It's been about three years since Joy-Anna Duggar became a mom for the first time, and it's been so much fun watching the Counting On star in action as she welcomed Gideon and then baby Evelyn, and figured out parenthood for herself. One of the things we love most about witnessing Joy's motherhood journey is the fact that she is always open and honest about what it's all about — and for her, that means sharing all the mom moments on Instagram, not just the picture-perfect ones.
Let's face it: Reality star or not, raising a toddler and a newborn at the same time is tricky stuff. So far, Joy is killing it, but of course, at times, it gets a bit messy — and that's never been something she's hidden from her followers. At a time when moms are under so much pressure to have it all together, scrolling through Joy's feed is nothing short of a sigh of relief.
Read on for all of Joy's "real mom" moments that she's shared with her Instagram followers so far. We can't wait to see what the future holds for her little family, especially as Evelyn gets older and is able to join Gideon as his partner in crime.
A Boy & His Dog
When Joy and Austin Forsyth first brought their dog, Brielle, home, Gideon was over the moon. Seeing this authentic moment in their family was simply too sweet — especially since it seemed to be love at first sight! Swipe over to see a pic of Gideon lying on the floor beside his new best friend. So precious!
The Pantry Disaster
Joy shared this photo of mom Michelle's pantry, totally covered in oats and coffee grounds — and the tell-tale bike that lets us know Gideon was here. It's a complete disaster, but it sounds like everyone had a sense of humor about it.
"From the evidence left behind and only one toddler in the house we came to the conclusion that Gideon was the culprit," Joy wrote. "It helped that he was covered with sugar and coffee grounds (and left his bike)."
PJs All Day
Not long after Evelyn was born, Joy shared this mirror snap of her, her new baby, and Gideon, all still in their PJs well into the day. "Evy still has her nights and days mixed up and it is starting to catch up with me!" she admitted at the time, but nobody would blame her for still being in her PJs with a newborn and a toddler at home either way!
A Little Bit of Makeup
Could Gideon have a future as a makeup artist? We just had to LOL when Joy posted this photo of Gideon after he'd gotten into one of her eye shadow palettes, though we also felt bummed for her, because it sucks when makeup gets ruined. At least it made for a really funny picture!
Every Last Bite
Gideon is the kind of kid who doesn't mess around when it comes to meal times — something that Joy said he got from her. She shared these adorable pics of Gideon licking his plate clean after eating a salad (yes, a salad). She's lucky she has a little boy who loves veggies so much!
Dressing Himself
The time always comes when we have to start letting our kids dress themselves, though the results aren't always perfect. Here, Gideon is looking proud of himself for putting on his jacket all by himself, even if he managed to put it on backwards. Hey, he's gotta start somewhere, and good for Joy for cheering him on.
Baking Powder
It has become obvious that Gideon absolutely loves making a mess — just look at his face when he was caught in the act! We don't even want to think about how Joy felt seeing that baking powder all over her rug, but she did admit in her caption that it was impossible to get mad at a face as cute as Gideon's.
Helping With Laundry
Gideon might still be a toddler, but he's already learning how to help around the house! Joy shared this shot of him helping with the laundry, and it looks as if she's teaching him early how to contribute to family life.
"Gideon likes to ‘help’ me switch the laundry over and he gets so proud of himself when it’s all finished!" she wrote.
Pickles for Evelyn
It's a little early for Evelyn to get into too much trouble like Gideon does, but she's already got her mom celebrating her little moments — like the first time she tried pickles, a Duggar family favorite. Fortunately, it seems as if Evelyn loved them, so she'll fit right in.
Spilled Milk
Joy captioned this photo, "It's been one of those mornings," and honestly, that's all she had to say. It doesn't surprise us one bit that Gideon's first instinct would be to pour out the gallon of milk if he ended up getting his hands on one. Yes, it was a huge mess, but at least Joy captured it to share with him when he gets older.
Home Haircut
Joy's family has always been all about cutting hair at home to save money, and that's a tradition that she's continued now that she has a family of her own. She shared this pic of Gideon getting his first haircut at 14 months old, and it's so cute how happy he is! We also love how Joy admitted in her caption that it's not the best haircut. We're sure she did fine!
Stealing Mom's Makeup Brushes
It's not just Joy's eye shadow palettes that Gideon steals — it's her makeup brushes, too! And what's even more unfortunate? What he used them for.
"I looked into our bedroom and saw him using my makeup brush as a toothbrush!" Joy told fans. Well, it's a good thing that Gideon's mom has the patience that she does, and we hope she got some new brushes ASAP.
Family Love
As sweet as it is to see Joy all cuddled up with both of her kiddos, what we really love most about this photo is the caption. Definitely click through on Instagram to see it — it's a collection of emojis (mostly squirrels, trucks, and flames, with a few rainbows sprinkled in for good measure) that Gideon chose himself.
Gideon's New BFF
This little guy is definitely an animal lover! First, his dog, Brielle, and now, he's befriended a goat. According to Joy's caption, the goat's name is Pearl, and it looks as if she and Gideon hit it off right away. He might be a rough-and-tumble kind of kid, but he's definitely gentle when the situation calls for it.
Playing in the Mud
Almost all little kids love playing in the mud any chance they get — it's practically the law. And it's great to see that instead of trying to keep Gideon clean, Joy lets him embrace his love of mess. He definitely needed a bath after this, but it's totally worth seeing that grin on his face!
