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Kate and Jon Gosselin share tributes as their sextuplets turn 16

The exes and former “Jon & Kate Plus 8” stars each took to social media to wish their kids a happy birthday over the weekend.
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Collin, Joel, Aaden, Alexis, Leah and Hannah Gosselin have grown up a lot since this group photo from 2012.Donna Svennevik / Getty Images
/ Source: TODAY

Reality TV fans are bound to feel a little older after Sunday’s big birthday — even if they weren’t the ones celebrating.

That’s because the tiny sextuplets viewers got to know on TLC’s “Jon & Kate Plus 8” just turned 16!

And Aaden, Collin, Joel, Alexis, Hannah and Leah Gosselin’s parents marked the day with online tributes.

Kate Gosselin celebrated the teens on Instagram, with a picture of the sweet treats four of the six feasted on during their birthday bash.

“Happy 16th Birthday to my half a dozen ‘Hershey Kisses’, as they were called at birth!” the mom of eight, including 19-year-old twins Mady and Cara, wrote alongside a shot of the sugary cereal bearing that same name. “I love you so much! You’re 6 of the sweetest things to happen to my life! Thanks for making every Mother’s Day extra memorable! (They requested ‘junk cereals’ for their birthday lunch (?!) so I got a bit carried away, as usual, and got them 21 different kinds!”

As for what the others ate, that remains a mystery. While Kate dished up breakfast-for-lunch for Aaden, Joel, Alexis and Leah, the other two sextuplets, Collin and Hannah, live with dad Jon Gosselin.

And Jon took to his own Instagram page to honor his kids Sunday.

“Happy 16th Birthday to Hannah & Collin!!! I miss you Leah, Joel, Alexis and Aaden I hope your 16th Birthday is just as memorable!!! Love, Dad,” read a text pic he posted. In the caption he added, “Happy 16th to my six wonderful kids!! Been a long road I wish all the best!!! Wow 16!!!! Love you all!!!”

Image: Jon and Kate Plus 8
The Gosselin family celebrated the sextuplets' 5th birthday together in 2009.AP

Jon and Kate divorced 11 years ago, after a decade of marriage and several public disagreements about allowing their children to remain reality TV stars — he was against the idea.

“Jon & Kate Plus 8” went on hiatus when the couple parted ways, only to return as “Kate Plus 8” the following year. That series ended in in 2017, but the mom returned once more in “Kate Plus Date” last year.

However, while fans of the various incarnations of the show haven’t seen Jon on the small screen in some time, he’s been busy off-camera.

“I’ve been going to court for 12 years, so it’s not an easy battle,” the 42-year-old explained during a February episode of the First Class Fatherhood podcast. “I had shared custody; I lost some kids; I had joint legal; I lost legal; I got legal back.”

But going forward, he expects the kids to call the shots.

"What my attorneys and (Kate’s) decided is custody is left up to my children,” he said. “So, if they decide to go live with mom or they decide to live with dad, it's up to them."