I went to work on March 6, 2008 knowing that my life would change that day. That was the day, he was coming whether I was ready or not. I would quit being just April and become Aunt April. I’ve taken care of a lot of cousins in my time and I love them all, but this was different. I was going to have a nephew! Three hours later, I drove to the hospital. When I got to the room, my brother walked to me with the proudest of looks on his face and placed his son in my arms. And I fell in love. With all 4 lbs 9 oz of him. He was so tiny! And oh, just listen to him sigh. That had to be the sweetest sound I have ever heard in my life! He simply took my breath away.

He's the first grandchild in our family, so to watch how my parents have completely transformed into these people called Grandma and Grandpa has been amusing. And watching my nephew grow these past ten months has been a complete joy. Like all babies, he’s so curious and full of life. Instead of trying to learn to crawl, he’s trying his hardest to just walk instead. When he’s hungry, he wants it now, and not in the length of time that it takes you to get it ready. He hates a wet diaper, but would sit in a poopy one all day long if you let him. And he’s cutting his first tooth, which makes him just so darn cute! Last week, when I got my first real hug from him, I fell in love with him all over again (which I‘ve done about a hundred times already).

I have an uncle who has no children. I can remember once when I was a kid, the grown-ups were talking, and my uncle pointed to the four of us (my two cousins, my brother, and me) and said, “they are my children.” That’s the only part of the conversation I heard, but it always stuck with me. I never understood what he meant by that. I’m thirty years old, and I have no children of my own. Until recently, that bothered the crap out of me. I mean, I just knew that by the time I was thirty, I would be married and have kids. Heck, it’s all I wanted for the longest time. Then years passed, and as I grew and changed, so did my life. Now I just don’t know what I want in my future. I like the idea of a family of my own, but I’m not sure that I love the idea. And for now, I am ok with that. While I’m sure that love for my own child would be no comparison to the love I have for my nephew, I think back to that day and what my uncle said, “they are my children.” And I look at my nephew and I understand exactly what my uncle meant.