Katherine Heigl Says Daughter Nancy Gave Her 'Life Purpose' In Sweet Birthday Tribute

Katherine Heigl is feeling emotional!

The actress, 43, took to Instagram on Tuesday, November 23, to share an adorable birthday tribute for her eldest daughter, Nancy Leigh Mi-Eun Kelley. The mom of three posted a nostalgic birthday tribute for the now 13-year-old, whom she shares with husband Josh Kelley, 41. The upload included several sweet photos of the teenager as a baby and a child.

Heigl kicked off the birthday upload with a shot of Nancy as a baby in a white onesie. Another image showed her dressed in a yellow floral piece while sitting on a lilac baby chair inside her crib. A swipe to the right featured her husband carrying and kissing baby Nancy, who was fast asleep in his arms.

Heigl then showed her daughter as a toddler wearing sunglasses. In the fourth picture, the "Grey's Anatomy" star was seen holding and looking at her child with a big smile on her face. The next shots showed Nancy's pictures taken over the years.

"The first two photos are the first two photos @joshbkelley and I received of our beautiful baby daughter Nancy Leigh Mi-Eun as she waited in Seoul Korea to come home to us and we waited in LA to hold the baby we already loved," Heigl wrote in the caption.

She gets emotional just by thinking about all those beautiful memories of her child.

"I’m not gonna lie…I’m tearing up a little…ok a lot…looking through these photos, reaching back in time grasping at the smoke of memories that still hold this gorgeous, spectacular girl at 9 months. All folds and rolls and chicken fluff hair. Then mists of memory that hold her at 2. All gap toothed grins and endless giggles and girly sass. The memories drift in and out like the ebbing of the tide and I keep trying to chase them, grip them tight in my hands, hold them still so I can live it all just one more time."

Heigl then noted that Nancy "made me a mother. The girl that gave my life purpose. Meaning. Direction. Boundless eternal love."

She continued, "This girl turns 13 today. 13. She is officially a teenager. I can’t seem to process it. How did this happen. Wasn’t she my silly, giggling, gap toothed, rolly polly baby just a few years ago…just yesterday?"

The former fashion model added, "God am I grateful. For yesterday. For today. For tomorrow. For every memory that drifts in on a breeze and flutters across my heart. For every new memory I have the privilege of making with this extraordinary girl," and concluded her message by telling her daughter, "I love you Naleigh. I love you with every fiber of being, every cell in my body, every wish in my heart. I love you. Happy Birthday my beautiful girl."

"Beautifully written my love !!!" Kelley wrote in the comments.

"Those pics are pretty dang cute. Happy Birthday Naleigh," wrote another follower.

"Oh my goodness Im tearing up now! It goes by so fast and I can’t help feeling all the feels. She is wonderful and she has such a beautiful life ahead of her," added a third one.