See Al Roker's heartfelt birthday tribute to his son Nick

TODAY’s Al Roker is feeling nostalgic as his son Nick celebrates another trip around the sun.

“Seems like just yesterday this beautiful boy came into our lives but #justlikethat Nick is 22 years old,” Al wrote on Instagram. “#Happy birthday my young man.”

To commemorate the occasion, Al posted photos of himself and Nick through the years. In the first photo, Nick is a chubby-cheeked baby with a sweet smile. In the last slide, which was taken on a boys' trip to Mexico in March, Nick has a beard and appears to tower over his dad.

Al has three children: Nick and Leila, 25, whom he shares with wife Deborah Roberts, and Courtney, 37, from his previous marriage.

Nick, a college student, is on the autism spectrum, and the family has been vocal his challenges and accomplishments.

In 2019, Al wrote essay for Guideposts magazine detailing how far Nick has come with the help of speech, behavior and occupational therapists.

“Nick is a hard worker; he’s got a great sense of humor; he’s outgoing and a good swimmer; he’s developing a pretty good top-of-the-key basketball shot,” Al revealed. “He takes chess lessons a couple times a week, and he does OK. He’s also very affectionate — like his grandfather — and full of love to share.”

“I admire him,” he added.

Al often pokes fun at the height difference between himself and Nick, and calls himself a “Polly Pocket Dad,” referring to a line of tiny dolls from the ‘80s.

“He just towers over me,” Al said in 2022. “I feel like a little Polly Pocket.”

Over the years, Al has boasted about Nick's achievements, including earning a black belt in Taekwondo. When Nick was 16, he won two gold medals at the Special Olympics New York Summer Games for the 25-yard butterfly and 50-yard freestyle races.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com