Exes don't have to be on thorny terms—just ask Ashley Hebert and J.P. Rosenbaum.
The former Bachelorette couple recently came together to celebrate their daughter Essex's 5th birthday. J.P. uploaded a picture of the duo standing with the birthday girl and her 7-year-old brother, Ford, to Instagram. The sweet snapshot showed the family members gathering around a unicorn cake with pink, purple and blue balloons in the background.
Ashley also posted a birthday tribute, including a photo of J.P. giving Essex, a.k.a. Essie, a piggyback ride.
The reunion shouldn't come as a huge surprise to fans. After all, the reality stars have seen each other several times since their 2020 separation, including at Essex's birthday last year and Ford's birthday in September. The two have also talked about co-parenting. During an August Instagram Q&A, for instance, Ashley noted that she wants their children to "always see JP in a positive light."
"If I'm ever in a situation where I am torn about what to do or say, I ask myself..what is the right thing for the kids…I let that guide me," she wrote. "It's easy to get caught up in our emotions even in an amicable divorce. But let the kids well-being guide your actions."
Ashley and J.P. announced their split in October 2020 and filed for divorce in August, with it being finalized in October of this year.
"It is with a heavy heart that I share with you that after months of separation, Ashley and I have amicably decided to live our lives apart from one another," J.P. wrote on Instagram last year. "Please please please know that there is no one to blame, that there's no event that triggered this decision, that no one is the victim, and that we've done absolutely everything we possibly can to try to salvage this marriage. I think we've both come to realize that we are just two very different people, with very different personalities and perspectives, who just don't see eye to eye on a lot of life fundamentals, those which are the building blocks for a happy and healthy marriage."
While J.P. noted that the two "have created the most beautiful, sweet and loving children" and "so many unforgettable memories that we'll always cherish," he also acknowledged that their differences "have taken a toll on our relationship and after years of attempting to repair the damage, we've decided that it is in our family's best interest live our lives apart."
"Our ultimate focus is to co-parent our kids to the best of our ability," he later added, "and to maintain stable and healthy lives for Fordy & Essie."
Fans watched Ashley and J.P. fall in love on season seven of The Bachelorette in 2011 and tie the knot in a televised wedding in 2012. Although their marriage didn't work out, Ashley revealed in the Instagram Q&A that she "wouldn't change anything" about her Bachelorette experience. And while she said she felt like she "lost a huge part of what I loved about myself toward the end of the marriage," she also said she feels "like myself again."
And it looks like her journey to find love continues. When a follower asked during the Q&A whether she's dating, Ashley coyly replied, "Maybe." However, she suggested she probably wouldn't get married again.
"My vote is no," Ashley replied to a follower who asked whether another trip down the aisle is in her future. "I believe that seasons change and it's okay. I know this is probably an unpopular opinion."
In addition, she noted she'd be happy for J.P. if he ever found love again. "If JP introduces someone to me, that means it's serious," she wrote. "I would be very happy for him. Honestly. If JP is happy that means my kids are around someone that is bright, uplifting, loving, etc etc. I am all for it."