Neither Hoda Kotb nor Jenna Bush Hager is around this week on the “Today” fourth-hour. Meteorologist, mom of Calvin, and currently expecting mom, Dylan Dreyer is at the helm this week. Dylan still has her glow, despite getting even less sleep than usual in her busy household. This morning, she hosted more of the cast of the upcoming reboot of “90210” and will finish out the week with help from guest hosts.

Meanwhile, Jenna Bush Hager and her sweet family of five had fun this weekend simply being out of the house, as reported by People on August 13.

Fresh air and open spaces can do wonders for any mother on a newborn baby’s schedule, but there's no shortage of support in nurturing from sisters, Mila, 6, and Poppy, who turns 4 today.

In another neck of the woods, “Today” co-anchor and Jenna Bush Hager's sidekick for the fourth-hour fun, Hoda Kotb, got a big surprise last Friday for her birthday, as documented on August 12 by the show. She was accosted by a big yellow, feathered greeter with a birthday song while out on a morning walk, and of course, the moment was captured for posterity.

On a more tender note, Kotb got another very sweet birthday remembrance from Kathie Lee Gifford.

Sun and surprise

Hoda Kotb is lovely and always ready for any occasion, but the last thing she and her two-year-old toddler, Haley Joy, were expecting on their sunny morning walk was a towering feathered friend bearing a song.

Hoda was perfectly dressed for the encounter, wearing her white jean shorts, fashionably torn. However surprised she was, she didn't let on at all during the impromptu serenade. Haley Joy is not generally shy. She made a perfect introduction to Jenna Bush Hager's new son, Hal. Maybe it was because this professional in poultry was a little off-key, but Hoda’s eldest daughter kept her eyes shielded the whole time.

She seemed to be wishing something like “maybe it will just go away if I can't see it.” Ever courteous, Hoda post for a keepsake picture in her “Today” T-shirt, emblazoned with “You are my sunshine.”

Kathie Lee Gifford called Hoda her “Egyptian goddess” and “sunshine in a bottle” more often than their morning regulars on “Today” could count over 11 years.

Kathie Lee couldn’t let Kotb’s day go by without a special remembrance on social media.

Sharing a sweet photo of herself and Hoda, offering a reflective gaze, Gifford captioned with a question: “How do you celebrate one of the most beautiful souls you’ve ever been blessed to know? Happy Birthday to my sweet friend, @hodakotb!

Last year, Haley Joy sang to her mama.

Loving the wild life

Jenna Bush Hager offered her own sweet words on social media, summing up her new life as a mom to three.

“We left the house!!!!” Hager wrote, including four exclamation points. “Life is wilder and we are perpetually late and walk slower, “ she continued, “But life with Hal is so, so sweet.”

The beaming, candid smiles captured of the Hager family surrounding Hal’s stroller spoke all the proof necessary of that point.

Earlier in her weekend, Jenna shared sweet shots of each of her daughters spending their own moments with Hal. Mila’s time was dubbed “Morning snuggles” by mom, and Poppy’s precious moment was “I love you baby bro,” showing both siblings staring into one another's eyes.

Hal won't remember the occasion, but he'll be celebrating his first birthday party today as part of the Bush-Hager clan, just less than two weeks after his own arrival into the world.

The tiny son would probably agree that four-year-old festivities beat a singing chicken any day.
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