Connie Britton Shares Rare Photo of Son Yoby, 9, to Celebrate Her Birthday: 'I Am Grateful'

Connie Britton celebrated her birthday with her best guy by her side!

The former Nashville actress turned 53 on Friday and marked the occasion alongside 9-year-old Yoby, expressing her thanks to her followers on Instagram Sunday via a two-photo set of the mother-son pair.

In the first shot, Britton and Yoby seem to be laughing as they look at each other amid the glow of cake candlelight. The second image sees the mother of one blowing out her candles, with a little help from her son.

“Thank you for all the birthday wishes! I’m a big believer in drawing out birthdays as long as possible so still feeling the spirit and gratitude after a celebratory birthday weekend!” Britton began her caption.

“And especially on #InternationalWomensDay,” she continued. “I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and inspired to lift up my sisters around the world. Love and thanks y’all!”

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Britton doesn’t often share photos of her son on social media, but has been open in the past about how much Yoby (whose birth name is Eyob) inspires her.

“My son is adopted from Ethiopia so I always say I can take very little credit, but he, from the beginning, just inherently has had such an open and curious heart and love of life,” Britton told PEOPLE in 2017 of her only child.

“He’s very into learning and seeing what’s happening and seeing what people are doing,” she continued. “I just love that about him. And it immediately opens me up as well.”

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It’s possible that Yoby could have a sibling in the future, too. In January 2018, Britton said that she’s “always open to anything that happens” as far as expanding her family goes.

“Right now, I’m just enjoying what I have,” added the 9-1-1 actress. “I just want to spend as much time as I can with my son because he’s at a really fun age.”

Britton also raved about watching Yoby enjoy the Christmas season, saying of the “magical” moment, “I just wanted to bottle it up and keep it. I think that it will continue this year, so I want to enjoy every moment of that.”