Hoda Kotb turned 60 last Friday, August 9. To celebrate the big 6-0, her Today cohost, Jenna Bush Hager threw her an on-air birthday party on Monday. The celebration was really well-done, too. The audience was given shirts and party hats to set the mood. Jenna gifted Hoda a painting of her favorite photo of her and her daughters that she commissioned her dad, former President George W. Bush to paint (he signed it “43” lmao). Some of Hoda’s good friends showed up for a segment. Producers played a sequence that checked in on three different families who Hoda’s interviewed in the past that spoke about her much she’d change their lives. There were also special birthday wishes from Hoda’s mom, daughters, and none other than Sandra Bullock. Sandra, who herself turned 60 on July 26, had an inspirational and funny message for her friend. It was a really nice birthday tribute.

“I had so many brilliant and funny things prepared for you for this message that were just going to slay, but you know girl, I’m just too tired,” said Bullock, who turned 60 on Friday, July 26.

The Practical Magic star also thanked Kotb “for being so incredible to so many people.”

“What you do for a living and how you have to shape-shift every single day, how you navigate your kindness, even when that’s not what’s coming your way,” she said. “How you are to those you care about and how you keep them safe, and just who you are as a human being. We’re all pretty lucky to have you, especially your kids.”

Bullock ended the video with a personal message for Kotb.

“Happy birthday, my sweet friend. Thank you for allowing me to be in your circle,” said Bullock. “I feel very grateful. And I have your bar set up, up here, so we can look at the view. It’s pretty beautiful, but I need you up here. Happy birthday.”

Kotb, the parents of daughters Haley, 7, and Hope, 4, through adoption, got visibly emotional after watching the video message and expressed that she was inspired to become a mother after watching Bullock’s motherhood journey.

“The reason that I have Haley and Hope is because when I was looking for inspiration of somebody who was a mom at my age, Sanda Bullock popped up and I called her and I said, ‘Tell me about motherhood,’” recalled Kotb. “And she said, ‘It is the best decision I ever made.’ And from that moment forward, she led the way to these two girls.”

[From People]

That was a really sweet message from Sandra. She very rarely makes public appearances like this, which makes the whole video extra lovely. I had no idea that they were so close and had never heard that story before about Sandy being a supportive inspiration behind Hoda’s decision to adopt Haley and Hope. I must have missed it because Hoda did talk about it on-air back in 2018. How awesome is that?

As for her message, I love that Sandra is out there letting women and anyone else who needs to hear it that 60 isn’t the scary number taboo that it’s been made out to be in the past. Sure, it may not always feel great as we’re forced to embrace the changes our bodies go through as we get older, but every additional day, month, and year is a blessing. And Sandy addressed those changes with her joke about being too tired to think of a clever message. I’m only 40 and I feel that way almost every single day, ha. Happy Birthday to Hoda! May 60 be her best year yet.

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