Joanna Gaines is getting emotional as her oldest daughter celebrates a milestone birthday.
The “Fixer Upper” star shared a sweet Instagram video on Oct. 19 of her living room filled with pastel-colored balloons, gifts and streamers in honor of her and Chip Gaines’ daughter, Ella, turning 16.
The last shot of the clip is a close up of a “Sweet Sixteen” banner.
The interior designer and author wrote in the caption, “My sweet girl turns 16. I’m trying my darnedest not to cry like a big fat mama baby when she drives off by herself tomorrow."
Chip and Joanna Gaines, who have been married since 2003, also share 17-year-old son Drake, 14-year-old son Duke, 12-year-old daughter Emmie Kay and 4-year-old son Crew. Their children started appearing in episodes of “Fixer Upper” when they were toddlers.
In August, Joanna Gaines opened up about the flood of emotions she was experiencing as she prepared to send Drake off to college.
“In the grand scheme of heartbreaking things, this one comes with a lot of gratitude and excitement,” the entrepreneur wrote about her son leaving home in the Fall issue of Magnolia Journal. “But still, my first child is moving away, and our family dynamic will change because of it, and that can feel like a loss of its own.”
She added, “I catch glimpses now of what life will look like and wonder if — or how many times — that might bring me to the floor.”
The “HGTV” star, 44, frequently gushes about her children on social media. She posted an Instagram video in August that showed youngest son Crew helping her in the kitchen.
Crew assisted his mom and tasted her pasta sauce. He also assembled other ingredients to add to the pasta. “My little sous chef,” she captioned the clip with a heart emoji.
On Oct. 14, Joanna and Chip Gaines returned to television with their new show “Fixer Upper: The Castle,” which premiered on discovery+, HBO Max and Magnolia Network.
The series follows the couple as they restore a Waco, Texas castle constructed more than 100 years ago.
In the trailer for the series, Chip Gaines, 47, said, “This castle is one of the most impressive properties in the entire Waco, central Texas, area, and I’ve wanted it for two decades now. The plan for the castle is to bring this beautiful property back to its original state.”