Her Life in Pictures: As the Daughter of Young & Restless’ Melissa Ordway Turns 5, Watch Sophie Grow Up Before Our Eyes
This tot surprised everyone when she made her big debut.
It seems like just yesterday when the daughter of The Young and the Restless‘ Melissa Ordway and husband Justin Gaston showed up five weeks (and an entire year) early. But it wasn’t yesterday, and little Sophie’s turning 5 on December 9. These past four years have been a journey full of light and love, and it’s barely just begun. Go through the pictures yourself, and you’ll see little Sophie grow from an adorable preemie to a confident little lady.
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Ready or Not
Ordway celebrated Sophie’s third birthday in 2020 by flashing back to her birth and marveling at how this tiny cherub was growing up. Though she wasn’t supposed to come until January, little Sophie just couldn’t wait to join her family in the world.
Merry Christmas Eve
Sophie coming early meant she got an extra Christmas in! She won’t remember that first holiday, but thanks to this adorably festive family pic, we certainly will. “From our family to yours,” Ordway wrote with the whole brood.
Reading With Dad
Storytime takes on a whole different meaning when you’ve got two parents who are actors. They really get into the roles. “And I was like, you better not,” Gaston informed an intrigued Sophie. “You better not.”
Planning Ahead
Some day, all of these posts will make a beautiful story for their daughter, parental nerdiness and all. “Happy 8 months, Soph,” Gaston wrote. “Love you more everyday. (As if she has Instagram and will read this. She will one day Justin. Are you talking to yourself? Yes. Stop It.)”
All Smiles (Just Right Now)
By 11 months, Sophie’s personality began shining through. “You are the tiniest little cheerleader I’ve ever seen,” wrote proud mom, “cheering, clapping and smiling your way through life!”
Matching Outfits
Sophie’s early period style was clearly influenced by her dad. Or maybe we should say her dad was influenced by her since, as he wrote, they coordinated outfits, “Aside from the headwrap, which I’m still looking for in my size.”
Football Fandom
Speaking of cheerleading, Ordway began teaching her girls what team to root for as early as she could! Focusing on the game, though, wasn’t always a priority. “Yes,” mom confirmed, “one of my daughters is pulling my other daughter’s hair while she is eating a football…”
Pretty In Pink
By the time she’d reached 15 months, Sophie had already developed a list of likes. Running, singing and reading all topped out her list. As did making people laugh. Or, as Ordway put it, “Mischievous would be the best way to describe our little love.”
Root, Root Root for the Home Team
Football isn’t the only family sport Sophie enjoys. There’s also baseball! Though, we have to say, she seems a bit young to have downed “several hot dogs, a bag of peanuts and a helmet full of ice cream.” But hey, a growing girl needs her food!
True Joy
“This picture perfectly describes Sophie,” Ordway wrote, “my happy, goofy girl.” And really, that’s all we need to know while we release a collective “Awww.”
School Days
Being away from mom and dad can be a big change, so it’s important to bring a friend along to help with the learning. Plus, like mom said, “That little smile… I can’t.” Neither can we.
A Moment Frozen in Time
Mom captured a perfectly adorable moment of rapt attention as Sophie watched the stage with her doll, ready for her first taste of theater with Disney’s Frozen.
The Princess Diaries
Anna and Elsa aren’t the only Disney Princesses that Sophie loves. “You can always find Sophie in a princess nightgown over her clothes,” Ordway shared. “Today, her name is ‘Baby Ariel.'”
Wonder Women
Sophie and big sis Olivia have been learning how important it is to support each other their whole lives. “Proud of their hearts,” Ordway shared, and “how much they love and support each other and their friends.”
Party Animals
The sisters teamed up when they planned their dad’s party. The unstoppable duo “picked out party hats, decorations and the cake… ballet slippers!” Because what’s a party without a little ballet?
School: Take Two
Now it was time for big-girl learning, as Sophie joined Olivia in preschool. Having done a lot of growing up, the new kid on the block traded in her adorable bunny for a princess backpack. But she kept the smile!
Campfire Tales
Sophie got to hop up to her mom’s level on this “crisp fall night.” And if this photo doesn’t make you nostalgic for simpler times with the family, we don’t know what will.
Sunday Funday
Ordway kept her caption short and sweet and let her girls’ photos do all the talking. And you know what? We’re going to do the same.
In Her Genes
When the whole family went out to honor Gaston’s dad, “Paj,” who passed away three years earlier, Sophie showed off her family resemblance. “Sophie is a clone of you and your dad,” Ordway told her hubby. “The face she’s making is proof.”
Style Queen
Sophie’s come a long way since her days in princess nightgowns. But then, it was clear then that she knew what she liked. Or, as her proud mom shared, “Sophie has come up with a style all her own.”
Happy Birthday!
Last year, mom shared a mini-stroll through Sophie’s life and colorful, joy-filled photos from the special day. “We love you more than you could ever know,” wrote Ordway.
Last Days…
By June, both of Ordway’s girls were reaching milestones! Big sis Olivia was finishing off kindergarten, while Sophie was wrapping up pre-school. “These two have grown and learned so much this year,” mom wrote along with an adorably sweet video marking the moment.
…and Firsts
Summer flew by and in no time at all, the girls were back off to school. And while Sophie went off to start her “first day as a DD Deer,” we learned a few things of our own, like the fact that she wants to be a dentist when she grows up! (We also learned mom has a little problem with dates!)
There’s No Place Like Home
The girls got a number of costume changes Halloween weekend, from cats to princesses to Dalmatians. But the best may have been the family costumes when Sophie played Dorothy to Olivia’s Glenda, mom’s Wicked Witch of the West and dad’s Tin Man! What, no Scarecrow?
Holiday Magic
There’s nothing like the holidays with kids. As Ordway put it, “Love seeing the magic of the season in their eyes.” And we can guarantee every parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent or what have you feels exactly the same!
The Life of an ‘Angel’
And here we are now. Mom gave us not just a life in pictures but videos too with her Instagram post celebrating the daughter who’s “constantly surprising us. Sophie, we love you and we’re so proud of you. You’ll always be my baby. Happy 5th Birthday.”
Can’t get enough soap stars with their kids? Check out our adorable real life gallery of daytime actors with their offspring!
