From the time I starting outgrowing my childish skin, I wasn’t much of a “kid” person. In my pre-teen, junior high mindset, I saw a child and thought: “Ugh.”
“Kids are whiny, annoying, bratty, and eat their boogers. Gross. I will never be a “'kids person".”
You can imagine the thrill I felt when I found out my brother’s girlfriend was pregnant with the first Hall grand baby. Our family was ecstatic and a jubilation ebbed and flowed throughout the emotion of our household, but all I could think was: “Great.”
However, as soon as September 21, 2011 rolled around and the first grandchild blessed this earth, I fell in love. Our family couldn’t imagine the baby boom that was in store. Nearly four years later, one grandchild has increased to six grandchildren and will expand to eight grandchildren by the end of 2016.
Once my beautiful nieces and nephews were born, I made it my mission to be not only the “cool aunt,” but to teach them how to be amazing young people in this world. However, I’ve learned a wealth of knowledge just in four short years of being an aunt from the little kiddos who consistently amaze me.
At 19 years old, here are 19 things in no particular order that I’ve learned from being an aunt:
1. Three-year-old boys are way cooler than any of the boys I’ve met at college. Sorry guys, but my boys have you beat. “Wanna come over and watch Netflix?” actually means hours of Daniel Tiger and giggles.
2. Unconditional love. There are no limitations or boundaries to the amount of love. There isn’t anything that will make me not love my nieces or nephews and nothing will ever stop the continual amount of growing love I have for these brilliant kids.
3. Patience. Every 2 a.m. cry in the night or burst of temper tantrum might be annoying or frustrating in the moment, but they’re just little kids. Their brains are very much still developing and the more patient you are with them, the more they’ll appreciate and trust you.
4. Eternal youth. You are never too old to play tag or hide behind the trunk of a tree in Hide N’ Seek. These lovely children keep my heart young and push out the bitterness life has begun to taint me with.
5. Innocence. Every day, my kiddos wake up ready for the world with a kind of enthusiasm I wish I could replicate and hand out to every adult in the world. They don’t know of pain or evil -- they see the beauty and happiness.
6. Acceptance. Every imperfection makes them even more beautiful.
7. Forgiveness. It’s okay you woke me up at 7:30 a.m., you’re still cute. It’s okay you stole my Michael Kors watch -- you thought it was pretty and you feel bad. It’s okay you made a mistake, you’re not even five years old.
8. The importance of quality time. Even something as simple as watching Doc McStuffins with my niece can go a long way. Being in the same room and giving them a little attention proves you care.
9. The power of “I love you.” There is no better feeling than tiny arms trying to wrap around the trunk of your body and proclaiming the bursting love in their small hearts they have for you. I don’t believe there are too many times I can hear “I love you” nor too many times I can say it.
10. 7:30 a.m. feels a lot better with a toddler at your feet. I can never resist puppy dog eyes, the whisper of “Wakey up Kelsey,” or “Can you come play with me?”
11. There is adventure in every new day. Three-year-olds are incredible at finding hidden treasures in an old oak tree or secret paradises in an overgrown garden.
12. Their accomplishments are your accomplishments. Not everyone is going to be thrilled about the things your niece or nephew does -- but it doesn’t mean it’s not awesome or any less exciting. Feeding into their enthusiasm is critical and also lightens your heart.
13. There is no such thing as too much pride. I will show you every video and photo of my nieces and nephews. No arguments.
14. They’re basically your children. I cannot tell you how many times my brothers or sister-in-laws have stepped away for just a second and I have a nephew or niece in my arms and a friendly stranger approaches me. It’s usually a variation of the following: “Your son/daughter is so cute!”, “He/she is adorable.”, *crazy judgment eyes* “Is she/he yours…”, “He/she looks just like you!”
15. I already am the crazy aunt. I am going to be the obnoxious aunt at the sidelines of their little league games with a surplus of orange slices and a t-shirt with their face on it.
16. No girl will ever be good enough for my nephews and no boy will ever be good enough for my nieces. Sometimes I pretend I’m their second mother and I feel the same protection and high standards as their mothers do.
17. It doesn’t get better than a baby sleeping on your chest. Life’s greatest miracle on your chest. Pure bliss.
18. Separation anxiety is real thing. It doesn’t just exist for eighteen month olds and their mothers. It happens when you spend an entire month with your nephew and then you have to go back to school and not hang out with him any more.
19. Out of all the things I can label myself as, being an aunt is my favorite identity to be.
To all the kind elderly ladies out there who always wonder -- no they are not my kids, but sometimes I pretend they are.
With two more bundles of joy on the way, I couldn’t be happier to have my lovely little rugrats running around in my life.
