Once There Was a Nephew

Once there was this baby born to my sister. A complete little person, a stranger, a little wrinkled man.
I had the esteemed pleasure to be the first fellow human to ever lay hands on him. I remember touching his wrinkled feet, they were tiny but too large for his body and he was still damp from residing in that warm place in which he grew.
I rubbed that foot and I said to him " You don't know me and I don't know you but I hope we can be great friends"

And then the process of knowing him began. As a baby, what can be said? He ate, he slept, he grew. And I loved him, almost too much to stand. It was a difficult place in our relationship, for I knew that I would never have a child of my own that tiny and helpless- and oh how he made my heart ache and yearn. 

And then his personality began to emerge. Goofy, funny, smart, stubborn. A real fit for this crowd.

I watched him hit that roly-poly tumbling down toddler age. He was easy with a grin- just a sort of rollicking kind of kid. And he had asthma so I worried about him constantly. I also got to stand by and watch my sister change into a mother.  I loved this boy.

From those deep dark, eyes to that beautiful curly hair, I was, and still am, a goner. I remember his toddles, his falls, his clumsiness. I took to calling him headlong because that's how he approached life and body mechanics- just headlong into it all. Full of jokes and laughs. Easy with people, smiling and charming. But, also a rascal. I saw him throw a fit once that left me confused and baffled and laughing and crying and thinking,  "Oh my Lord what is Melissa ever going to do with this kid?".

And this weekend I looked at him. And I kind of panicked. While I was away he has changed into a kid. Not a toddler or pre-schooler. Not roly-poly anymore. Almost out of his headlong ways of moving. There he was, all golden and brown. Curly hair crowning that head. Laughing and smiling and being concerned and tender for his new cousin. He's playing soccer, he's learning to spell and read. He talks and tells me things about his day. He calls up to talk over a rough day with Evelyn. He is all things boy, rocks and bugs and climbing and sports, cars and airplanes. 

He is Brevin. 

My nephew.

And I simply can not imagine my life without him in it.

I told him once when he was worried about Liam coming, I told him that I loved him. I told him that no matter what, he was the first boy in my heart and that would never change. It won't.

Every time I look at him, I see those floppy baby feet in that hospital warmer and my heart skips and I remember my promise of friendship. Quite possibly the easiest promise of all to keep.

I love you Brev. I am sorry that I have been so busy and tired lately. Could you please slow down your growing a bit? Just until I catch my breath, so I don't miss anything, you see.

This is you at the beginning of this summer.

This is you last week.

See what I mean? Just slow it down a bit buddy, there's plenty of time.