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Jessica Simpson ditches her wedding ring in rare pics with kids for first day of school as fans ask ‘where’s Eric?’
JESSICA Simpson has shared rare pictures with her children on their first day back to school.
Jessica, 44, marked the occasion with an Instagram post comprising photos with her three kids, daughter Maxwell Drew, 12, son Ace Knute, 11, and daughter Birdie Mae, 5, on Wednesday, September 4.
While Bridie and Maxwell wore checkered blue skirts, Ace was all-smiles in a red polo T-shirt with beige shorts.
Bridie completed her back-to-school outfit with a navy polo top and matching sneakers, Jessica's older daughter donned a white T-shirt with her school logo emblazoned on the pocket.
Jessica left words of encouragement and praise for her children in the caption, writing, "Maxwell, Ace and Birdie y’all make your Mom beam with smiles and grace !
"Keep on showin’ up for yourselves with each step of the way through this new school year!
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"I’m so very proud of y’all for individually shining your light so that in return others feel the glow," she concluded.
FAMILY RESEMBLANCE
The singer and fashion designer looked effortlessly stylish, wearing a lime green, maxi dress, paired with leopard print boots and a cropped blazer, in the photos.
She accessorized with a statement necklace layered with daintier pieces, a pair of oversized sunglasses with tan and black accents, as well as multiple bracelets.
However, she ditched her wedding ring, as fans questioned where Jessica's husband Eric Johnson was, amid split speculation.
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"Where is the daddy?" one Instagram user commented, before another replied, "He's the guy taking the picture."
Several people noticed the reflection of a man holding up a phone, in a window behind Jessica and her kids, suggesting Eric was also present for the school run.
Others pointed out that Jessica's youngest daughter Birdie is "your mini me" with one person writing, "Birdie is just a little doll looks just like Jessica."
Another comment read, "Maxwell looks just like her Aunt Ashlee [Simpson]…twins. Beautiful."
"Your eldest is very like Ashlee," a fourth user highlighted the resemblance between Maxwell and her aunt.
'ROCKY PATCH'
Earlier this year, it was reported that Jessica and Eric, a former NFL player, are "living separate lives" after they hit a "rocky patch" in their marriage.
"Eric has been doing his own thing for longer than anyone seems to know — well over a year now," a source told Radar Online in March.
"He's been very vocal about how difficult it is to live with someone so obsessed with surgery and so detached from reality most of the time," they continued.
The source added that Eric "still loves" Jessica and he doesn't want their children to grow up in a broken home.
Eric hasn't made an appearance on Jessica's Instagram profile since April, when The Dukes of Hazzard star gave her followers a glimpse into the family's Easter celebrations.
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However, fans were quick to notice that Jessica wasn't wearing her wedding ring in the pictures.
She didn't mark their 10th wedding anniversary in July 2024 either, fuelling further fan speculation about the couple's relationship.