Jenna Ushkowitz Celebrates Daughter Emma's First Birthday: 'Our Little Earth Angel'

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

"It’s hard to describe how these first 365 days were simultaneously the fastest and slowest, ever," the 'Glee' star said

<p>Jenna Ushkowitz/Instagram</p>

Jenna Ushkowitz/Instagram

Jenna Ushkowitz’s “little earth angel” is one year old!

The Glee star, 37, celebrated her baby girl’s first birthday with a series of black-and-white photos posted on Instagram Friday.

“Our little earth angel is one!! I’m not crying, you’re crying 😭,” she wrote alongside selfies and moments playing with her daughter, Emma. “It’s hard to describe how these first 365 days were simultaneously the fastest and slowest, ever.”

<p>Jenna Ushkowitz/Instagram</p>

Jenna Ushkowitz/Instagram

“It has been the thrill of our lives watching Emma grow from a breech born, scrunchy newborn into a beautiful, curious, joyous toddler that fills every day, no matter how hard or challenging it is, with so much happiness,” the actress said.

Ushkowitz shared of her little one: “Emma has found her voice and loves to use it. There’s no plate Emma won’t lick clean, and her little belly laugh is contagious. Her dancing looks like she is furiously nodding her head, NO, but in fact, she is just vibing with those Elmo tunes.”

Related: &#39;Glee&#39; &#39;s Jenna Ushkowitz Welcomes First Baby with David Stanley: &#39;Our Hearts Have Burst Wide Open&#39;

The And That’s What You REALLY Missed podcast co-host also opened up about how motherhood has changed her life since welcoming her daughter.

“Becoming Emma’s Mom has been the most profound moment of my life to date and has put my purpose & life in sharp perspective,” Ushkowitz said.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

<p>Jenna Ushkowitz/Instagram</p>

Jenna Ushkowitz/Instagram

“It has forced me to slow down in every way, appreciate the smallest moments knowing how fleeting this all is, and how to prioritize my time and find clarity in what really matters,” she added.

Related: &#39;Glee&#39; Star Jenna Ushkowitz Reveals Name of Her 5-Month-Old Baby Daughter

Ushkowitz continued, “I'm also learning how I can continue to take care of myself, speak kindly to my body and self, because undoubtedly, how I see myself directly reflects how she will learn to love herself and find her self-worth.”

“Happy Birthday, sweet sweet Emma. We love you more than anything. ❤️,” she concluded her touching tribute.

<p>Jenna Ushkowitz/Instagram</p>

Jenna Ushkowitz/Instagram

The South Korea-born actress, who grew up in East Meadow, New York, and her husband David Stanley welcomed their daughter in June 2022.

"Our hearts have burst wide open ❤️," she captioned the Instagram post revealing the happy news. 

Ushowitz kept her baby’s name under wraps until five months after she gave birth, explaining on Instagram that her "momma bear instinct kicked in” and it "felt like the right thing for me and my family" to keep the name secret at first.

"I want to continue sharing my journey as a mother on here and your kindness and incredible support thus far has meant the world … so please meet our little girl, Emma,” she added.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.