Gia Giudice turns 14 years old today, but she almost certainly won't be enjoying a very happy birthday.
Teresa Giudice reported to prison on Monday after a premature celebration with her oldest daughter. She has had reportedly had minimal contact with her family in the days since.
"Gia is incredibly sad about not spending time with her mom on her birthday, but, like Teresa she is very strong," a source close to the family tells Radar Online.
"She is going to put on her best face and enjoy her celebration - and she knows that her mom loves her no matter where she is."
A miniscule silver lining to Gia's dark cloud became visible today when it was revealed that Teresa would receive an early release from prison, and will serve only 13 of the 15 months to which she was sentenced.
It's not much - and to a 14-year-old girl, 13 months can feel like a very long time - but it's the first good news that Giudice family has received in quite some time.
To make matters worse, yesterday marked the birthday of Gia's grandfather. Frank Giudice passed away in June, and Gia has often spoken openly about how deeply she was affected by his death.
"Happy birthday nonno," Gia tweeted yesterday. "Even though you're not here, you're still in our hearts always."
Gia's family has described the past 12 months as the most difficult year of her life.
Watch The Real Housewives of New Jersey online to see the Giudice family in happier times.
