"There's this little boy... who kinda stole my heart, and he calls me auntie."

Growing up with my older sister, it was an extreme roller coaster. As little kids, we were each other's sole source of entertainment, and as someone who never really grew up with a mom during the childhood years, she stepped up and did the best her little self could. During our teenage years, we drifted apart - she was the near perfect child and I was definitely the troublemaker. Although we are near polar opposites, don't let our physical similarities fool you, there was something that brought us closer: her little boy.

Hear me out, I never liked kids. Like, I didn't even want to get married, let alone have even one child run around and mess up my future.

However, when my sister gave me a nephew, my whole world changed, for the better.

Watching him grow up - this beautiful, baby boy with the most innocent brown eyes and bouncing curly hair - has taught me more than anyone or anything could've. Here are 10 things I have learned after my nephew stepped into my life and changed my world:

1. Having a nephew, you feel a different love than other loves

Again, I wasn't a kid person. I was scared to even pick a baby up, in case I broke him or something. But, as my nephew grows older, there's a love I can't put into words. It's different than a sibling or family love - protective, yet daring. I have never felt this type of love until I actually got to know that boy.

2. That being said, I am 100% NOT ready for a child

Nope. Just, nope. Sorry sweet nephew of mine, but those diapers are entirely too nasty for me to be doing for a child of my own. And let's not talk about how expensive or high-maintenance they are. I'll watch my nephew any day of the year, but I'm 100% not ready for one of my own. Spending time with him is better than any birth control at the pharmacy, and he's pretty damn close to perfect.

3. It's weird, yet awesome, to see your sister being a mom

At first, I was shocked. How could she have a kid?! It feels like we were just kids, and here she is having a kid?! I'm not lying when I said I had an excessive amount of panic when she gave me the call, but seeing her as a mother is pretty damn awesome. But still, you don't get used to your sister doing things that your parents did when you were younger. It's just weird!

4. There's a difference between being "motherly" and acting as an Aunt

When I interact with my nephew, I treat him as a person. I don't coo at him or talk slow, but I literally hang out with him. I don't consider myself an authority figure to him, so I care for him with gentle assertiveness. However, I do teach him what I can and play with him. Although he's only two, he is the coolest kid I know. No bias, I swear.

5. I am a pretty chill person, but if you mess with my nephew, Aunty Bear comes out

It is a privilege that my sister and brother-in-law trust me with their only son, so I make sure to protect him at all costs. I am already a very protective and loyal person, but no one wants to see me if they mess with my nephew. I mean no one.

6. You get to be a kid, even for just a little while

Adulting is hard, so when I have playdates with my nephew, I sit in his playpen and play with his toys with him. No worries, no pressures, just playing with his trucks or his play-kitchen. I could spend hours playing with him, or watching Moana, or even opening and closing doors, his new favorite thing!

7. You tend to show off your nephew to your friends

You know the mom who constantly shows pictures of her kids to random people? Yep, that's me as an aunt. I have the cutest pictures of my nephew in my phone that I've shown to friends, classmates, people in line at the grocery store. What, he's the cutest kid I've ever seen, why wouldn't I?!

8. You learn to change a diaper

Yes, I went there. I never changed a diaper until my nephew was born and, to be honest, nor did I ever want to. You learn to put him in a car seat, put a car seat into a car, how to feed him formula, etc. You gain those skills with being an aunt, even the ones you never really wanted to have.

9. Time flies by, and you never realize it until you see your nephew grow up

It feels like just yesterday he was an infant, and now he's walking?! How?! Time goes just as fast for us, so I learn to spend every second I can with him, because I want to watch him grow. It's sad and exciting and emotional to see this little boy grow up into such a great kid, and I just wish time would slow down sometimes.

10. I'll never be the bad guy; I'm the cool aunt!

Haha! While my sister gets to be cast as the villain whenever he gets into trouble, he will call his Aunty to vent. So yeah, good luck sis, you and your hubs will have the joy of dealing with the teenage angst.

Ultimately, my nephew came into my life as the best blessing in disguise.

Because of him, I try to be the best kind of person I can be. He motivates me to work hard, and to lead as a role model. He helped me mature in more ways than one, and I am forever grateful for him to be in my life.

To you, my dearest nephew Raphael, your Aunty loves you will all of her heart.

Thank you for sharing your toys and banana snacks with me. Thank you for being the best kid to babysit, and for fist-bumping me when I'm having a bad day. Thank you for the endless hugs, and good times during our playdates. I am so excited to watch you grow into the man your parents will raise you to be. I also look forward to being the cool aunt you call when your parents are doing their job in parenting you. Until then, I will watch those cute little hands smudge peanut butter and jelly all over that angel face.

I love you always, Raph! Love, Aunty Ella.