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Amber Portwood and Gary Shirley‘s daughter Leah just turned 14 and looks so grown up! The teen, whose birth was documented on MTV’s 16 and Pregnant back in 2009, posed for several silly photos with her dad, in an Instagram post he shared in honor of her special day on Nov. 12. Her little sister Emilee, 6, whom Gary shares with wife Kristina Shirley, was also in the photos.
The small group showed off various poses, including making funny scrunched up faces and flexing biceps, and Gary added a loving caption alongside the snapshots. “Wishing my very awesome daughter Leah shirley a very happy birthday, she’s a very smart young lady & I couldn’t ask for a better kid. I love you Leah so very much. Ps. I tried to get @kristina_shirley3 in the pic, but No No Nooooo! 😑 we still love you woman. 😛,” the caption read.
Once the proud parents shared the post, his followers were quick to respond with their own birthday wishes and other comments. “I use to think she look just like her mom but now she looks like your twin. Happy Birthday Beautiful 🎂,” one follower wrote while another wrote, “Wow happy birthday Leah little mini split genetics lol between you two Gary. #Awesome #twinsies lol 👏👏👏 happy birthday to you.” A third pointed out that they thought Leah looks like Amber during the original Teen Mom, and a fourth shared, “She’s so beautiful 😍🎉🎈🎂 You and Kristina have done an amazing job raising her and making such a beautiful home.”
Gary’s latest photos of Leah come after Amber, who’s had a history of domestic violence, made headlines for showing the moment she lost custody of her son James, 4, whom she shares with Andrew Glennon, after a three-year court battle, on a recent episode of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter. The heartbreaking episode was full of memorable moments, including Leah’s reaction to the custody decision.
“My mom and James do have a really nice relationship. Something like I didn’t have with her. It’s unfair because all of her work that she’s gone through to even be here now — it’s like all for nothing,” she said to her dad Gary, who assured her it’s not all for nothing. “It’s going to hit really hard and it’s unfair. It’s completely unfair. That bond is just going to be ripped.” At the time the court’s decision, which allows Andrew to take James from Indiana to California, came to light, Amber also released a statement that said she was “heartbroken” and would “never stop fighting” for her children.