Hoda Kotb is entering a new era in her life with the birth of her daughter.
Kotb and her Today co-host Jenna Bush Hager recently had a conversation with PEOPLE during their week of in-studio broadcasts. During their conversation, the two mothers discussed change as Kotb disclosed a new milestone with her older daughter, Haley, who is 5 years old.
“These are your last pull-ups,” I told Haley as we said goodbye to her last day of wearing pull-ups because Haley will soon be transitioning to wearing underwear rather than pull-ups. Kotb tells PEOPLE. “As a result, when I was dressing her, I said, “Wow.” I will never forget changing your very first diaper.”
“As I was putting these Moana diapers on her, I thought to myself, “Oh my God.” At that moment, everything shifted. You blink, and they’re already 6 years old “She continues.
Kotb, who is 58 years old, says that for a little while she and Haley reminisced about how far Haley had gone, adding, “I remarked to her, “I remember what it felt like trying to put that on your little body,” and she replied, “I remember what it felt like.” And now we’re saying that this will be the very last time that we do this,” she explains, adding why she chose not to “make it into a sorrowful moment.”
Kotb says, “I began to experience some feelings of melancholy, and I remarked to myself, “Guess what? A new page will be turned in tomorrow. Everything is going to have a fresh start. Here we go.’”
Haley felt energized by the possibility of it. “Oh my God,” she exclaimed, before beginning to hop up and down excitedly.
Kotb continued by giving her viewpoint on the subject of “how you see change, presenting the question: “When you look at change, do you think to yourself, ‘Oh, I remember how wonderful it was back there?’” Or do you simply go ahead and remark that something is lovely?”
Kotb has been lauded by Bush Hager, a mother of three, for her ability to view “the world as lovely and enchanting.”
In addition to their daughter Haley, Hoda Kotb and her ex-boyfriend Joel Schiffman also have a daughter named Hope who is 3 years old.
During their conversation about Hilary Swank’s pregnancy announcement last month, the co-hosts reflected on their own paths to motherhood and how they got there. They also talked about the event live on air on Monday morning.
Kotb was praised by Bush Hager for “showing people like my sister, who had babies a little later, like Hilary, like all of these people that maybe their dreams didn’t come true at the age they thought they were going to, but it can happen when it’s supposed to happen,” which was a reference to the fact that Hager’s sister had her children a little later in life.
Kotb continued by saying, “I do believe that that is exactly when it does happen.” “It’s lovely whenever it happens,” the speaker said.
