Blake Lively has a big birthday to celebrate — the golden girl of Gossip Girl turns 21 today. That’s right — Blake is finally the legal age to start drinking some of those cocktails that Serena has apparently been knocking back since seventh grade of so.

Serena’s had one hell of a year — she returned from self-imposed exile to be with her suicidal brother, fell in love with a nice guy, had an illicit affair or two revealed, fought with and made up with (and fought with and made up with and fought with and made up with) her best friend, fended off the deranged stalkerish behavior of an ex-buddy, showed up in a tragically mis-styled bridesmaid dress for her mom’s umpteenth wedding — and that’s just scratching the surface! She also managed to capture the attention of the Upper East Side and look damn good doing it.

Blake herself has lived a similar whirlwind since Gossip Girl debuted — she’s been on magazine covers, had glowing features written about her, and generally become a media darling. We see her beaming smile, gorgeous blond locks and fabulous fashion everywhere we look. Not bad for a young woman who broke into acting only three years ago in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

We hope Blake has a great time on her birthday, whether she’s snuggling up with real-life boyfriend Penn Badgley, out partying with her friends, or having a relaxing weekend with a few special folks. Happy birthday, Blake!

Leave your birthday wishes for Blake in the comments.