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‘Today’ Show’s Hoda Kotb Adopts a Baby Girl: First Photo

Surprise! Hoda Kotb has adopted a baby girl. The Today show cohost called in to the morning show to announce the news on Tuesday, February 21. Watch her emotional announcement in the video above!

“She’s a Valentine’s baby. She is the love of my life,” Kotb, 52, said of her daughter, Haley Joy. “I didn’t know my heart could feel like this. This is a moment in my life that I never thought would happen, and here it is, happening to me.”

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Today’s official Instagram account also shared a photo of the proud new mom holding her newborn. “Welcome to the family, Haley Joy!” reads the caption.

Hoda Kotb
Hoda Kotb on NBC News’ “Today” show Peter Kramer/NBC/NBC NewsWire via Getty Images

“Do you know how hard it has been to keep this secret?” Kotb’s cohost, Kathie Lee Gifford, asked. “I have the biggest mouth in the world, and I’ve said zilch.”

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Kotb didn’t give any more details on her new addition, but she did receive plenty of well wishes from her colleagues.

“This little girl Haley is the luckiest girl in the world,” Matt Lauer said. Gifford, 63, chimed in: “You were made to be a mom.”

This is the first child for Kotb, who was previously married to Burzis Kanga from 2005 to 2007. In October, the TV personality announced that she was moving in with her boyfriend, Joel Schiffman, after three years of dating. (Kotb did not reveal if Schiffman was involved with the adoption.)

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“It’s been so long since I’ve lived with someone, I’m a little concerned with me — not him. Like how I am, as a human? You know, it’s not going to be easy for poor Joel,” she said on her SiriusXM show at the time. “I was afraid to tell my own mother that I was moving in with my boyfriend. I was afraid. I don’t why! I know it sounds weird — I’ve been married, it’s like whatever. Anyway, it’s all happening. Hocus pocus. We’re shopping, we’re cohabitating.”

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