Katherine Heigl celebrates son's first birthday: 'It's been a hell of a year'

Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Katherine Heigl says it's been "a hell of a year" since her son was born.

The 39-year-old actress shared a topless pregnancy photo on son Joshua Jr.'s birthday Wednesday while reflecting on his birth by C-section. Heigl shares Joshua Jr. and two daughters with husband Josh Kelley.

"At 9am one year ago today I had @joshbkelley take this photo of me so I could remember how incredibly pregnant I was right before we left for the hospital and my 12pm scheduled cesarean," the star wrote. "I had never been hospitalized or had ever had any kind of surgery and had no idea what to expect."

"My doctor struggled to get him out because he was really wedged in there and not quite ready to leave the womb," she shared. "When she finally pulled him out at exactly 12:33pm he didn't start breathing and they worked quickly to get oxygen in him and start his tiny lungs. @joshbkelley was standing with them when he finally took his first breath."

"Now he's 26 pounds of rolling, tumbling, grasping, giggling, shouting, curious, jolly energy! He is everything and more than I could have hoped for and he has brought out family even more joy, love, laughter, abundance, bliss and yes, exhaustion and exasperation too! It's been a hell of a year and I could not be more grateful for it or him!"

At 9am one year ago today I had @joshbkelley take this photo of me so I could remember how incredibly pregnant I was right before we left for the hospital and my 12pm scheduled cesarean. Joshua Jr had been in the breech position for over a month and had still not moved an inch a week before his due date so I made the decision to have a cesarean and was incredibly nervous and a little scared this time last year. I had never been hospitalized or had ever had any kind of surgery and had no idea what to expect. The second photo is right before I went in for surgery. Trying to look cool, calm and collected! They numbed me up, gave me some morphine and opened me up. My doctor struggled to get him out because he was really wedged in there and not quite ready to leave the womb. When she finally pulled him out at exactly 12:33pm he didn’t start breathing and they worked quickly to get oxygen in him and start his tiny lungs. @joshbkelley was standing with them when he finally took his first breath. That day, as I slowly came out of the morphine haze and clutched my tiny man to me I thanked the heavens for his breath, his life and for making me a mother three times over. As evening settled in Josh and I got cozy in my hospital room, found one of my all time favorites #SweetHomeAlabama on the tv and just relished in our perfect newborn son. He was so tiny and new, so fragile and tender. As I lay him down to sleep that first night in his very appropriate “welcome to the world” sleep sack I thought the moment would last forever. Yet here we are, a whole year later and it’s only the photos that remind me my brute of a boy was ever so new and small! Now he’s 26 ponds of rolling, tumbling, grasping, giggling, shouting, curious, jolly energy! He is everything and more than I could have hoped for and he has brought our family even more joy, love, laughter, abundance, bliss and yes, exhaustion and exasperation too! It’s been a hell of a year and I could not be more grateful for it or him! Happy Birthday to my little man! Maybe I can make this next year go a little slower!
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A post shared by Katherine Heigl (@katherineheigl) on Dec 20, 2017 at 9:44am PST

Heigl is also mom to 9-year-old Nancy and 5-year-old Adalaide, whom she and Kelley adopted. She gushed about her growing family in an interview with Entertainment Tonight in April.

"Everyone in our family brings an interesting and different and wonderful dynamic to the table," the star said. "Everyone's spirits are so uniquely them and it's such a blessing to have that diversity in your life."

"It's so much better than I could have ever imagined, my life and family," she added. "It's just trying to remember that and be grateful and try and hold onto it 'cause you do get caught up in the minutiae."

Heigl is known for playing Izzie Stevens on Grey's Anatomy. She has since portrayed Charleston Tucker on State of Affairs and Sadie Ellis on Doubt.