Melissa Gilbert is celebrating a special day in her family.
On Thursday, May 1, the Little House on the Prairie alum marked her son Dakotan Paul Brinkman‘s 36th birthday, and she celebrated the occasion with a heartfelt message on social media.
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Taking to Instagram to share a series of baby photos and more pics from throughout her first-born son’s childhood, Gilbert, 60, wrote, “This one, Dakota Paul Brinkman, aka-The Pajama Cowboy, Goliath, Deeda, Dak, Spicoli, Cody, Codyboy, is 36 today.”
She continued the sweet message by recalling an old memory of Dakota as a toddler, writing, “It seems like it was just yesterday, I was driving with him in my convertible. We were going to have a game night at my friend, @iamcreesummer ‘s house. Dakota must’ve been 4 1/2 years old. Strapped in the passenger seat, wearing pajamas, fringed chaps, a fringed vest, a cowboy hat and a toy gun belt with two plastic six shooters in it and carrying a toy rifle. He was sitting there and Midnight Rider by the Allman Brothers came on the radio, and he started to sway back-and-forth with this really cool expression on his face. That was the day the Pajama Cowboy came to be.”
“Now here we are and he’s 36 years old!” the actress continued. “He’s an amazing father, a loving husband and one of the funniest people I know. I couldn’t be more proud. Happy birthday Dakota! I love you!!!”
Gilbert welcomed Dakota with her first husband, Bo Brinkman, in May 1989, before the couple divorced in 1994. Dakota grew up mostly out of the spotlight, and is now married to his wife Marissa, with whom he shares 4-year-old daughter, Ripley.
After her divorce from Dakota’s dad, Gilbert went on to marry Bruce Boxleitner in 1995, and gave birth to her second son, Michael Boxleitner, in October of that year. Michael was named in honor of Gilbert’s close friend and Little House on the Prairie co-star Michael Landon, who died in 1991.
Gilbert and Boxleitner split in 2011, and she later married her current partner, Timothy Busfield.
