Ree Drummond can’t believe how quickly her kids are growing up. The Pioneer Woman star celebrated her “beautiful girl” Paige‘s 21st birthday by sharing a sweet tribute alongside cute photos of her youngest daughter.

“Paige may be 21 today, but to me, she’ll always be my sweet little Paigie girl, who looked like the Michelin baby,” the 51-year-old TV star gushed on Monday, August 31. “Paige is strong, but tender … determined, but loving … fierce, but compassionate — a complex, layered soul that I thank God for every single day. Happy birthday, Paige!!!”

In her post, the Food Network host shared a gorgeous photo of the birthday girl at their family’s ranch home in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Ree compared how much Paige has grown up as she uploaded a second photo of her youngster as a baby.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks author is also the mom of her older daughter, Alex, 23, and her younger sons, Bryce, 17, and Todd, 16, with longtime husband Ladd Drummond, but she shares an undeniable bond with her two girls.

At the time Ree sent her youngest daughter, Paige, off to college in 2018, the proud mama couldn’t believe the “immediate difference in the culture” of their household.

“When Alex left for college in 2015, it was sad and difficult as is always the case when the first kid goes to college,” she explained to Cowboys & Indians in January 2020. “But I still had my second daughter, Paige, at home, so while we experienced a void where Alex had been, the vibe in our household was still the same.”

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Instagram/ReeDrummond

“When Paige went to college in 2018, all bets were off,” the New Frontier author continued. “It was suddenly, very noticeably, a man cave, where ranching and football were  — and still are — the primary focus. So I’ve definitely had to fight to keep the female strength and energy flowing around here … while also learning to appreciate the quiet spans of time in the Drummond house.”

Although Paige is away from home most of the time studying at the University of Arkansas, Ree and her blonde beauty always make sure to keep in touch. The TV personality gushed over spending quality time with her daughter while visiting Paige at college in February.

“I drove over to see Paige at college for the afternoon,” she captioned a photo of her kiddo at the time. “It took me six chapters of a true crime audiobook to get there.” Paige also shared a cute snap of the two during the visit, writing, “You know the weekend is gonna be good when it starts off with your momma coming to town! So thankful for you and days like this.”

We hope Paige had the best birthday!