Kourtney Kardashian just turned the internet into a puddle of feelings. The reality star and Poosh founder chose the most tender, deeply personal way to mark her youngest son, Rocky Thirteen’s, second birthday. The 46-year-old mom of four shared a never-before-seen photo on Instagram that stopped scrollers in their tracks.
In the picture, Kourtney is in the hospital delivery room, cradling her newborn son, her face glowing, her hair styled in playful buns. Her baby boy’s little face is hidden behind a heart emoji, which is consistent with her choice to protect his privacy.
Instead of her own words, she quoted the beloved children’s book "On the Night You Were Born" by Nancy Tillman, a poetic classic that celebrates every child’s uniqueness.
The lines read:
“On the night you were born,
The moon smiled with such wonder
That the stars peeked in to see you
And the night wind whispered,
‘Life will never be the same.’”
A Love Story Still Unfolding
Rocky Thirteen is the son Kourtney shares with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, her husband of just over two years. The couple tied the knot in a lavish Italian ceremony in 2022. Rocky arrived a year and a half later, completing their blended family.
Kourtney also shares three older children—Mason, 15, Penelope, 13, and Reign, 10—with her ex-fiancé Scott Disick. Between their households, her life is a kaleidoscope of parenting styles and growing personalities. Yet through it all, Kourtney has remained fiercely intentional about how much of her children’s lives she shares online.
Rocky’s face, for instance, has never been fully revealed on social media. While other celebrity parents flood their feeds with every milestone, Kourtney takes a quieter approach, curating moments that feel intimate, not performative.
Learning as a mom
On August 8, the 46-year-old reality star shared photos from a family vacation, one showing son, Rocky Thirteen, on a boat without a life jacket. The photo shows Kardashian holding Rocky, dressed in a black sweater, on her lap aboard the moving vessel, quickly drew backlash from people alarmed by the absence of any visible safety gear.
“Great photo except for the fact the child has no life jacket on,” one commenter wrote. Another added, “You gotta make sure the kids are wearing life vests at all times! Just like you wouldn’t drive them around without a seatbelt/car seat. Water is so unpredictable and can be devastatingly dangerous.”
“Protects her son's face from the internet but doesn't protect him from possibly drowning….. priorities,” another user criticized. Others shared similar concerns: “Rocky should be wearing a life jacket. Such dangerous neglect,” one wrote. Another observed, “Kids on boats should always be wearing appropriate life vests, and it looks like it’s sitting in the seat right next to them.”
One user questioned, “What no life vests? Isn't that against the law...???” while another added, “You can make those kinds of decisions for yourself. But don’t make a decision like that for your child. PLEASE.”
Kourtney addressed the criticism posting a screenshot of an infant-sized life vest and writing: “Update: bought a life vest that fits! Good looking out. Honestly didn’t think about some of the dangers. Thank you for making me aware and hopefully this helps make other mommies aware of the dangers of certain types of boating without a life vest.”
Despite the backlash, it was a learning experience. “Thank you for making me aware,” she wrote in another post. “Hopefully this helps make other mommies aware of the dangers.”