Ford’s big day! Ashley Hebert and ex J.P. Rosenbaum put on a united front to celebrate their son’s 8th birthday.
The Bachelor Nation alums threw Fordham a YouTube-themed bash, and Hebert took to social media on Sunday, October 2, to share a glimpse of the celebration. “Happy 8!!” she captioned an Instagram Story as she posed with the birthday boy and Rosenbaum, who held 5-year-old daughter Essex in his arms.
Hebert uploaded a close-up photo of Fordham’s red-and-white cake, which was decorated with the YouTube logo and “like” buttons. The little one sat at the head of the table as he and his friends prepared to dig in to the dessert.
Rosenbaum shared similar photos via his own Instagram account on Sunday, later posting a clip of Ford on an indoor zip line.
The proud dad gushed over his eldest child in a sweet Instagram tribute days before the party. “8….YEARS…OLD!!!! How on earth did that happen?!?!” Rosenbaum captioned an Instagram slideshow. “Words cannot describe just how special this young man is! To know Fordy is to LOVE Fordy! Watching him grow year after year has been the highlight of my entire life, but slow down!!! I love you buddy!”
Fordham also got a shout-out from his mom, who raved over her “beautiful boy” in a lengthy post. “I love you for everything you are… fun, funny, a spitfire, smart, wild, silly, wiggly, stubborn, relentless, a leader, a kind friend, an amazing brother and caring son,” the former Bachelorette continued. “You keep me on my toes and make parenting fun, nonstop, challenging, and spectacular. 👏🏼 😹 You will do amazing things with that mind of yours. Keep being light, fun, and all that things that make you, you. I love you so much. ♥️ Can’t wait to celebrate 8 with you!! 🥳.”
Hebert and the construction manager met on season 7 of the ABC dating series, which aired in 2011. They tied the knot in a televised wedding special one year later before welcoming Fordham and Essex in 2014 and 2016, respectively.
In October 2020, the reality stars announced they were going their separate ways. “Our differences have taken a toll on our relationship and after years of attempting to repair the damage, we’ve decided that it is in our family’s best interest to create new and separate lives for our children,” the pediatric dentist wrote via Instagram at the time, noting that the pair were both focused on giving their kids “stable and healthy lives.”
Us Weekly exclusively confirmed nine months later that Rosenbaum filed for divorce, and the proceedings were finalized in October 2021. Since calling it quits, Hebert and the New York native have worked hard to coparent cordially.
“The kids are happy. They’re healthy,” Rosenbaum exclusively told Us in April. “They’re used to spending half the time [with me] and half the time [with their mom]. Thankfully, it’s relatively easy. I know for some, it can be very, very difficult. We are so fortunate. … It’s pretty seamless.”
Scroll down for a closer look at the former couple’s birthday reunion: