I'm so glad that I'm her aunt!

Today, we all celebrate my niece's 14th birthday. She isn't just my niece though, she's one cool kid. Seriously. What makes her the coolest besides the fact that she is adorable and beautiful all at the same time but that she doesn't even realize that she is.

When Mariah was born, (she hears the story often), I was given the pleasure of being in the delivery room with her birthmom. My sister was 3 1/2 hours away, doing the best she could to get there in time to be a part of her birth. When I first saw her, it was love at first sight. I just knew that she was going to rock the world and she has. The nurse allowed me to go into the nursery as she was bathed and then left for me to have a girl to girl chat with her. Instead, she held my finger and looked right at me as if to say, "You are going to be my most favorite aunt in the whole wide world!" (Well, it did look like that was what she was saying.) I told her about the crazy, goofy, loving family that she was now a part of. I told her that she was loved from the moment she was a twinkle in her mommy and daddy's eyes.

An hour or so later, my sister walked past the nursery window and all I could do was point at their beautiful baby girl with a head full of hair.

And now, 14 years later, nothing has changed except for the love that I have for her. Not because she's a straight A student, not because she is the baby of the family, not because she laughs at all my jokes and not because I was paid to say all of this (because I wasn't). I adore her because she is the best thing that has happened to all of us.

Have one of the greatest birthday ever! I look forward to celebrating your birthday with you and I'll try not to embarrass you too much...only a little bit!

Happy 14th birthday, Mariah!!