In the fast-paced world of morning broadcasts, where every second counts and headlines fly like confetti, Adriana Diaz has always been the steady voice delivering news with grace and grit. But on a crisp October morning in 2025, the CBS Mornings co-host turned the tables, becoming the story herself. With a radiant smile and a subtle hand resting on her growing belly, Adriana announced on air—and later via a touching Instagram post—that she’s expecting her second child with husband Bryan Smith. The reveal, timed just weeks before the holidays, wasn’t just a personal milestone; it came bundled with news of her upcoming maternity leave, set to begin right after the clock strikes midnight on December 31, 2025. “We’re growing our little family again,” she shared, her voice catching with emotion as co-hosts Tony Dokoupil and Nate Burleson cheered from the studio. “And while I’m thrilled beyond words, I’ll be stepping away from the desk to focus on this next chapter—back in early 2026, refreshed and ready.”

The announcement unfolded like a scene from one of those feel-good segments Adriana herself might report on. Filmed in the sun-drenched CBS studio in New York, she stood poised in a flowing emerald dress that hinted at her bump, flanked by a baby ultrasound photo projected on the screen behind her. “Bryan and I couldn’t be more excited,” she continued, her Dominican heritage shining through in the warmth of her inflection. “Our daughter Valentina is about to become a big sister, and honestly? That’s the kind of breaking news that stops the world in its tracks.” The clip, which racked up millions of views within hours, captured the unfiltered joy: Adriana’s eyes sparkling as she described the moment they told Valentina, now three, by placing a “Big Sister” crown on her head during a family picnic in Chicago’s Millennium Park. Bryan, the stoic cardiologist who’s captured hearts with his quiet strength, appeared in a follow-up reel, cradling their daughter while planting a gentle kiss on Adriana’s forehead. “Team Diaz-Smith is expanding,” he quipped, his Chicago accent adding a layer of Midwestern charm to the glamour.

At 40 years old—born Adriana Sabrina Diaz on a snowy New Year’s Day in 1984 to Dominican immigrant parents in New York City—Adriana has long been a trailblazer. Growing up in a bilingual household in the Bronx, where her mother juggled nursing shifts and her father drove taxis to make ends meet, she learned early that stories could bridge worlds. A beauty queen at 17, winning Miss New York Teen USA in 2003, Adriana traded tiaras for teleprompters, earning a journalism degree from NYU and cutting her teeth at NBC’s Telemundo before landing at CBS in 2012. Her rise was meteoric: from covering the White House to anchoring CBS Weekend News, and now co-hosting CBS Mornings Plus, the extended hour that dives deep into culture and current events. But beneath the polished suits and prime-time poise lies a woman who’s fiercely private about her personal life—until moments like this, when vulnerability becomes her superpower.

The pregnancy news hits especially close to home after the birth of Valentina in 2021, a journey Adriana has shared in glimpses that humanize her high-profile world. Back then, she balanced breaking stories on the pandemic with midnight feedings, often pumping breast milk between segments. “Motherhood in this job? It’s a beautiful chaos,” she laughed in a 2022 podcast appearance, crediting Bryan for being her rock. Their love story, a modern fairy tale scripted by fate and family, began in 2015 when siblings played matchmaker. Adriana’s brother Gabe and Bryan’s sister Kristen orchestrated a blind date at a cozy Chicago bistro, sparking an instant connection despite the 6,500-mile chasm between her Beijing correspondent post and his cardiology residency. “We FaceTimed through time zones and heartbreak,” Adriana recounted in her announcement post, a carousel of throwback photos showing her in a red qipao amid Beijing’s hutongs and him in scrubs, stealing kisses at O’Hare Airport layovers.

They married on July 4, 2019, in a starlit ceremony at Chicago’s Botanic Garden, where fireworks lit the sky and salsa rhythms pulsed through the night—a nod to Adriana’s Dominican roots and Bryan’s love for live music. Guests in crisp white linens boarded a water taxi for the reception, dancing under chandeliers strung like constellations. It was a union of worlds: her flair for narrative meeting his precision in healing hearts. Bryan, now an assistant professor at the University of Chicago Medical Center, specializes in interventional cardiology, the kind of work that demands steady hands and empathy—qualities that have steadied Adriana through career pivots and personal trials. “He’s the one who reminds me to breathe when deadlines don’t,” she often says, a sentiment echoed in their family motto: “Corazón primero”.

This second pregnancy, revealed at 12 weeks, carries extra layers of anticipation. Adriana, who has been open about the challenges of conceiving amid a demanding travel schedule, described the early days as a mix of “exhilarating nerves and non-stop naps.” Valentina’s arrival was a surprise blessing during lockdown, turning their Chicago brownstone into a bubble of board books and Zoom playdates. Now, with baby number two due in spring 2026, the family is preparing for double the diapers and double the delight. “We’re hoping for a little explorer like Valentina, but who knows? Maybe a mini-cardiologist,” Bryan teased in a joint interview clip. The couple has already started traditions: prenatal yoga sessions in Grant Park, where Adriana channels her inner strength, and late-night sonogram viewings that dissolve into giggles over the baby’s acrobatics.

The maternity leave announcement adds a professional twist to the personal plot. Slated to wrap her 2025 calendar with holiday coverage—think festive White House briefings and year-end reflections—Adriana plans a three-month hiatus starting January 1, 2026. “I’ve got incredible colleagues ready to step in, but this time is sacred,” she explained on air, her hand gesturing inclusively to the camera. It’s a move that underscores CBS’s evolving support for working parents, a far cry from the ’90s when anchors juggled pagers and pacifiers in silence. Adriana’s openness could inspire a wave: recent surveys show 70% of female journalists cite family planning as a barrier to advancement, and her story spotlights the need for flexible policies. “I’m not disappearing,” she assured fans. “I’ll be back, probably with baby blurbs and a fresh take on work-life whatever-this-is.”

The response has been a tidal wave of love. From Michelle Obama, who commented “¡Felicidades! Motherhood’s greatest adventure awaits,” to fellow CBS alum Norah O’Donnell sharing tales of her own post-baby returns, the outpouring celebrates Adriana’s authenticity. Fans flooded social media with #BabyDiaz2, sharing ultrasound stories and tips on Chicago’s best maternity boutiques. One viewer wrote, “In a news cycle of chaos, this is the anchor we all needed—proof that joy breaks through.” It’s a reminder of Adriana’s gift: turning the personal into the profound, much like her reporting on immigrant families or women’s health crises.

As 2025 draws to a close, Adriana Diaz isn’t just signing off for a season; she’s scripting a new beginning. With Bryan by her side, Valentina’s eager questions filling the air, and a new life kicking hello, this CBS star is embracing the unknown with the same tenacity that lights up screens. From Bronx girl to broadcast beacon, her journey proves that the best stories aren’t scripted—they’re lived, loved, and passed down. Here’s to the Diaz-Smith duo becoming a trio (or more), and to Adriana’s triumphant return. The desk—and the world—will be waiting.