Reese Witherspoon celebrated daughter Ava Phillippe’s 22nd birthday with an adorable trip down memory lane. The Morning Show star, 45, took to Instagram to mark the milestone in her oldest child’s life on Sept. 9, writing alongside a photo of the birthday girl, “Happy Birthday to my sweet little girl…excuse me… I mean my adult daughter!!!”
“Words can’t describe how proud I am of you,” she continued. “You have grown into an extraordinary person who cares so much about the world around her. I am so lucky to have you light up my life. I love you, Ava!!” Witherspoon then shared a photo of her adult daughter as a little girl, celebrating her special day in a party hat with cake. “This person is turning 22 today,” the Oscar-winner wrote in the caption. Witherspoon, who shares Ava and 17-year-old son Deacon Phillippe with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, added a shocked emoji to her caption, which was appreciated by Ava herself. She commented on the birthday tribute simply, “love u.”
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Witherspoon was only 22 years old when she was pregnant with Ava, and opened up on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast about how difficult it was for her as a young mom. “I did not have a lot of support with my first baby and I learned really early, like this is not going to work,” the actress shared in August. “I tried to muscle through for five months with Ava, just not sleeping and I became delirious.” She continued that she was unable to work for a few months after Ava was born, but was “lucky enough to have money saved.”ย
Witherspoon and Phillippe welcomed their son Deacon in October 2003 and split in 2006. The Big Little Lies actress is also mother to 8-year-old son Tennessee Toth with husband Jim Toth, with whom she celebrated her 10th wedding anniversary in March. “Celebrating 10 years of marriage to my sweet hubby,” Witherspoon wrote on social media at the time. “What a special day with all of our dear friends. Looking back, I can’t believe it has gone so quickly! I guess that’s how it goes with 3 kids, Big LOVE, lots of laughing, non- stop travel, so many dogs, and fun adventures… figuring out this crazy world together. Here’s to many more days in the sun! I [love] you, JT.”
