Duggar Family News: Josie Duggar Celebrates Her Birthday, Worries ‘Counting On’ Fans

Josie Brooklyn Duggar has always been one of, if not the favorite daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. Born premature, Josie’s survival and subsequent recovery were viewed by many in the Duggar community as a miracle in itself. Now, the iconic reality TV family has posted a birthday greeting to the family’s resident miracle baby, celebrating the fact that Josie Duggar is now 8-years-old.

The greeting was posted on the Duggar family’s official Facebook page, where Josie was described as being “sweet.” Josie’s greeting also stated that she has grown up to be a little girl who is simply a joy to be with.

“Happy birthday to our precious Josie Brooklyn! We love you, sweet girl! Your smile can light up a room, and your laugh is absolutely contagious!! You are such a joy to have as a sister, daughter, cousin, and aunt. We are so thankful for you!!”

Josie’s birthday greeting was received very warmly by the Duggar family community on Facebook. Since the family posted the greeting on social media, the upload has gained more than 7,300 likes and more than 380 overwhelmingly positive comments.

Many of the commenters on Josie’s greeting even remarked that they prayed for her when she was born. As could be remembered by fans of the iconic conservative reality TV family, Josie’s birth and delivery were among the most harrowing and tense episodes of 19 Kids and Counting. Jim Bob and Michelle were notably on edge the entire time due to Josie’s frail health condition.

https://www.facebook.com/duggarfamilyofficial/photos/a.518180528315601.1073741828.510067475793573/1173119339488380/?type=3&permPage=1

Since then, however, Josie has pretty much grown up as a normal little girl, to the point where many members of the Duggar community noted that Jim Bob and Michelle seemed to consider her as their favorite child. Considering that Josie is nothing short of being a miracle baby, the fondness that Jim Bob and Michelle extend to her is entirely understandable.

As noticed by members of the r/CountingOn subreddit, however, Josie’s latest birthday greeting seemed strangely canned. Just like greetings extended to the Duggars’ “Lost Girls” like Jordyn, Josie’s birthday greeting this time around lacked any form of intimacy. As noted by members of the Reddit community, the birthday greeting did not even mention the fact that Josie was a miracle baby, something that Jim Bob and Michelle used to say all the time before.

“Josie is 8-years-old, and officially no more special than any of her replaceable, boilerplate siblings to Jim Bob & Michelle. They don’t even talk about what a miracle she is anymore,” wrote one member of the online community.

Looking at Josie’s greetings this year, it does seem like the family just opted to give her a conventional, cookie-cutter greeting. Compared to the well-wishes she received last 2015, her greeting this year is quite lacking. Here is the family’s message to Josie when she turned 6-years-old as a reference.

https://www.facebook.com/duggarfamilyofficial/photos/a.518180528315601.1073741828.510067475793573/743888615744790/?type=3&permPage=1

“Happy 6th Birthday Josie! We love you so much! From 1-pound-6-ounces to now. We are so grateful to God that He has brought you this far! Your enthusiasm for life and love and sensitivity to God and others is such a joy and encouragement to our lives! We look forward to what God has in store for your life Josie! May your favorite passage of scripture Psalm 1 be true in your life!”

The difference between then and now truly seems to be quite notable.