Jenna Bush Hager couldn’t help but get a bit choked up while discussing her daughter’s recent birthday on this morning’s episode of Today.

While telling guest host Tyra Banks about her daughter Mila’s 12th birthday celebration, Bush Hager become noticeably emotional as she reflected on the major milestone.

“She’s almost a teenager,” the host said. She later asked her co-host, “Isn’t being a mom one of the best things in the world?” prompting the model and TV personality to reflect on her complicated journey to motherhood.

“You know, Jenna, I remember being 24 years old, and I was saying, ‘In three years, I’m gonna have a child.’ ‘In three years, in three years.’ And I kept putting my career first and saying, ‘three years, three years,’ and then it was almost too late.”

Banks, now 51 years old, had her son via gestational surrogacy when she was 42 due to fertility issues, but she had already long been mentally ready to welcome a child into her life.

“I made a tile in my son’s bedroom—before he was even born, I just had a kid bedroom there— and it said ‘Mommy already loves you,'” Banks said as she went on to comfort and relate to Bush Hager, saying, “So I know. I see the tears and that mama thing. It’s deep.”

Bringing the segment to a close, Bush Hager wryly commented on the vulnerable start to today’s episode, “We’re crying over here. It’s a Monday!”

Today with Jenna & Friends airs on weekdays at 10/9c on NBC.