Jessa Seewald Celebrates Birthday Still Pregnant And Waiting For Baby; Jinger Duggar Shares Sweet Message Online

Jessa Seewald’s baby has yet to arrive, but the former “19 Kids and Counting” star does have something to celebrate. Wednesday marks the first-time mom-to-be’s 23rd birthday, and the Duggars made sure to recognize her big day.

Jinger Duggar posted a sweet message for her pregnant sister online Wednesday. “Happy Birthday, Jess!” Jinger, 21, wrote on the Duggar Family Official Facebook page. “Oh, the memories we’ve shared throughout the years ... you have always been there to inspire, encourage and point me back to Jesus! Lots of love.” The message was accompanied by a shot of Jinger sporting an oversize pink-and-white bow and Jessa holding up a smiley-face prop to her face.

While Jessa has not revealed what plans she has in store for her birthday, she may have recently celebrated with friends. The “Jill & Jessa: Counting On” star posted a photograph of herself posing with two female pals on Instagram Tuesday: “40 weeks and 2 days,” Jessa captioned the shot. The three friends dined at Tacos 4 Life Grill in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

This month has been a momentous one for the Seewald clan. Jessa and her husband Ben Seewald celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary Nov. 1. The couple recognized their wedding date by forgoing their usually healthy diets to snack on ice cream and french fries. “Sometimes, you forget about eating healthy and go for the good stuff,” Jessa captioned an Instagram shot of Ben, 20, holding an ice-cream cone. “Happy anniversary, love.”

Nov. 1 also marked the day Jessa and Ben were due to welcome their first-born child, but it appears the couple is still waiting for their little one’s arrival. Besides her latest bump photo, Jessa last updated fans on her baby Monday. After comparing her birth weight and Ben’s, Jessa said it is “very possible” she will give birth to a “chubby little baby.”

“We’ve been taking a poll with the Duggar and Seewald families over the past few weeks, and everyone is trying to guess how much they think #BabySeewald might weigh at birth,” People quoted Jessa as writing on Facebook. “I was the biggest out of all my siblings, weighing 9 lbs 15 oz -- and Ben weighed 8 lbs 15 0z.”

Unlike other Duggar family members, Jessa has chosen not to announce her child’s gender ahead of his/her arrival. Ben revealed in June that they were aware of their child’s sex, but were not ready to tell the world. While they have not announced the gender, the couple has been teasing fans about whether they’re having a girl or a boy for several months.

Their baby journey will be featured on the three-part TLC special, “Jill & Jessa: Counting On.” It is due to premiere on the network in December.