Little girls dream for a little sister to pamper and dress up like her baby dolls.  I always begged and cried for my parents to have another little girl, so I could have a little sister.  At that time I didn’t realize that since my sister is eleven years older than I and my brother is seven years older than I, my parents weren’t going to be having anymore kids.  My hopes and dreams at that point in my life were crushed.  I was destined to be the baby, and at that time I didn’t realize it was a blessing.  Many years were spent begging my sister and brother to have babies.  I had almost given up and thought, ‘I will never have younger siblings’ and, ‘I will never be able to braid my little sisters’ hair.’  Babies were always my passion.  I always wanted to hold the newest babies and feed them and even change their diapers.  When I was fourteen, I was surprised to find out that both my brother and sister were going to be having babies.  Well, not my brother but his wife was going to have a baby. I bought all the newest little baby clothes and counted down the days until I would finally have someone younger than I in the family. 

One day as I sat in class, I fidgeted because I knew that my sister-in-law was in labor.  While patiently waiting for the call, a girl came into my science class and told me my nephew Liam was born.  I packed up my schoolbooks so fast and ran out the door to the car. As I walked into the hospital room, and I saw Liam lying there, and my dad, mom, and I all instantly broke out into tears.  The nurse came in the room and asked, “Would you like to brush his hair?”  I was so excited I was able to be the first to ever brush out his hair. I picked up the comb and held his very small head.  It almost felt like I was going to brush it too hard, so I was very careful.  He didn’t have much hair, but there was still enough to brush through.  His skin was darker than mine and a little bit dry. His eyes were filled with a gooey substance that protected his eyes.  His fingers were about an inch long. His hair was chocolate brown, and his cry was loud, but still cute.  Liam’s skin was so soft.  That perfect little boy made my heart feel so much love, and he did not even know it.  As time went on, he grew and grew, and before we knew it, my next nephew Lincoln was born, who was just a little five-pound baby. He was so tiny I felt like I was going to break him when I held him.

I always knew I had a passion for babies.  I was interested in them for as long as I can remember.  I never thought that just a simple smile from a baby could make a smile so big.  I never knew that the little voices calling for me “Tia, I love you” or “Lolo, I miss you” could reassure how so much they love me.  They don’t care what mistakes I may have made. They only know I’m their aunt, and they love me.  Not only do I now have two nephews, but now I have three nephews and a niece. Liam, Lincoln, Callie, and Zayn are the people I hold dearest to my heart.  I never thought that a human could love someone else as much as they can. ‘Wow my nephews and niece are the cutest,’ I say to myself.  I couldn’t imagine my family without them at holidays or birthdays or even just the casual Sunday lunches.  I am not parent, but I spend so much time with them that sometimes I feel like I maybe love them as much as my brother and sister love them although I know I probably don’t love them anywhere near the amount they do.  Being an aunt to them made me realize I should have a career someday with kids.  The days my siblings gave me my “younger brother/sister,” I was so happy.  My childhood dream of becoming a big sister was almost fulfilled.  Now I don’t have to play with my baby dolls, but I can play with real people, my nephews and niece.