Valerie Bertinelli Shares Heartwarming Birthday Message for Her Boyfriend: ‘You’re Still Younger Than Me’

To celebrate Mike Goodnough’s 54th birthday, the cookbook author poked fun at how they each like to take selfies

Valerie Bertinelli's boyfriend is another year older, but as she jokes in a new birthday tribute, he still hasn't caught up to her!

The Indulge author, 64, wished her boyfriend Mike Goodnough a happy 54th birthday on Instagram on Saturday, Aug. 17, all while poking some fun at how they each like to take selfies.

Paying tribute to Goodnough, who goes by Hoarse Whisperer on social media, Bertinelli shared a selfie of the pair dressed up as she planted a kiss on his cheek. The photo came complete with a pretty sky in the background, which Bertinelli also joked about her in her caption.

"If there’s one thing about Mike (there are many things) he’s not fond of backlighting," she wrote. "I, on the other hand, think backlighting is beautiful. As evidenced by this picture…that Mike took."

"Sometimes it pays to listen to your elders," Bertinelli added. "Happy birthday Mike ♥️ You may be another year older, but you’re still younger than me 😆."

Related: Valerie Bertinelli's Boyfriend Says She Cared for Him During an ‘Excruciating’ Time While They Were Newly Dating

Bertinelli also posted a snap of her boyfriend dressed in his all-black suit to her Instagram Stories, alongside the simple caption: "Happy birthday Mike."

The couple's latest milestone marks the former Food Network star’s first time celebrating her boyfriend's birthday since starting their relationship in January. Bertinelli was initially private about their relationship at the start, telling PEOPLE in April that she was “in love” but not revealing Goodnough's name at the time.

“It’s a seesaw of emotions because I was adamant I was never falling in love again,” she said, explaining that she met her East Coast-based boyfriend on Instagram a few years ago. “It was strictly platonic but there was something about him that I connected with that felt familiar.”

It wasn’t until the beginning of 2024 that their conversations and feelings became romantic. “It’s crazy the comfort level,” she added. “It feels incredibly right.”

Related: Valerie Bertinelli Posts a Swimsuit Selfie to Mark the 'Last Dog Day of Summer'

The pair went public not long after when they stepped out together in April, and have since raved about each other on social media and in interviews, eventually making their red carpet debut at the Daytime Emmys in June.

Bertinelli and Goodnough even established a "three-week" rule early on into dating to stay connected during their bicoastal relationship. “We never go longer than that without seeing each other,” she said at the time. Four months later, Bertinelli updated PEOPLE.

“It's been challenging,” she said in July. “The summer has been booked full. It is challenging.”

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The duo have continued to open up about their relationship publicly, as Goodnough revealed just this week on Instagram that Bertinelli was supportive of him when his childhood friend was “nearing end of life” in March. As he noted, his partner canceled “family plans that mattered to her" to be there for him.

"There are people who show you they care and people who only tell you they do. Take careful note of each," he wrote. "Hold close the former and give space to the latter. The former — the people who are there for you — are life’s richest blessing. Treasure them, for they are treasures."

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