Donatella Arpaia's family recently grew by two as she and husband Allan Stewart welcomed their long-awaited twins to the world.
The Food Network star and restaurateur gave birth to son Noah Christian and daughter Emma Mariella on Oct. 20, after five years and five rounds of in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Arpaia, who also shares a 7-year-old son with Stewart, called the new additions her "two little miracles" in an interview with People. And as she explained to TODAY, she has good reason to call them that.
In addition to their arrival being a dream come true for her and her husband, it's also been a literal dream come true for newly minted big brother Alessandro, who had a clear vision of what was to come before mom even knew she was pregnant.
Earlier this year, he woke up and told the 47-year-old all about it.
"God told me he was going to bring you two babies — a boy and a girl and their names will be Emma and Noah," she recalled him telling her at the time. She added, "I still get the chills every time I think about it."
Months before that, she wasn't even sure if more children would be in her future at all, that is until she had an inspiring chat with our very own Hoda Kotb.
It happened during a visit to TODAY in November of 2017, when then-new-mom Hoda opened up to Arpaia about adopting her sweet Haley Joy.
“I hadn’t expected that Hoda’s own happiness would open my heart,” she later told us.
But it did, and after witnessing Hoda's experience and hearing her positive reassurances, she then began to consider adoption for her own family. That is, until she tried one more round of IVF and received that startling declaration from son Alessandro.
Soon enough, she learned he was right about the babies, at least in part.
Doctors initially dashed Alessandro's prediction about having a little sister on the way, telling Arpaia that she was having two boys. But they later revealed they were wrong, and Alessandro had it right all along.
However, being right isn't what's bringing him delight now. His joy is all about having his new siblings home.
"Alessandro has been an amazing big brother," Arpaia told TODAY. "There hasn’t even been one moment of jealousy. He constantly wants to hold them, and he is very territorial and proud."
He's even looking out for them.
"He is already planning Christmas," she explained. "And (he's) writing a letter to Santa on behalf of his siblings, since they can’t write yet!"
Noah and Emma owe him a thank you for that, but Arpaia's gratitude toward her son is for so much more.
"I told him that these babies wouldn’t be here if not for his words and his prayers," she noted. "My son Alessandro is an old soul and he is very connected to God, as he told me that night with such certainty."
And now, she's certain that their family is "complete."
"I feel such love and gratitude that I don’t mind the sleepless nights," she added. "Most of time."
Congratulations to the whole family!