I'm going to be an aunt this time!

No, wait. I’ll still be an uncle. But this time, I’ll be an uncle to a girl, which means that I’ll have a niece. Yeah, that’s it.

My little sister had her ultra-sound today. It’s a girl (she has a 2 1/2 year-old boy now). I’m excited for her and, to be honest, excited for myself. I’m looking forward to becoming “Uncle Jeff” again in November. Whoo-hoo!

Let me be the first to pat you on the back. Have fun with your niece, I’m sure she will have a special place in her heart for Uncle Jeff.

Reminds me of a line from FRIENDS:

"I’m your Aunt Monica.

“I … I will always have gum.”

Thanks, Brunetter. That was sweet.

I remember a Mother’s Day card I saw when my sister was pregnant with her son. It said something along the lines of, “Your kids will always think I’m much more cool than you.”

Wow, Brunetter, that is a really cool quote. It puts a very powerful feeling into everyday terms.

I am the aunt of a two-year-old niece, and it’s completely changed my life. I have more direction, drive, and motivation than I ever had before.

Part of it is because while my sister was pregnant I was contributing to her support. (People used to tell me, “You act like you are the father of this baby”).

The other part is because I want to be cool Aunt Eddy, not some loser who makes her go: “Ewwww, I hope I never grow up to be like that.”

Kids do that to you, they make you think about what they’re going to be like when they’re older, and what you wanted to be like when you grew up. It’s been a real treat watching someone grow up from birth (I was the labor coach) through eating solid food, growing teeth, walking and talking all for the first time (hers and mine, until she was born, my sister and I were the youngest generation in our family, I had never been around babies). And the unconditional love, well . . . I think I’ve had a little glimpse of what it will be like to have a child myself.

She’s taught me so much. I’ve never loved anyone more.

Congratulations Strainger! And of course the BEST part is she’ll always adore you! You don’t have to tell her to brush her teeth, her hair, do her homework or make the bed, you’ll always be her favorite uncle!