Jamie Lynn Spears marked daughter Maddie's birthday by sharing a collection of sweet photos and a loving caption.
Jamie Lynn Spears is taking a walk down memory lane as her eldest daughter, Maddie, hits a milestone birthday. In a photo tribute on Instagram, the Dancing With the Stars alum shared a throwback pic of her daughter alongside the children of her sister, Britney Spears.
"16 years ago I fell in love for the first time, and loving that sweet baby girl saved my life in so many ways," Jamie Lynn wrote in her heartfelt caption on Wednesday. "It wasn’t always easy, and surely farrrr from perfect, but I have always been so proud to be her mama. She’s everything I prayed for, I thank God for every birthday we get to celebrate her, and won’t take a second of it for granted. HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY MADDIE🎈🎂"
The carousel leads with an image of Maddie playing softball, and is followed by a collection of images taken throughout Maddie's life. In one shot, a young Maddie sits in a bed with cousins Sean Preston Federline and Jayden James Federline -- both the sons of Britney and her ex-husband, Kevin Federline. Also pictured next to Maddie is cousin Sophia "Lexie" Spears, who is the daughter of Britney and Jamie Lynn's older brother, Bryan Spears.
Maddie shared her mom's post on her own Instagram Story, highlighting an image of the mother-daughter duo attending the City of Hope celebrity softball game together in 2014.
Jamie Lynn's post comes one month after a source told ET that Britney was hoping to reconnect with her family.
"Britney wants to prioritize taking care of herself and reestablish a relationship with her family, including her kids," the source said in May. "This is a top priority of hers and she would love to heal things and get to a place where things can be healthy and consistent."
As for Britney's dynamic with her younger sister following their public feuding in 2022, the source said it is "also a work in progress and goes through changes and different waves of emotions." During her appearance on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, Jamie Lynn said she had spoken to Britney before going on the show. "We love each other," she said.
Meanwhile, Britney and her sons, Sean, 18, and Jayden, 17, have been physically distant since she consented to ex-husband Kevin relocating to Hawaii with them last year. At the time, a source told ET that "Britney loves and has always supported her children and wants them to be happy."
Jamie Lynn welcomed Maddie on June 19, 2008, when the actress was only 17 years old. She was engaged at the time to Maddie's father, Casey Aldridge.
Today, the Zoey 102 star also shares 6-year-old daughter Ivey with her husband of 10 years, Jamie Watson. Maddie now goes by her stepfather's surname.
Maddie was eight when she was involved in a near-fatal 2017 ATV accident and made a miraculous recovery.
"We thought we lost our daughter and in that moment I felt everything that you can feel, as far as like, 'This is the worst thing ever,'" Jamie Lynn said in 2020 interview on Maria Menounos' podcast, Better Together.
"There's nothing worse. than looking at your child and thinking that you failed her," she said through tears. "I didn't want her to think that I couldn't save her, or that I didn't try to save her."
Last year, Jamie Lynn spoke with ET about her experience on Dancing With the Stars serving as a beautiful opportunity to connect with her girls. Maddie and Ivey were in the audience to cheer her on during the season 32 premiere on ABC, along with her mother, Lynne Spears.
"It just meant everything," Jamie Lynn gushed of their support. "It was like, OK, at least to have that, it's been a day, I got my girls here and my family, and that was it. I don't think it would have been nearly as special without them."
"They were really proud," Jamie Lynn added of her daughters. "My youngest one, she did take a nap through most of the show, but she woke up for my performance. And then my oldest one said that she teared up at the end."
She continued, "That made my heart feel like, really, I don't know. It was weird to see my 15-year-old be proud of watching her mom dance on TV."
Jamie Lynn joked that, like most parents of teens, "I have not done anything right in about three years," but that joining Dancing With the Stars has been a "bonding experience for us, so I've really enjoyed it."
Earlier this year, Jamie Lynn celebrated another coming of age moment with her child as Maddie attended prom. In a cute photo from the day, Maddie appears statuesque as she stands taller than her mom while wearing a glittering gown. See the moment in the video below.
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