All About Mila, Poppy and Hal

Jenna Bush Hager and her husband, Henry Chase Hager, are proud parents to three kids: daughters Mila and Poppy, plus son Hal.

The former first daughter has been candid about her journey to motherhood over the years, admitting that “logistics can be difficult” now that she’s a mom of three. She devotes time to “making sure that each child has the love that I know I feel for them.” Overall, expanding her family has brought her more joy than ever. “It’s fun,” she told PEOPLE after the birth of her third child. “I’m really happy.”

Bush Hager met her now-husband in 2004 before they went on to tie the knot at her family’s Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford, Texas, on May 10, 2008. The couple became first-time parents in April 2013, when they welcomed their daughter Mila. Daughter Poppy came two years later, in August 2015. In 2019, they expanded their family once again, this time with a baby boy named Hal.

“I think having children and your body changing in that way is such a good sort of reset where you’re like, ‘Wow, I’ve been doing this incredible thing, and my body is so much more than a vessel to be made fun of, to be worrying about,’ ” the Today show co-host told PEOPLE about how her children have impacted her body image.

“My biggest dream was to be a mom,” she shared on Today in October 2022. “That’s all I wanted. And my girls, I said to Henry, they have these other dreams.”

Rather than talking about “motherhood or marrying,” her daughters discuss their future career paths, she said. “Mila’s like ‘I’m going to write a story, I’m going to be an author. I’m going to be a lawyer,’ all these things. Poppy’s like ‘I’m going to be an actor.’ ”

“I kind of love that maybe because their mom worked — and my mom worked too — that I get up every day and I’m not there to make them breakfast, but they see something different,” she added, realizing that her working outside of the home had potentially opened up a world of possibilities to her kids.

While she often gushes about her kids on the Today show, Bush Hager also keeps it real, sharing, “Sometimes I hide from the kids in the pantry and just have a cheese stick.” She’s not afraid to admit that there are “parts of mothering that are tedious and can be boring.”

“What I try to do is think that is life, those tedious parts are also that’s what we’re doing, that’s what we’re living,” she told PEOPLE. “I try to find the love and the pleasure that I know I have for my kids even in the tedious parts of parenting.”

All parenting challenges aside, Bush Hager would love to have more children.

“I’d like to have another baby,” she said on an episode of Today with Hoda & Jenna. “We’re not. Henry put his foot down. He says we have three healthy babies.”

In April 2023, while talking to Reba McEntire on Today, Bush Hager shared that her parents, Laura Bush and former President George W. Bush, try to be “as fun as possible” with her kids.

“They kind of break up the schedules. They’re like, ‘Sure you can have your iPad all morning. You want ice cream for breakfast? Sure,’ ” she said.

Here’s everything to know about Jenna Bush Hager’s children.

Mila, 11

Magaret Laura “Mila” Hager was born at 8:43 pm on Saturday, April 13, 2013, in New York City. Her arrival was first announced by her grandparents, former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush, who shared the happy news on Facebook.

“Laura and I are thrilled to announce the birth of our grandchild, Margaret Laura ‘Mila’ Hager,” Bush wrote, going on to explain the significance of the newborn’s moniker. “Mila, daughter of Jenna and Henry Hager, is named for her grandmothers.”

After announcing the time and date of her birth, Bush added, “Jenna and Mila are healthy. And our family is elated.”

Ahead of her arrival, the new parents opted to keep the sex of their baby a surprise. “I really love the relationship I have with my mother,” Hager told PEOPLE at her baby shower, “so to have a daughter would be special.”

On the day of Mila’s birth — which was notably three and a half weeks early — Bush Hager was actually taking an exercise class. “I always have loved to exercise,” she told PEOPLE. “I did SoulCycle the day my daughter Mila was born.”

Over the years, the children’s book author has shared several anecdotes about her oldest, ranging from her daughter’s questions about the birds and the bees to her frankness around Bush Hager’s beauty routine.

Revealing that a then-8-year-old Mila first asked about sex after it came up in Daniel Kaluuya’s Oscars speech in 2021, Bush Hager said she redirected the conversation. “And for some reason, on a Sunday night, in bed with my daughter reading a book, I couldn’t go there,” she admitted. “I said, ‘No, he said, “Sixty-six! Six! Six is a number!” And she looked at me with her little eyes, like, ‘You’re lying.’ Henry was like, ‘This wasn’t a good idea [to let her watch the Oscars].’ ”

Celebrating Mila’s 8th birthday, the proud mom praised her daughter on Instagram, writing, “Happiest Birthday to our dearest Mila. EIGHT years ago you came into the world fast and spirited — making me a mom — changing me forever,” she said. “Your creativity, leadership, empathy and heart INSPIRE.”

Mila isn’t shy about speaking her mind, as she demonstrated during a surprise visit to the Today show in December 2022, where she aired some of her mom’s dirty — and in some cases, non-existent — laundry.

“One time she was laughing in our living room and she peed her pants!” Mila told co-host Hoda Kotb, after Kotb revealed that she loves most when Bush Hager laughs uncontrollably. “You changed your pajamas!” Mila added.

She didn’t stop there: After some more cajoling from Kotb, Mila revealed that her mom was going commando (something Bush Hager has openly discussed). “She never wears underwear! She is not wearing it right now! I saw her change!”

For Mila’s 10th birthday, Bush shared cute photos on Instagram of her daughter holding a cat. “Happy birthday to this dream girl who bursted into this world (early and eager!) 10 years ago in front of my friends at my baby shower,” she wrote.

The Today host continued, “Your determined, generous and beautiful soul has made the last decade my happiest! We love you so much Mila. What a gorgeous gift it is to be your Mama.”

Poppy Louise, 8

Poppy Louise Hager joined her big sister on Aug. 13, 2015. She was born in N.Y.C. at 9:12 a.m., weighing 7 lbs., 9 oz. and measuring 20.5 inches upon arrival.

“We are thrilled to announce the birth of our darling daughter,” the parents said in a statement, adding that their second daughter’s name also held family significance.

“Poppy is named after Jenna’s grandfather, George Herbert Walker “Poppy” Bush, a.k.a. Gampy. His nickname growing up was Poppy, and we are proud to name her after a man we so adore,” they explained, adding that her middle name also honored their family. “Louise is in honor of our grandmothers’ middle names, Louise and Lewis. Mom and Poppy are healthy and well.”

The new dad shared, “Jenna was fantastic throughout, and Mila can’t stop talking about her ‘baby sissy.’ ”

Poppy adores her older sister as well, as seen in a hand-drawn loving tribute to Mila, which Bush Hager showed off on Instagram. “My superhero is Mila because she is kind and nice and she gives me hugs. She gives me love,” she wrote alongside stick figure drawings of the girls.

Although, sometimes she feels jealous of her older sister’s privileges — like one time when she caught her mom and Mila watching Enola Homes in bed after she had already gone to sleep.

“Poppy ran in and said, ‘Why would you do this? Why does she get to watch it?’ And her heart was broken and I did not know what to do,” Bush Hager admitted on Today.

Talking with Poppy afterward about times she’d felt left out, she said, “‘Poppy, I know that hurt your feelings.’ And she just said, ‘I wish I was older. Why did I have to be the baby sister? Why can’t I ever get the love? Why can’t I ever be seen?’ ”

Luckily, Poppy got to join in on the fun when her parents and Mila went to a Taylor Swift concert together in Foxborough, Massachusetts in May 2023. In an episode of Today with Hoda & Jenna, Bush Hager said the concert was the best she’d ever been to.

“It was so much fun,” Bush Hager said on the show. “We listened to the playlist [before] so the girls could sing almost every word. … We danced like crazy. It was Poppy’s first concert. … We stayed ’til the end, they were totally enjoying it.”

Hal, 4

The couple welcomed their third child and first son, Henry Harold “Hal” Hager, on Friday, Aug. 2, 2019. Baby Hal weighed in at 7 lbs., 5 oz. and measured 19.29 inches at birth.

“We are overcome with joy to welcome Henry Harold ‘Hal’ Hager into this world!” Bush Hager told PEOPLE. Much like his siblings, his name also honors his family members — including his dad.

“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 said.

The new mom couldn’t help gushing over her baby boy five months later, telling PEOPLE, “I’m enjoying him so much.” She continued, “I enjoyed all my kids, to be honest, but he is the special little boy and feels slightly different. He feels like this little love, so I’m just adoring him constantly.”

His older sisters feel similarly, with Mila calling him “the baby of our dreams!” according to her mom.

In addition to the love and affection of his immediate family, Hal also has a very special godmother: Bush Hager’s Today costar Savannah Guthrie!

“I’ve never said this before, but Savannah is Hal’s godmother,” she revealed during an Instagram Live with E! News. “Savannah and I go to the same church,” she said, adding, “Our faith is really important.”

In August 2023, Hal turned 4. Bush Hager marked the special day by sharing adorable photos on her Instagram Story of the little boy hugging her.

During an episode of Today with Hoda & Jenna, the proud mom celebrated her son again when she talked about a funny conversation they had on the morning of his birthday.

“I FaceTimed him this morning and I said, ‘Hal, do you know in one hour four years ago, you were cut of my tummy?'” the mom of three recalled. “And he goes, ‘Cut out of your tummy?’ ” She then made a disgusted face to mimic her son’s reaction.