Katie Holmes Celebrates Suri’s ‘Bittersweet’ 11th Birthday With Trio Of Cakes: Where’s Tom Cruise?

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ daughter, Suri Cruise, has grown up in the public spotlight, with fans watching her go from a wide-eyed baby to a mini-me version of her actress mom. Now Suri has turned 11, and Katie turned to Instagram to share the festivities, including a trio of colorful cakes. But amid the celebration for Holmes and Cruise’s daughter, where was Tom?

Katie posted a picture of a table covered with bright party hats, three cakes heaped with frosting, and a glittering, pink “Happy Birthday” banner. Holmes’ Instagram message made her motherly love evident, reported E! News.

“A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sweetie.”

Although Katie also shared a photo of helium balloons as evidence of the little girl’s birthday celebration, Suri herself was absent from the pictures. Holmes is known for being cautious when it comes to sharing photos of her daughter on Instagram, with the mom-and-daughter duo reportedly frequently followed by paparazzi.

Katie’s rare images of Suri have included an Easter vacation visit to Florida and a celebration for Holmes’ 38th birthday that featured bowling. Holmes has made it clear that when it comes to a choice between her career and her child, Suri takes priority.

“My child is the most important person to me, and her upbringing is paramount to my work right now.”

Although Katie appreciates her career success as an actress, she noted that she feels raising her daughter is the best and most important part of her life.

“It’s very important that I’m present and she has a stable, innocent childhood,” emphasized Holmes. “I feel so blessed to do what I do, but there’s nothing in the world better than watching your child succeed.”

In the captions of the infrequent photos of Suri that Katie posts on Instagram, the actress often refers to her daughter as her “sweetie.”

Holmes recently took Suri to spend some time with her older male cousins in Los Angeles, noted Refinery29, which pointed out that realizing her daughter is a year older is a “bittersweet” experience for Katie.

“Every day, kids get a little further away from you,” commented Holmes. “That’s a positive thing. They should be becoming more independent, but it’s heartbreaking.”

Referring to children as “amazing beings,” Katie shared how she believes parents “have to do everything you can to give them what they need.” But the actress admitted that when the time comes for her now-preteen to fly out of her nest, it will be challenging.

“[Suri growing up and leaving will] be very, very sad for me.”

Amid that bittersweet joy of celebrating her child’s 11th birthday, Holmes refrained from making any public references to Tom Cruise’s reported absence from the party. But where was Tom?

Cruise allegedly hasn’t spent any holidays with Suri in the last four years, and an insider told Life & Style that Tom has not even seen his youngest daughter in more than three years.

“It’s been more than three years since Tom has seen Suri. And he hasn’t celebrated Thanksgiving or Christmas with her [in person] since she was 6,” said the source.

“… [Tom Cruise] doesn’t talk about those days with Suri much anymore.”

The insider revealed that Cruise and his daughter used to enjoy “lavish holiday feasts.” Tom reportedly would let the little girl choose what she wanted at FAO Schwarz “or take her to a VIP day at one of the Disney parks,” added the source.

Another insider told the publication that “Scientology is most likely to blame” for the lack of alleged lack of contact now between Cruise and his youngest child, alleging that members are advised to “disconnect” from friends and family who exit the church. Tom is the father of two other children with his ex-wife Nicole Kidman. His daughter Isabella is 24, while Cruise’s son Connor is 22.

[Featured Image by Toby Canham/Getty Images]