Teen Mom alum Jenelle Evans celebrates son Jace turning 17 amid family conflict

Teen Mom alum Jenelle Evans wished her son Jace a happy 17th birthday in an Instagram post on Sunday with an upbeat message, following a series of troubled years in their relationship.

'I HAVE A 17 YEAR OLD!' the reality star, 34, said in a caption adjacent to a series of pictures of her eldest child. 'Being a teenager can be hard, but you seem to handle it well.'

She continued, 'You’re so smart, curious about life, and handsome. Hope today is everything you’ve wanted and more! I love you @jace_vahn.'

The Teen Mom 2 personality welcomed Jace with ex-boyfriend Andrew Lewis in August of 2009.

Jenelle is also mom to Kaiser Orion Griffith, 12, with ex-boyfriend Nathan Griffith; and daughter Ensley Jolie Eason, nine, with ex-husband David Eason.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Evans for further comment on the story, but not heard back yet.

The birthday message came less than six months after Jace was put into a mental health facility amid allegations he had brandished a firearm toward his grandmother Barbara Evans in a February 22 incident that led her to call 911, TMZ reported.

In the incident, which occurred at Barbara's North Carolina home, she said that Jace had threatened to harm her and himself. 

A representative for Jenelle subsequently told the Daily Mail that Jace had been 'receiving the help he needs' with Jenelle 'dedicated to finding the best treatment and the right place to support his progress.

'Her commitment and persistence in seeking the most effective care show how deeply she cares about her son’s well-being and future.' 

In April, Jenelle said on the podcast La Femme Talk that she had 'been actually getting help for [her] son as needed,' and he was in a place she described as 'safe' with a 'holistic approach.'

She said that Jace had been 'very happy' and 'very focused on himself' amid his treatment.

Jenelle said she had been refraining from speaking about the issue publicly, as 'the most important thing' was his healing and well-being.

She added, 'A lot of people, they think since I'm being so quiet that I might not be doing anything and not taking action. But just know that if I'm quiet, I'm up to something.'

Jenelle on July 20 took to Instagram with 'a real update about Jace,' vowing that 'as his mother [she] WILL NOT give up' on her son.

She added, 'From what I choose to share, he’s working on himself and focusing on his emotions.

'He’s obviously had ups and downs but I’m hoping for the best in his future.'

Jenelle said she had dealt with 'countless nights of crying over the past six months' as she wants 'him to be happy and will do whatever it takes to help him mentally and physically.'

Last year, Jenelle admitted she was having difficulty in her parenting of Jace after he publicly shared a series of contentious text messages.

'My children are my whole world,' Jenelle said. 'And everything I do is to try to protect, guide and love them. Like any parent, I set rules and boundaries ... and sometimes that isn't easy.

'Jace posting our private texts was his reaction to being rightfully disciplined and while it hurts to see those moments shared publicly, I know it comes from a place of struggle.'

Evans rose to reality TV fame in 2010 while on the MTV show 16 and Pregnant during her pregnancy with Jace, then was added to the Teen Mom cast the following year.