Dear Demarii,

This letter won't be long, but first off, I just want to thank you. Thank you for being an overwhelming joy in my life over these past eight years. One the biggest gifts that I have ever received in my life was when my eldest brother gave me honor of being your Aunt, and for that, I owe him everything. To the world, I'm just Lanecha, but because of you I have the remarkable privilege to have the title "Auntie Nene" and I promise I wear that title with the utmost pride. You've given me the coolest job on the planet. The very first time I changed your diaper, I knew one thing for sure, and that was that I never want kids. You literally scarred me for life, kid!

Demarii, you're the only person who can make me smile on my worst day. You're the only little person who could hustle every dollar out of my pocket for toy money without me feeling robbed! Whenever I come home from school it amazes me that you love me the same, you greet me the same, and you treat me as if no time has passed! You ask me a thousand and three most of the time I have the answers, but then others then other times just don't, yet you still look at me like I'm the greatest teacher in the world. Little do you know you've taught me so many lessons that no college professor could ever teach. I've learned from you that children have a brilliant way of teaching us not to take life so seriously. I adore the way you spend hours laughing, playing make believe, and eat sweet things that would ruin all of the dental work that I've ever had. You've taught me what the beauty of innocence looks like. You've also taught me how beautiful it is to have an endless imagination. Don't be mistaken though my honey, as a teenager and young adult, there have been so many times where I just wanted to put you up for nephew adoption. You barge in my room without knocking, you leave your bath toys at the bottom of my tub, you annoy me for cereal, and the list goes on, but I wouldn't give you up even if my life depended on it.

Demarii, one day you'll be old enough to understand the meaning behind this letter. So when you're all grown up and in college reminiscing on our famous car rides to McDonald's, understand me when I say this, read this and read this good, from bottom of my heart, I absolutely hate your favorite song "Move it move it" from the movie Madagascar, but every time you're in my backseat you request it. So please remember no matter how old you are I'll always sacrifice for you even if it makes my ears ache! When you're old enough to be embarrassed by your nickname remember you will always be my Peanut. I don't want you to ever stop being yourself, never stop laughing, or singing high-pitched songs, or doing the robot! You're one of a kind my Peanut and no one could ever take your place. So thank you Demarii, thank you for being the best coin collecting, noise making, Ninja Turtle loving, robot computer game playing, a girl could ever ask for. I love you.

Love,

Your "Auntie Nene"