Entertainment Movies Reese Witherspoon Celebrates Daughter Ava Phillippe's 22nd Birthday with Baby Throwback Photo Reese Witherspoon celebrated her lookalike daughter's birthday with an adorable picture of Ava as a toddler By Ale Russian Ale Russian Ale Russian is a contributing writer at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2023. Her work has appeared in Women's World, First For Women, Biography.com and the Chicago Sun-Times. People Editorial Guidelines Published on September 9, 2021 12:09PM EDT Photo: Reese Witherspoon/Instagram; Inset: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Reese Witherspoon's baby girl is all grown up! The Oscar winner celebrated daughter Ava Phillippe's 22nd birthday on Thursday by sharing an adorable throwback baby photo of a past birthday. The black-and-white shot shows baby Ava wearing a "Party Princess" cone hat and eating a smashed up birthday cake — which is also adorably all over her face. "This person is turning 22 today," Witherspoon captioned the shot, adding a shocked emoji. The proud mom of three also shared a recent photo of Ava smiling at the camera with a sweet caption that read, "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!! 💖💘💓 @avaphillippe #thisis22." Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Reese Witherspoon Gets Silly While Drinking with Daughter Ava Phillippe: 'Margarita Anyone?' Witherspoon, 45, shares Ava, a student at UC Berkeley, and son Deacon, 17, with her ex-husband, Ryan Phillippe. (Witherspoon is also mom to son Tennessee James, turning 9 this month, who she shares with husband Jim Toth.) Witherspoon often posts with Ava and has shown how close she's been with her daughter throughout her young life. In September 2020, Witherspoon shared a heartfelt Instagram post honoring Phillippe's 21st birthday. "Wow! How is it possible that this little girl is now 21 years old? Happy Birthday to my sweet girl who has become the most incredible young woman. 💫" Witherspoon wrote alongside photos of her daughter at 20 (shortly before her birthday) and as a toddler. "Her kindness, her compassion, and her huge heart never cease to amaze me," she added. "Ava, there aren't enough words to describe how proud I am of everything you've already accomplished. I cannot wait to see ALL the Good you will put into this world. I love you so much @avaphillippe 💗" Reese Witherspoon Shares Sweet and Silly Selfie with Her Oldest Children: 'Goofy Is Genetic' Reese Witherspoon/Instagram The Big Little Lies star opened up to Tracee Ellis Ross in June for Interview about watching her children grow older and the emotional bond she has built with her family. She said the idea of having a long-lasting relationship with her adult children "makes me want to cry." Reese Witherspoon Talks 'Rewarding' Relationship with Her 'Adult Children': 'Makes Me Want to Cry' "I never expected the kind of relationship that I have with them, but it's so rewarding to be able to have kids that you can process life with a little bit, and they help me understand the complexities of what it means to be a human now," Witherspoon told Ross. "So I'm really, really grateful that these little humans are in my life," she added. "Adult humans. I have two adult children now, Tracee. It's crazy."