Jenna Bush Hageris a mom of three!
“We are overcome with joy to welcome Henry Harold ‘Hal’ Hager into this world!” the new mom tells PEOPLE.
“He is named Henry after many on his father’s side including his dear dad and his paternal grandfather. Harold comes from my maternal grandfather, Pa, who I loved dearly and was unable to keep a son long enough to name,” she says.
The newest addition to the Hager household joins big sistersPoppy Louise, who turns 4 on Aug. 13, andMargaret “Mila” Laura, 6.
“His sisters are thrilled to have a little brother and already nicknamed his nickname, exclaiming ‘welcome to the world Hal Pal!’ ” Bush Hager adds.
Jenna Bush Hager
Bush Hagerrevealed her surprise pregnancy newson-air in April, nearly a week after co-hostHoda Kotbannounced she had adopted a second daughter,Hope Catherine.
“Yes, I’m pregnant!” the former first daughter revealed — leaving herTodaycostarCraig Melvingasping. “I’m very pregnant. I don’t know how you missed this! I’ve needed seven or eight sports bras.”
Her pregnancy came more than three years afterHollywood MediumstarTyler Henrypredicted Bush Hager would one day have a son — to which she emotionally replied that she planned to name himafter her late grandfather Harold Welch.
Jenna Bush Hager and Tyler Henry.NBC
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It has been a banner year for Bush Hager, who wasnamed as Kotb’s new co-hostforToday‘s fourth hour in February, taking over after the departure ofKathie Lee Giffordin April.
And while the timing of her pregnancy wasn’t “ideal” given the new gig,Bush Hager told PEOPLE in Maythat “There was no hesitation when I told anybody at work. It is a beautiful journey for you and your family. And I know they feel the same way for Hoda.”
She opened up in that same interviewabout the guilt she feltin getting pregnant again knowing her pal Kotb, 54, wanted a sibling for her 2-year-old daughterHaley Joy— an emotion she also felt the day she announced her happy news on-air, as it was the same day her co-starDylan Dreyer(who waspregnant but didn’t know itat the time!) revealed her ownstruggle with miscarriage secondary infertility.
“Even if you knew I was doing this story today, I would never ever want to have that be the reason why you didn’t announce this today. This is so amazing! My sadnessdoes not take away from your joy,” Dreyer, 38, told her.
Jenna Bush Hager and Dylan Dreyer.
Jenna Bush Hager.
Bush Hager responded to the Instagram post writing, “Love you. Love you. Love you!! 💕💕”
The following day, Bush Hager shared a sweet note Kotb gave her at the shower on air, getting emotional asshe read it for the first time aloud: “Jenna, you represent everything I love. Your friends are lucky, your children luckier. Three good people in the world thanks to you and Hank. Maybe they will change the world.”
Nathan Congleton/NBC
Jenna Bush Hager/Instagram
More than three months after revealing her pregnancy, Bush Hager announced Aug. 2 on her show thatshe would be going on maternity leave.
“Today is my last day!” she said. “I want to thank all of you guys for the last four months. I can’t believe it’s been four months, but to share this joy with all of you, with youWillie [Geist], with everybody that’s filled in … all of you that have cheered us on as a show and cheered me on personally, it means the world. I feel so grateful to work in a place with people that lift me up every day.”
“I just feel overcome with gratitude that we get to expand our family. I’m obviously a little hormonal,” Bush Hager joked with a laugh, tearing up. “Butit’s a beautiful time in my life, it’s abeautiful time in Hoda’s life.”
source: people.com
