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She’s a Teen Now! See ‘Spunky’ Josie Duggar Grow Up Through the Years in Transformation Photos

Growing up fast! Josie Duggar, the youngest of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s 19 children, turned 13 years old on December 10, 2022. She’s gone through quite the transformation in the last 13 years.

According to the Duggar family’s website, Josie is a “lively, spunky” teen with a “joyful smile” and “contagious laughter.” She loves music, especially piano and singing, and she “has several pet mice.” The website also describes Josie as a “deep thinker” who is always asking the tough questions!

Josie has come a long way since her difficult birth in 2009 when she arrived three and a half months premature. Michelle experienced preeclampsia — high blood pressure — during her pregnancy, which forced her to need an emergency C-section that would save both her and Josie’s lives. Josie weighed in at only 1 lb 6 oz.

“Oh, the terror that went through my heart when they said this baby has to be delivered in 30 minutes,” Michelle told CBS News in August 2010. “I thought this baby is too small to live. I was terrified. I cried out to God to have mercy on my baby and me. This was too soon for this baby. … Her skin was see through. She only had two layers of skin. It was transparent. I do not take for granted this precious life that we have here. She’s a miracle that could have gone in either direction.”

Thankfully, it wasn’t long before Josie started to grow. After six months in the NICU, Josie came home weighing 11 lb 1 oz and was “doing great,” Michelle said.

Josie wasn’t clear of health scares, however. Being a “micro-preemie” often comes with complications. For Josie, that meant seizures, as 19 Kids and Counting viewers saw during a frightening episode in 2014. According to Jim Bob and Michelle, Josie often had seizures whenever she ran a fever. 

“All of Josie’s seizures have happened around a fever — normally an ear infection,” Jim Bob shared during an aftershow special. “Typically, children will outgrow these by the time they’re 10. So, hopefully, she will just get bigger and stronger and outgrow it.”

Despite her health scares, Josie has grown stronger each year, and the Duggars love to celebrate their miracle baby. The family honored Josie on her 9th birthday in 2018.

“Josie was born on December 10, 2009, at 25 1/2 weeks gestation and weighed 1 pound 6 ounces. Today is a huge milestone for her, she is a healthy, happy 9-year-old that is full of energy,” they wrote on Instagram. “We are so thankful for everyone’s prayers and all of the doctors and nurses at Arkansas Children’s Hospital that saved her life. That was the most difficult time in our family’s life, but by God’s grace Josie and our whole family made it through!”

Many fans have loved watching Josie grow up, and they look forward to seeing her continue to thrive. Scroll through the gallery below to see photos of Josie Duggar’s transformation over the years!

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