"Be quiet, Coco!"

"Coco! Coco!"

"Oh. Hi, Coco."

"Hide, Coco! We hidin'!"

These are just a few of the phrases my two and a half year old nephew spews out at me. He is learning more and more every day and I enjoy watching him grow tremendously. My favorite thing is when he throws his blanket over the two of us and whispers, "Be quiet, Coco!" as I am not saying anything at all, but he insists that I am.

Or is it when I tell him, "Tell your mama to go away!" and then he slams the door in her face as he giggles? That is definitely one of my favorite things he does among the many others. He is extremely entertaining and lovable. Hearing him giggle, watching a large smile grow on his face, and listening to him talk in his own language makes my heart melt.

I never thought I would love my nephew as much as I do and I have him to thank for that. He has just recently started to say, "I love you!" That is the best thing to hear at any time of the day. That little shy smile he gets when he tells me he loves me is the cutest thing.

My heart breaks a little each time when I have to leave him and he yells out, "No byes! No byes!" His bottom lip juts out in a pout and he looks down to the ground as if hypnotizing me into him getting his own way. Although, twenty seconds later he will forget I ever tried to leave in the first place.

My nephew was a blessing for this family. He was and still is the best thing that has ever happened to us and I thank my lucky stars each and every day for him being in my life.

I also happen to really enjoy the fact that I was the first person he gave a nickname to.

Aunt Coco and Little Billy: two pals that I never would have even thought to exist in my lifetime.

..and I love every single second of being an aunt and his best friend.