Hoda Kotb has likely celebrated the busiest and most emotional three weeks in television history. The buoyant “Today” anchor bid farewell to her beloved broadcasting sidekick, Kathie Lee Gifford, the week before last. Last week, she launched a new morning television “baby” with Jenna Bush Hager at her side. Both these occasions were overflowing with “laughter through tears,” the experience that Hoda Kotb always credited as Kathie Lee Gifford being at her best.

This morning, April 16, the entire “Today” family celebrated in the same emotions with Hoda Kotb as she announced the arrival of a second daughter through adoption, Hope Catherine Kotb.

Yes, the famous tissue box descended from above again, but the mood was pure joy and celebration for the second-time mother, whose spirit and her broad smile was evident to the whole world, even while she spoke from her nursery instead of the studio. Haley Joy is a big sister and Hoda Kotb couldn't be happier to hold twice the mother’s joy in her arms.

Truly jaw-dropping news

In light of the tragic and unexpected blaze that almost consumed the Cathedral at Notre Dame, no one at the lead news desk at “Today” knew what to expect when Savannah Guthrie announced that she had an “exclusive” with someone on the phone.

Stupefied expressions came as Guthrie asked “Hoda? Hoda, are you there?” When Hoda gushed that “It's a girl!” jaws literally dropped, most visibly from Willie Geist.

The newsman dashes every day between his political gig on MSNBC's “Morning Joe” to his co-anchor seat on “Today,” but only Willie’s dad side could be seen this morning with Hoda’s happy news.

“I think I'm gonna need a mop,” Geist reported to Hoda, contending that the tissues were not enough to stem the tide of tears.

Kotb and her longtime partner, Joel Schiffman, were there to hold their beautiful new daughter right after she arrived.

“It's the closest thing you can have to a live birth,” said the doting mama, who contends that “my heart just grew” at the moment she held Hope Catherine for the first time.

The name has a very personal meaning for Hoda. Catherine is the daughter of her best friend, Karen, who recently marked the anniversary of losing her husband.

Kotb has openly discussed how adoption has prompted a renewal of faith for her, and hope symbolizes how a blessing can come from even the darkest times of life.

Hoda Kotb has become an ambassador for older adoptive parents especially, encouraging them that there is not an expiration date on giving love, support, and gifts only a parent can give to a child. (Kotb is 54 and Schiffman is 60.) Her two children's books, “I've Loved You Since Forever” and “You Are My Happy,” published last month, are both bestsellers. More importantly, the words and pictures are forever legacies to her daughters that parenthood is created from a calling of love far more than the wonders of biology. She created the books as lasting keepsakes to her girls.

Bonding isn’t taking long

The “Today” crew was keeping silent about why Hoda Kotb was “off today,” even yesterday. The new mother was overcome with joy this morning, able only to speak “joy,” “heart,” and “baby” at one point in the phone transmission.

Haley Joy, on the other hand, is completely at ease with what to say about being a big sister. Mom described that her toddler daughter is already marching around and singing “I'm a big sister!” with glee. In the fourth hour of “Today,” Hoda Kotb shared how she watched as Haley’s arms totally encompassed her new baby sister. This morning, Hoda found Haley sleeping under Hope’s bassinet. “I'm down here,” she assured her mother, “And she's up there!” Haley Joy did try to cuddle in the bassinet earlier and feed her sister raspberries, according to mom.

One of the reasons that prompted the second adoption for the parents was the realization of being older parents, and wanting the siblings to be “witnesses” for one another's lives, being there to explore, learn, and grow together.

Judging from Jenna Bush Hager's emotion, the bond between these mothers is only growing stronger, just like the bonds between the family of four for Hoda Kotb.
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