James Van Der Beek poured his heart out in a touching birthday tribute to his son Jeremiah.
The Dawson’s Creek alum celebrated the special occasion by sharing a series of unseen photos of his youngest child, who turned four on Friday, October 10.
The adorable pictures accompanied with a heartfelt message that read, "An iron will combined with an innate sweetness. And all boy as you run around and scream and bang things… all I can think about is how grateful I am that you came to us."
Jeremiah’s birth followed a painful journey for James and his wife Kimberly, who suffered two pregnancy losses within seven months before welcoming their sixth baby.
The American actor went on to praise his youngest offspring’s strong sense of self, writing, "What I’m seeing is a fun-loving, passionate soul who doesn’t think twice about speaking up for exactly what he wants."
The father of six also opened up about the challenges of parenthood while battling stage 3 colorectal cancer, diagnosed last year.
Reflecting on moments when his illness made it difficult to be physically present, he shared, "I’m sorry there have been spells where I couldn’t be the father I would want to be for you… where I was too weak to pick you up, throw you around, or even put you to bed…"
Despite the highs and lows of life, the proud dad described watching Jeremiah grow as one of the "greatest joys" of his life.
"When you do decide to wrap those thick little arms around my neck, it’s like time stands still and all is right with the world," he wrote. "I love you, bubba. And I always will. And all you ever have to do is be you. Happy birthday, my big little boy."
James’s tribute to Jeremiah comes just weeks after he marked his daughter Olivia’s 15th birthday with a similarly heartfelt note.
In addition to Jeremiah and Olivia, James, 48, shares four more children with Kimberly, 43: Joshua, 13, Annabel, 11, nine-year-old Emilia, 9, and six-year-old Gwendolyn.