The CW Source

Leighton Meester celebrates her 22nd birthday today! We hope Leighton enjoys a special evening with friends, family, or fellow Gossip Girl stars.

We can't imagine anyone but Leighton playing Blair. She strikes just the right notes, revealing Blair's vulnerabilities beneath that pristine Upper East Side polish. It's those subtle cracks in the Queen B exterior that make us sympathize with Blair and see her as more than just a Nanette Lepore-clad social climber.

We've seen that Blair's heart can be broken -- shattered, even. Remember her teary outburst when she was forced to tell everyone at her birthday party that she and Nate were over? Or the look on her face when she left the bar, wordless, after Chuck verbally ripped her to shreds? Blair's so used to being abandoned (by her father, her best friend, her boyfriend) that she's almost come to expect it. It's no surprise that she's placed herself in such a tough and glossy exterior -- she doesn't want to let people in because she might risk losing them.

But just because she has feelings doesn't mean this posh princess is weak. Far from it. When we last saw her, Blair had decided to stick it out at Constance Billard and take down everyone who's hurt her -- with Serena by her side -- and we can't wait to watch her do it. Seeing Blair rule the school had its moments, but we think it'll be way more entertaining to watch her climb her way back up and get revenge on everyone who betrayed her (ahem, Lil' J).

We have Leighton to thank for all these great Blair moments, so in honor of her birthday, let's post our favorites! We'll get you started: when Blair shocks everyone (even herself, we think) and takes the stage at Chuck's dad's burlesque club. And we all know what happened after that sexy dance...

Post your birthday wishes for Leighton and your favorite Blair moments in the comments!