Vanessa Lachey doesn’t take her close bond with her firstborn for granted.
As the Love Is Blind host and husband Nick Lachey’s oldest child Camden celebrated his 13th birthday Sept. 12, the mother-son duo posed for photos surrounded by black and white balloons, including one where they shared an affectionate kiss on the lips.
“13 magical years,” Vanessa wrote in a Sept. 13 Instagram post alongside the pics, “and never too old to kiss his Mama.”
And amid celebrating Camden’s big milestone, the 44-year-old—who also shares kids Brooklyn, 10, and Phoenix, 8, with Nick, 51—noted that her devotion to her family isn’t just reserved for special occasions.
“I Love this little man more than I can ever express,” she gushed, “so I try and show him every… single… day.”
Earlier this year, Nick and Vanessa—who wed in 2011—discussed the significance of Camden’s entry into adolescence, admitting it wasn’t an easy concept to wrap their minds around.
“Our oldest is going to be a teenager this year,” Nick said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight in February, prompting his wife to become visibly emotional as she yelled, “Oh no!”
As she wiped away tears, Vanessa explained that seeing her kids become more independent has been a bittersweet experience.
“We love our children, and we love watching them grow,” she continued. “I’m doing laundry and I’m folding Phoenix’s little Superman [underwear] and I’m thinking, ‘He won’t be in these for long.’ And I’m talking to Brooklyn about the birds and the bees, and she’s like, ‘I don’t want to grow up.’”
But of course, Nick and Vanessa have lots to look forward to as their kids enter the next phase of their lives.
“All of Phoenix’s firsts are my lasts, and that’s a hard thing to swallow,” she said, “but I’m excited about girlfriends and boyfriends and driving.”
Read on for more of the Lacheys’ special family moments.
Magical Moment
Vanessa and Nick Lachey rang in 2024 at Disneyland with their three kids Camden, Brooklyn and Phoenix.
“Happy New Year at the happiest place on earth!” Vanessa shared on social media. “This is the first New Year we all 5 rang in together. All three kids (and parents) made it to midnight! Haha!”
Gingerbread Goodies
The family celebrated Phoenix’s 7th birthday in 2023 by continuing their gingerbread house tradition. “And just like that, our Littlest Lachey is 7,” Vanessa wrote on Instagram. “He’s our miracle baby that we never take for granted. The missing piece to our family puzzle, the one who makes us whole… the cherry on top!”
Beach Day
“So very thankful,” their mom wrote. “our world.”
All Grown Up
The model marked her daughter’s 9th birthday in 2024 with this beachy pic. “From 1 to 9 in the blink of an eye,” she said. “Happy Birthday to our Baby Girl.”
A Little Disney Magic
Vanessa attended Disney on Ice with her kids and even got to meet Mickey Mouse backstage. Lucky ducks!
The Incredible Lacheys
The former Total Request Live host took Halloween spirit to the next level with her fun family costumes based on the animated Disney movie.
Somewhere on a Beach
The famous family got their tan on during a winter vacation in paradise.
Deck the Halls!
Is it even Christmas Eve if your family doesn’t wear matching pajamas? Well done Lacheys.
On an Island in the Sun
The family enjoyed a tropical vacation together.
Rockin’ the Stars & Stripes
Red, white and cute! The Lachey family got patriotic for Independence Day.
Sunday’s Best
The Lacheys posed with the Easter Bunny during a family celebration on Easter weekend.
The Cold Never Bothered Them Anyway
Princess Elsa would totally approve. The family dressed up as our favorite Frozen characters for Halloween.
