Six years ago today

Six years ago today my niece was born.

Now, six years ago she wasn't my niece yet. But I remember that day I was first "introduced" to her. Because six years and one month ago I met my husband. Back when we were just co-workers and both in steady relationships. Back when he was just the "new guy". 

Anyway, so I remember the day my niece was born. We were both working that night, and struck up a mild conversation about his crazy soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend. I remember the look on his face when he got the text message. She had arrived, and there on a tiny little cell phone screen we looked at her for the first time. Completely unbeknownst to me, I was staring at a little girl who would forever mark my "memory lane". 

5 years ago at her first birthday was when I found out I was pregnant with my oldest. I remember sitting on the hill picking at my cake with Husband's sisters, telling them all about the crazy symptoms that I just couldn't understand. Throwing up, and fatigue, followed by the dizzy I-might-pass-out-right-here feeling that I was suffering from each morning for a week now. They looked at each other and proclaimed "You're pregnant".

Three weeks later, this sweet baby girl was walking down the aisle hand in hand with my now oldest niece as the flower girls in my wedding. 

Over the years I've watched her become a big sister, give up her paci, introduce Monster 1 to Barbie dolls, start school, learn to write her full name, and develop not only a unique personality, but also the girliest of taste in fashion. She has held a special place in my life, not only as the "first" of my nieces/nephews that I witnessed join into the world but also as a marker of time. The older she gets the more I look back on how much time has passed since my world changed.

When I remember this day six years ago, I don't just think about how my niece was born. I think about the look on Husband's face that day. I've seen that look not just then, but also five times since then. The proud look on his face as he showed off that little girl. That's when I knew he was different from other guys. Because I saw him with that look when our daughters were born. It's expected of every new daddy. To see him have that look for his niece and nephews though, meant that he not only loved his family, but that he was the kind of guy you want to keep around. The ones who show that kind of devotion are the ones who stick around forever. I'm excited that I'll get to see that look one more time when he's showing off our son right around the same time I'll be celebrating five years years married to the best guy ever.

So, Happy birthday to my niece and Happy I-Knew-It Anniversary to me. :)