Hoda Kotb is marking a major family milestone.
Indeed, the former Today anchor recently shared how she told her and ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman’s daughters Haley, 8, and Hope, 6, whom the former couple welcomed in 2017 and 2019, respectively, that they were adopted.
“For my kids, they were asking me, I was telling them about adoption, and I thought, ‘How do you tell that story to your kids?’” Hoda explained during a Sept. 23 appearance on Today. “I said at first, ‘You weren’t born in my tummy, you were born in my heart,’ and they were like, ‘Oh, OK.’”
However, now that they are getting older, Hoda wanted to give her daughters more insight into their births.
“I thought, ‘I have to tell them every child comes from a tummy,’” she recalled. “So I go, ‘Well actually, you came from another person’s tummy.’”
She explained to her daughters that they had a “birth mother angel,” noting that she told her daughters, “‘God gave her the job to carry you so that she could give you to me.’”
In her new book, Jump and Find Joy: Embracing Change in Every Season of Life, which was released Sept. 23, the 61-year-old expanded on her experience as an adoptive mom, noting that it felt like “jumping into motherhood.”
This isn’t the first time Hoda has given insight into her motherhood journey. After all, she previously cited wanting to dedicate more of her time to her daughters as the primary reason behind her exit from the NBC morning show earlier this year.
“Obviously I had my kiddos late in life, and I was thinking that they deserve a bigger piece of my time pie that I have,” she shared on Today last year. “I feel like we only have a finite amount of time.”
Indeed, Hoda admitted the decision was difficult—but her daughters are her biggest priority.
“My broadcast career has been beyond meaningful, a new decade of my life lies ahead, and now my daughters and my mom need and deserve a bigger slice of my time pie,” she said at the time. “I will miss you all desperately, but I’m ready and excited.”
For a deeper look into Hoda’s bond with her girls, keep reading…
(E! and Today are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
New Year, New Fun
The Joy 101 founder celebrated the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year by walking her daughters Haley and Hope to campus.
School Drop Off
Hoda celebrates her first free morning after leaving Today by personally dropping daughters Hope and Joy off at school.
Mommy Duty
“School drop!!! Let’s goooo!” the longtime NBC anchor captioned her Jan. 13, 2025 Instagram.
Halloween 2024
After announcing she’s leaving Today, Hoda celebrates her first Halloween in the New York suburbs with her kids.
Cheer-Worthy
Haley and Hope match in cheerleader costumes.
Mother’s Day Surprise
Hoda got emotional as Haley and Hope surprised her with an early Mother’s Day gift.
Birthday Celebrations
Joined by her siblings Hala and Adel, nieces Hannah and Ella, mom Sami, daughters Haley Joy and Hope Catherine and fiancé Joel Schiffman, Hoda Kotb described the celebration as “my kinda birthday.”
I <3 NY
Hoda enjoys a day with her daughters Haley Joy and Hope Catherine around New York City together.
Queens of Halloween
Another Halloween in the books! Hoda and her first daughter spend their another Halloween together as their Sesame Street alter egos.
Family Forever
The Today show momma spends time with her own mom (and Haley’s grandma!) in this cute group shot on Halloween 2019.
Party Time
The host shared this pic of her and her little one at a Sesame Street party in Oct. 2019.
Suns Out, Funs Out
The daytime talk show host spends a day splashing around the beach in Aug. 2019.
Gift for Mama
Haley Joy looks cute as a button celebrating her mom’s 55th birthday this past August.
Sweet Sister
“Look who is feeding Hope!” Kotb wrote on her Instagram in May 2019, showing off Haley feeding her newborn Hope.
Friends for Life
Kathie Lee Gifford, Hoda’s close friend and long-time former co-host at Today, met Hope in early May and they were all smiles all day.
A Full House
In April, the 55-year-old host shared a photo of her full family for the first time on Instagram writing, “This is us xo.”
Welcome Hope Catherine!
It’s a girl! Hoda introduced Hope to the world after surprising her Today show family on-air revealing that she had secretly adopted her second child.
Birthday Girl
On Valentine’s Day, the TV host celebrated Haley’s second birthday and shared on Instagram how she felt saying, “So much love today.”
Ho Ho Home
The beaming TV personality spent Christmas with her mother, sister and daughter.
Queen Bees
Haley celebrated her second Halloween by twinning with her mom in matching bee costumes.
Apple of Her Eye
In August of 2018, the mother-daughter duo spent an autumn day together picking apples.
Splashing Around
“I can’t believe I get to do this .. #grateful” she wrote on her 54th birthday.
Proud Mama
On Mother’s Day, Today co-anchor Hoda posed with her one-year-old cutie, Haley, as she sported a cute tee with the word “mama.”
Mother’s Day Duo
“Pre dawn photo shoots in bed are a blast,” gushed the happy mom in a cute Insta selfie early on Mother’s Day.
Sixtieth Surprise
On March 2018, the Oklahoma-native celebrated partner Joel Schiffman‘s 60th birthday with their baby girl and a homemade cake.
Post-Olympic Bliss
“Home!!!!!” announced the TV host on Instagram after spending two weeks covering the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Pre-Olympics Shenanigans
The day before arriving in Pyeongchang for the 2018 Winter Olympics, the TV personality had some fun with her little sweetheart and her USA beanie.
Football’s Cutest Fan
Gooo Saints! Hoda and her little sport’s fan cheered on the New Orleans Saints in their game against the Minnesota Vikings on January 14.
Christmas Stripe Stars
“Santa we are ready!!!” the journalist wrote on this Christmas selfie with her mom, her partner and her little angel.
Turkey Time
On November 23, Hoda posed with her partner and her baby girl for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
