Chip and Joanna Gaines are ultra-private when it comes to their children. They are parents to five kids — two girls and three boys — whom they’ve kept out of the spotlight in an effort to give them as normal a childhood as possible. Despite seldom appearing in public, there have been a handful of times we’ve seen their daughters, Ella and Emmie Gaines, in occasional family clips and past episodes of “Fixer Upper” and “Magnolia Table.” Only, they’re not so little anymore. These days, it’s hard not to notice how much the girls have grown.
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For instance, in June 2025, Joanna posted an Instagram video showing highlights of their family trip to Universal Studios Hollywood in California. One clip showed Emmie (in the black dress) towering over Joanna as the duo walked side-by-side while holding hands. In front of them was Ella, who was nearly as tall as Joanna, wearing an oversized tee as she strolled alongside their brother, Crew Gaines. “Are the kids really that big now?!” one user wrote. Another agreed, saying, “Oh my. How your kids have grown.”
Earlier, Joanna also shared a glimpse of their eldest daughter while celebrating Ella’s high school graduation in a sentimental IG post. In one clip, the family could be heard cheering for Ella as her name was called onstage to receive her diploma. She wore a plaid dress underneath her graduation cap and blue toga, with red slingback heels to finish it off. She was nearly eye level with Joanna as two shared a warm embrace after the ceremony. “When did she grow up!!” one user exclaimed in disbelief, followed by another comment that read, “Ok, officially old now…congratulations!”
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Joanna can’t believe how much her kids have grown
Similar to Ella Gaines, Chip and Joanna Gaines’ youngest daughter, Emmie Gaines, is all grown up now. She turned 15 on February 1, 2025 and celebrated by hitting a major milestone: getting her learner’s permit (she has since acquired her driver’s license). At their family’s farmhouse in Waco, Texas, Joanna also put together a small celebration for Emmie, which she teased on Instagram. “How is our baby girl already 15?” she wrote. Emmie, who is rarely featured in her parents’ posts, appeared towards the end of the video, dressed in a blue sweater, oversized jeans, and sneakers. “What a gift she is to our family. Happy Birthday EK!”
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Speaking to People, the designer and entrepreneur opened up about the bittersweet reality of seeing her kids grow up and become their own person. “All four of my older kids are driving now,” Joanna proudly shared. However, she admitted, “I stalk them on the app Life360! It tells you how fast they’re going.” She remembered how distraught she was when their oldest son, Drake Gaines, left home for college in 2022. It’s been quite a huge adjustment for the family — especially Joanna — but she’s learning to embrace the change as time goes on. “They’re just turning into these wonderful human beings,” she said. “My favorite thing is seeing them hanging out in a restaurant together as friends. Because when they were younger I was always monitoring their fights, and now they’re dear friends, which is so cool.”
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Soon, it’ll be Ella’s turn to leave the nest and head off to college. How do they stop the clock? “I feel like it all went [by] so fast,” Joanna added.
