Maria Shriver shares rare photos of her and ex-husband Arnold Schwarzenegger's son Christopher for his 29th birthday

Shriver opened her carousel with an adorable black-and-white throwback photo with her youngest child. In the image, the journalist is seen smiling broadly while tightly holding a young Christopher in her arms.

One selfie featured in the slideshow captured the mother-and-son duo flashing wide smiles while appearing in what seems to be a beachside selfie. In her caption, Shriver wished her son a happy birthday and called him a "wonderful, kind, loving, caring, fun, funny, wise young man!"

One scenic photo from Shriver's carousel showed a grown-up Christopher embracing his mother, as they enjoyed a boat ride against a picturesque background. Speaking about her 29-year-old son, Shriver wrote in her caption, "You may be my baby, but I will always look up to you."

Another selfie showed the mother-son duo posing for a selfie in front of the iconic Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Not only did Shriver highlight her close bond with her youngest through the photos, but she also noted, "I admire the way you walk in the world. I admire the way you make people feel. I admire the way you look for the good in everyone" in her post caption.

One of the photos featured in the slideshow appeared to be taken on Christopher's birthday. In the image, the 29-year-old can be seen holding a birthday cake as Shriver hugs him from behind. Over the years, Christopher has embraced a more private life among Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger's four children, mostly choosing to stay away from the limelight.

Another photo showed Shriver posing with son Christopher, alongside second daughter Christina Schwarzenegger, 35, in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. While Shriver filed for divorce from Arnold in 2011 after 25 years of marriage, their split was not finalized until 2021. Despite their separation, the pair continued to remain cordial and shared a co-parenting relationship.

Shriver's slideshow also featured an image of her posing with both her sons, Christopher and Patrick Schwarzenegger, 33. The former First Lady of California and the 'Terminator' actor welcomed Patrick in 1993, four years before welcoming Christopher in 1997. In the image, the brothers are seen wearing matching formal suits and trousers, with their mother sitting between them for the photo.

Not only did Shriver share love for her son on Instagram, but she also shared an essay titled 'I've Been Thinking.. What Is Winning?' on Substack on the occasion of his birthday, highlighting her love for all four of her children. "Today happens to be my son Christopher’s birthday, and let me tell you: being chosen to be his mother 29 years ago makes me feel like I won the lottery. Full stop," she wrote, adding, "When I think of Christopher and my other children, I feel deep in my soul that I am so blessed."

Shriver's carousel post featured another throwback photo, with a young Christopher Schwarzenegger looking like a spitting image of his mother. In her post, Shriver also mentioned that she feels 'blessed' to be Christopher's mom, writing, "God blessed me when he made me your mother, and you bless everybody’s life that you walk into."