "Today" frequenter Dylan Dreyer revealed she was struggling with secondary infertility and recently suffered a miscarriage. The mom of Calvin, 2, with husband Brian
Fichera told her third hour co-hosts Craig Melvin and Sheinelle Jones she had complications
with scar tissue as a result of her C-section and had a miscarriage over the
winter. She'll soon be starting IVF in the hopes of helping the
process along, and wanted to share her news to destigmatize and educate people about fertility issues.
With the mix of news from the morning, Dreyer remarked to Bush
Hager, "My sadness does not take away from your joy.”
Two years ago, "Today" co-anchor Savannah Guthrie gave
birth to baby Charles around the same time Kotb adopted Haley and Dreyer had Calvin -- all just after Bush Hager
had Poppy. It seems "Today" is used to baby explosions, and if good things come
in threes, hopefully Dreyer’s good news is right around the corner.
It's nice that the women have all been able to support each other with Guthrie, Dreyer and Bush Hager all posting selfies with Kotb's new bundle and Dreyer and Bush Hager sharing a sweet conversation and hugs on Monday's show. It seems like whatever may come for the women, their village is firmly in place.