It's hard to believe that it's been well over a decade since we first met Jon Gosselin, his ex-wife Kate Gosselin, and their family on Jon & Kate Plus 8 on TLC. But, since they entered the spotlight in the mid-2000s, they've remained there pretty consistently.
At the time, we knew the family for their sextuplets, as well as their two older daughters, who happened to be twins: Cara Gosselin and Mady Gosselin. As the oldest kids in the family, they always seemed to lead the pack, and now, they're fully grown adults. Wild!
We've watched them grow from the time they were 6 years old on TV to today, when they're both all grown up and in their second year of college. We're definitely not going to be able to handle it when their younger siblings are adults, but it's happening soon — and in the meantime, their big sisters are full-fledged grown ups.
Read on to see how Cara and Mady have changed over the years. It's crazy to think that they turned 20 in 2020, but it's been so much fun to watch them grow up. They've been through a lot of ups and downs, but the challenges they've faced really seem to have made them both so strong — and we can't wait to see what they do in the future.
Baby Girls
In this photo, which Kate shared on Instagram, Cara and Mady are just a few months old, and Kate had no idea what the future held for her — in her family or in reality TV! The twins were born on October 8, 2000, and were clearly the apple of their mom's eye from the get-go.
Christmas With Dad
Before their family really catapulted to reality TV stardom, Mady and Cara were the cutest toddlers with the most adorable bangs! This photo of them with their dad on Christmas is so sweet, and is definitely a rare find these days, considering how they aren't too close anymore.
The Tiniest Twins
Cara and Mady hadn't even celebrated their seventh birthdays yet when their family made their reality TV debut on Jon & Kate Plus 8 in April 2007. At that point, they were big sisters to their six younger siblings, and had likely been through a whole lot of changes in their lives already (with plenty more to come).
Matching Outfits
When Kate shared this throwback photo in honor of Cara and Mady's 7th birthdays, she didn't specify what year it was taken, but it seems like it must be from early in the Jon & Kate Plus 8 days. They look adorable, and we can't blame Kate for wanting to get in those matching outfits before they were too "cool" for them!
Out With Their Dad
This photo was snapped when Jon took Cara and Mady out to a restaurant for a fun date with Dad back in 2009 — just a few months before the girls would have celebrated their 9th birthday. They both look so cute here, holding their dad's hand, though it's reportedly been a while since they've been in contact with Jon.
Two Cute Kiddos
It's not clear what year this was taken, but Jon shared this throwback of his twin daughters in honor of their 17th birthday. Though by that point, it was clear that they weren't in contact with their dad. We've gotta love those toothy kid grins. Cara and Mady have always been super cute!
Shopping With Mom
The following year — just months after their parents' divorce went public — Cara and Mady were spotted shopping for back-to-school clothes with Kate. Only two months away from turning 10, these two were already starting to look so much more grown up (and a little fed up with their mom, TBH).
On 'Wife Swap' With Kate
When Kate appeared on Wife Swap in 2012, Cara and Mady were right there with her! Here they are at about 12 years old, back on reality TV after years of starring alongside her on Jon & Kate Plus 8 and then, later, Kate Plus 8. These girls were definitely used to being filmed by a camera crew by this point.
Already Teenagers
In this photo, which was taken outside of a hotel in New York in 2014, Cara and Mady were freshly teenagers, having turned 13 just a few months earlier. They both looked super cute in their outfits (and their boots), and like they were having a blast with their mom. And as far as we can tell, they still have that fun relationship with her today.
Already 16
It was clear in this promo photo Kate shared from a TLC special she starred in that Cara and Mady have grown so much. They were already almost 16 years old here, which is wild! The older they got, the more they start developing their individual style.
The Last First Day of School
Kate shared this photo in the fall of 2018. It's a classic first day of school shot, but it meant a little more to her that year since her oldest two were beginning their senior year of high school. It was the last first day all of her kids would share together, so it was extra special.
Officially Adults
In October 2018, Cara and Mady officially turned 18 and became adults — whoa! After watching them grow up from the time they were little on TLC, it was wild to see them actually hit this milestone … especially when thinking about the fact that the sextuplets aren't too far behind them!
High School Graduation
In May 2019, Cara and Mady got to walk across that stage and get their high school diplomas. And while they were estranged from their dad at the time (and reportedly still are today), their mom was there to cheer them on.
"Their Graduation day was such a wonderful day of celebrating THEM and all of their amazing accomplishments!" Kate wrote on Instagram at the time. "These girls are going places and I can’t wait to see where they end up! Cara and Mady, I love you so very much and I’m just so so proud of YOU!"
Their 19th Birthday
Kate shared this updated photo of her daughters in October 2019, days before her daughters turned 19. In pictures like this, it's hard to deny the fact that they're both definitely adults — and two gorgeous young ladies at that. It feels like we blinked and suddenly, those adorable twin girls were all grown up.
Mady Today
Though Cara has elected to have a life away from the spotlight (and most social media), Mady sometimes shares updates with her followers on Instagram and even TikTok. Now in her second year of college, Mady has already come so far, and so has her sister. We can't wait to see what the future holds for them both.
