Former President and First Lady, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama have shared sweet pics and messages in honor of their eldest daughter Malia, who celebrated her 23rd birthday on July 4. The First Daughter turned Harvard student shares her big day with America, and her parents gushed over how proud they were of her. “Happy Fourth of July, everybody—and also, happy 23rd birthday to our dear Malia,” Michelle captioned a snap of the pair cuddling.
“It’s been a few years since we took this photo, but I know that she’ll always be my sweet little girl whose big hugs and big heart always lift up my day. Malia, we love you, and are so excited to see what this year will bring for you!” Meanwhile, her dad shared a throwback pic of the pair when Malia was still a toddler.
“Happy Fourth of July, and Happy Birthday, Malia! It’s been such a joy to watch you begin to make your own way in the world with poise, grace, and humor,” he wrote, adding, “I miss the days when you thought the fireworks were for you.” Malia has truly transformed in front of our eyes, after all, the nation has been watching her grow up ever since her dad entered The White House in 2008.
While she and her younger sister Sasha, 20, have remained largely out of the spotlight, their dad recently opened up about the Obama family household, saying he was the “brunt of every joke.” The politician, 59, appeared on the July 1 episode of Dax Shephard and Monica Padman‘s Armchair Expert podcast and chatted about the dynamics between his daughters and Michelle, saying the girls take her much more seriously.
“They know that I’m all bark and no real bite. Michelle, she’s the top dog ’cause they’re scared of her,” Barack said, adding, “Michelle says that you have to always have at least one parent who the kids think is a little bit crazy and might actually kill you.” When Dax later asked if he had “more sway” with his daughters given his time in the office of the highest power, Barack said, “Absolutely not!”