Barbara Bush Considered Single Parenting And Got Her Grandmother's Blessing

Barbara Bush thought about single parenting before she met and had a baby with her husband, Craig Coyne, and she even told her grandmother and namesake about her plans. The older Barbara Bush supported her idea of being a single mom.

Speaking in a "Today" segment hosted by her twin sister, Jenna Bush Hager, Barbara revealed one of the poignant moments she shared with their grandmother. Barbara said that she was sitting on the couch with their 92-year-old Ganny in their Houston estate, and they were talking about her future plans.

The people around her often asked Barbara when she would get married because she was of age and stable. Her twin has been married since 2008 to Harry Chase Hager, and they have been raising three kids.

Barbara said she had always known she wanted to have children, but she was already in her 30s without a serious relationship. Then her grandmother told her that she could "have a kid on your own" if that's what she wanted in her life.

It shocked her to hear her grandmother's statement since the former First Lady was a staunch conservative, but her words also "felt like a gift." She took that as her grandmother's permission to let her explore having a baby by herself.

Barbara Bush Meets Craig, Welcomes Daughter

However, in 2017, Barbara's friends set her up on a blind date with writer and actor Craig Coyne. Less than a year after that first date, the pair got married in Maine, but her grandmother was no longer around to witness this milestone event in Barbara's life. A month after her wedding, her grandfather, former Pres. George H.W. Bush, passed away as well.

In 2019, Barbara and Craig got married for a second time in Texas, at the ranch of former Pres. George W. Bush, the twin sisters' father. By 2021, Barbara welcomed her first child with Craig, Cora Georgia Coyne.

Speaking with People, Barbara said that Cora was born six weeks earlier than expected. They had a plan to give birth in New York City, but Barbara's water unexpectedly broke while she was still in Maine.

However, in a beautiful twist of fate, Barbara welcomed Cora at the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital. Jenna was thrilled to share that her twin sister gave birth in the hospital named after their Ganny, also Barbara's namesake.

Shortly after the birth, Jenna, the proud aunt, shared the first photo of Barbara, Craig, and Cora on her social media account. She thought it was sweet and funny that Barbara was wearing pearls, something she hardly did, when she gave birth to Cora because pearls were their grandmother's signature style.

Bush Twin Sisters' New Book

Meanwhile, Jenna and Barbara have released the follow-up to their first children's book "Sisters First." According to Austin 360, the main characters of "The Power of Sisterhood" are loosely based on their mother, Laura Bush, and her circle of female friends. The sisters said that they witnessed their mother's cherished friendships growing up.

Jenna and Barbara collaborated on the new book by sharing Google documents during the lockdown. They asked Illustrator Cyndi Wojciechowski to create the art for "The Power of Sisterhood" to highlight the strengths of each of the female characters.