Life doesn’t always go according to plan, but sometimes what you wind up with is just as wonderful. Just ask Hoda Kotb, who’s daughter Hope celebrated her first birthday amid the coronavirus quarantine — and who still managed to give her little girl a birthday party to remember. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Sunday brought double festivities for Hope with the family celebrating Easter, too.
Kotb took to Instagram to share a few moments from the fun-filled day spent at home with the birthday girl, big sis Haley, 3, and Kotb’s fiancé Joel Schiffman. In the precious pics, Hope and Haley rock oh-so-apropos matching polka dot dresses featuring Elmo. In one snapshot, Haley plays with an oversize Cookie Monster cushion. In another, she helps her baby sister blow out the candle on her bright-yellow cake — which the girls had a hand in making.
“We did a little Zoom party,” Kotb told People of Hope’s celebration. “We baked the cake. Haley helped me back it and then we Zoomed with my mom [Sameha Kotb], my sister who’s in Dubai, so it was midnight or something [over there]. My brother, his wife and kids… and we did it in a playroom because we were trying to Zoom on TV.”
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As is so often the case with family gatherings, it didn’t exactly go smoothly. “You should have seen our family’s ridiculous [conversation], I’m like, ‘… turn yours down. I can’t see my mom. Mom, push the button on the right that says — no, the one that says ‘Gallery.'” Joel looked at us like, ‘What is happening?’ But your truth comes out… all your weirdness of your family is on full display.”
Of course, Hope (and Haley) probably thought it was perfect. And Kotb’s family members weren’t the only ones who helped make sure the little girl had a special birthday. “I got a text [saying], ‘Go out on your front porch.’ And I go out there and the Easter Bunny, of course, [left goodies], and my friend Kathy Ryan had left a big pink ball and a tee-ball thing,” Kotb revealed.
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Also heartwarming? Her driver and dear friend Eddie literally showed up in her driveway wearing a Cookie Monster onesie he’d bought just for the occasion. Gushed Kotb, “I was so touched. He said, ‘I was hoping it would arrive by Easter.’ I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ Everybody’s goodness was on full display.”
Before you go, check out other celebrities who recently had babies.
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