Growing up, I have always been the youngest child and I was the only girl in my family so people always looked out for me. I was never in charge of watching younger kids and I was not held to higher expectation due to the fact that I was someone's role model, but that all changed this year.

My freshman year in college, I was told by my brother that he was expecting a baby with his girlfriend. I was so excited and so nervous at the same time. My two brothers are six and eight years older than me, so I assumed one or both of them would have children before I would, but I almost thought it was never going to happen. When I got the news that they were expecting a baby boy, it changed how I thought about everything.

Boys are more independent even starting at a young age so it made me think about how much I was going to smother him in love and kisses and how much I would actually be able to protect him. I pictured myself as that aunt who is always right behind him ready to stand up to someone when they take his toy away at the playground, but then I thought some more and I realized that if I did that he would never learn to stand up for himself. It is hard trying to find that balance in between over-protective and making sure he knows you are there, but that is just one of the things we will learn together as a family.

Becoming an aunt is much more challenging than some people think. Out of nowhere, there is this baby that literally takes your breath away. From the moment he was born, I knew that I needed to get my life together. I wanted to be ready for any twist and turns and I wanted to be everything he would want or need out of an aunt. Am I going a little overboard? Maybe, but that is what happens when such a beautiful and precious gift is placed in your life.