Best time of the year!!!

Ok I know how most people hate summer because it's HOT! But I've always loved it! I loved having my birthday right around a holiday. Then I always felt they were shooting off fireworks for me and my birthday... (Yes I was THAT selfish). Also hard to believe that it's been 21 years since Pop died. It was July 1st 1990 right before my 13th birthday and all I could think about was that I wasn't going to have a birthday party that year. (Yes I know but bare with me folks I was a preteen/teenager LOL)... Anyway, the big birthdays were always memorable (13 - Pop died, 16- got lost in Boston with my mom and sister going to visit family friends for a wedding... 18 nothing really happened on my birthday that year but later that school year I broke my ankle taking out trash to the road and ended up being in a wheelchair for prom and graduation... 21 - rode in a hot air balloon with my sister)... So needless to say I, for the most part, have had fun times on my birthday and always enjoy it.

The best present I got for my birthday happened before my birthday in 2007 when I became an aunt for the first time! Sure I was an aunt to friends' kids but this was different. And although Cheri lived in New Mexico I was still so excited when Mom told me that my niece was born. BEST BIRTHDAY EVER! Nila is so full of energy and she and Eli will probably be the closest thing I have to my own kids which is ok, but this week every year I'm so excited to know that Nila and I share something special.. I will be the only aunt she'll have on her mom's side and I can't wait til she gets a few years older so I can share stories of how her mom was as a kid and how I see alot of her mom's personality in her. :)