Coley Laffoon Honors Late Ex-Wife Anne Heche While Celebrating Their Son Homer's 21st Birthday

coley laffoon/instagram Coley and Homer Laffoon

Coleman "Coley" Laffoon is celebrating son Homer's 21st birthday — but not without keeping his late ex-wife and Homer's mom, Anne Heche, in mind.

In honor of the milestone occasion on Thursday, Coley, 49, shared a series of photos of his son over the years, including the pair smiling in a car and posing in front of San Francisco's Ferry Building.

"21 years.goes fast. Before you know it the journey of a lifetime has become two lives," he captioned the Instagram post. "Intertwined, inseparable in the sense that what is in one is in the other. Homer is in me as much as I'm in him. It's baked in."

"We're spending two nights in San Fran, a father-son trip celebrating this symbolic passage into adulthood. He's come through his challenges on his terms," he continued. "Can't ask for much more. Has a promising new job, great friends, is a loving son and brother. Hopefully that is conveyed in thr [sic] faces in the pictures here. He's doing great and it feels so good."

RELATED: Anne Heche's Ex Coley Laffoon Shares Emotional Tribute After Her Death: She 'Loved Really Hard'

Coley, 48, who was married to Heche from 2001 to 2009, also paid tribute to the late actress.

"Impossible not to close my eyes and think of @anneheche zooming around the cosmos, swinging by Northern California, smiling her knowing and still vulnerable smile as she races past," he wrote.

He continued: "He's good Anne. Thank you for trusting him to me. It's going to keep being great. I promise."

In addition to Heche, Coley thanked his wife Alexi for "holding down the fort in her third trimester with three small children at home because she believes in this father son time and supports us with every fiber of her heart and body."

Coley also gave his son a birthday shoutout on his Instagram Story, writing, "Homer is 21 today. Feels like a big deal."

coley laffoon/instagram Coley Laffoon's Instagram Story

RELATED: Anne Heche's Son Homer Laffoon, 20, Named General Administrator of Her Estate

The tribute comes close to seven months after the 53-year-old Emmy Award-winning actress was involved in a devastating car crash on Aug. 5.

The actress remained in a coma for nearly a week before she was declared legally dead in the state of California on Aug. 11. Her heart continued to beat until Aug. 14 in order to ensure her organs could be donated in accordance with her wishes.

"Today we lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend," a rep for the star told PEOPLE in a statement at the time. "Anne will be deeply missed but she lives on through her beautiful sons, her iconic body of work, and her passionate advocacy. Her bravery for always standing in her truth, spreading her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact."

Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage Anne Heche

RELATED: Anne Heche's Son Thanks Fans for 'Love, Care and Support' Ahead of Posthumous Memoir Release

Coley also shared a heartfelt tribute to his ex at the time.

"I loved her and I miss her, and I'm always going to," he said in an Instagram Reel, adding: "Homer is okay. He's grieving, of course, and it's rough. It's really rough, as probably anybody can imagine. But he's surrounded by family and he's strong, and he's gonna be okay."

The Compass real estate advisor added of Heche: "I like to think she's free, free from pain and enjoying or experiencing whatever is next in her journey. She came in hot and she had a lot to say. She was brave and fearless, loved really hard and was never afraid to let us know what she thinks and what she believed in."

Rachel Murray/Getty Anne Heche and homer Laffoon

"It was always love, it was all about love. So, goodbye Anne. Love you, thank you. Thank you for all the good times, there were so many. See you on the other side, and in the meantime, I got our son. He'll be fine. Love you," he concluded.

​​Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In the months following her death, Heche's son Homer and her ex James Tupper — with whom she shares 13-year-old son Atlas — became entangled in a legal back-and-forth. Homer has since been named general administrator of her estate.