Denise Richards made sure to honor her oldest daughter Sami on her 18th birthday on Thursday, even though they’ve been struggling with their relationship. The sweet post showed how much the former reality star wants to connect with her teen — and how much the two of them look alike.

Sharing a stunning close-up shot of Sami with her pink hair and gorgeous blue eyes (she got them from mom), along with two adorable baby snapshots, the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hillsstar wrote a message from the heart. “In a blink of an eye you’re 18…. !!!! Happy Birthday my beautiful Sami. I love you so much,” she wrote. She also took the time to discreetly note that there’s more to discuss away from social media, but Richards wanted her to know that she was thinking about her on her milestone birthday.

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“Privately many more words to share with you. I love you unconditionally and I am very blessed & grateful to be your mom. And Nana is looking down celebrating with you. I love you my sweet Sami,” she added. “Happy 18th Birthday!” Richards revealed last month that the mother-daughter duo has a “strained relationship” and added that it was “difficult.” She was hopeful about the future, though, and thinks it will take some time to heal. “I know we’ll get back to where we were eventually, but right now, it is strained,” she told Jeff Lewis on his SiriusXM show. “Obviously, I would love for her to live with me. She lived with me all these years.”

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Sami is currently living with Richards’ ex-husband, Charlie Sheen, where “there [are] different rules” from her household and the former couple “agree to disagree” on their childrearing style. But Richards is staying positive that with time and growth, her now-adult daughter will need her mom once again.

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