Jenna Bush Hager Shares First Photos of Twin Sister Barbara's Newborn Daughter
Jenna Bush Hager is one proud sister! The former first daughter took to social media this week to congratulate her older-by-a-minute twin sister Barbara Bush, on the birth of her first child with husband Craig Coyne. Taking to Instagram on Monday with a heartfelt tribute, Hager honored her sibling and new niece by sharing a slideshow of snapshots from the hospital this past week. The sweet post comes off the heels of the twins' parents, former President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush initially announcing the happy news in a statement shared to their networks.
"With full hearts, Laura and I are delighted to announce the birth of our new granddaughter. Barbara gave birth to Cora Georgia Coyne on September 27, 2021, in Maine — not far from our family home where Barbara and Craig were married. Cora is healthy and adorable, and we are proud and grateful," the statement read on their Twitter. Hager echoed the sentiments with her own heartfelt words dedicated to Bush and Coyne's daughter.
"Dearest Cora Georgia, today is the day I got to meet my most beautiful, precious, feisty, niece," Hager wrote, adding how the infant's arrival was a "bit earlier" than they had all anticipated. "I witnessed in awe as my dearest, toughest [Barbara Bush] became a mama. And today is the day I fell in love! Some cousins are anxiously waiting to play with you, but not just yet love." The doting tribute brought out the likes of CNN anchor, Kate Bolduan who commented with a string of heart emojis, while author Glennon Doyle who commented "Oh my GOODNESS!!!!" alongside words from poet and essayist, Frederick Buechner: "Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid."
Earlier this year, Bush told PEOPLE that while the COVID-19 pandemic had its limitations, one of the greater "silver linings" was the opportunity she got to spend more time with her parents in Texas. "It's time that we never otherwise would've had, of course," the co-founder of nonprofit Global Health Corps, said. "There's something really lovely about the simplicity of being with someone every day... rather than when we normally are with our family where it's around the holidays or it's for this very condensed amount of time."
Bush and Coyne tied the knot nearly three years ago in a "very short, sweet" ceremony on the Atlantic coast, per PEOPLE. Honoring her late grandmother, Barbara Bush, the 39-year-old accessorized her ivory silk crepe, custom Vera Wang gown with a sentimental reminder of her namesake. With former President Bush walking his daughter down the aisle and his father, former President George H.W. Bush in attendance, Hager took to Instagram at the time commenting over the family-only event, admitting her she was over the moon thrilled for her big sister. "My heart exploded last night as I watched my dearest sissy get married in Maine. It was just like her: private (only family!) and full of love (and yes lots of tears!)," Hager wrote alongside the first of many posts. "Happy tears, heart exploding as I watched this beautiful girl get married in the place that means love and family. I'm so proud to be this beauties (sic) sister."