I like to call it, "mommy in training."

After all the baby dolls I took care of growing up, and even giving them hair cuts myself, I couldn't wait to grow up to be a mommy.  

That day hasn't come yet but I'm the next best thing... Auntie Joy.  And they aren't my blood nieces.  They are my one of my best friends, Paula's, kids.  Paula didn't think she could have kids after trying for 19 years.  And on that 19th year of trying she decided to get a hysterectomy.  Only when she went in for the normal blood work to set up everything for the surgery... she found out she was 4 1/2 months prego.  

Shocker?  I didn't believe it when she called me that Monday.  I was living in Jackson at the time.  And then that same week on Wednesday, she came to Jackson for a sonogram and I got to see the first pictures of the little baby girl growing inside of her.  That's right... found out she was prego on Monday and found out it was a girl two days later.  

Anniston was born in Aug almost 4 years ago and I have been a part of her life since before she was born, even conceived.  We may not share blood but we do share the same middle name, Leigh.  I was the third person to hold her when she was born (right after her mommy and daddy) and they kept the name a surprise to everyone but me.  Do you know how hard that was for me to keep it from everyone??  I loved her name so much and keeping it hush, hush for 5 months - geez it was hard... but I did it.  

Since the day she was born, I have not gone over a week without seeing her.  And when her little sister Ava was being born, it was Auntie Joy that took care of her and took her to the hospital to meet her baby sister for the first time.  I changed her diaper more times than I want to remember, I bought most of her clothes the first two years of her life, I painted her toes for the first time, I took her to the rodeo for the first time and we have gone to every one in Lauderdale ever since and I don't miss a chance to pick her up from preschool.  I have been there for a lot of her firsts and I have missed a few but one thing for sure... I love her like she is my own.

Being an aunt is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.  I'm not their mom but they are training me to be the best mommy one day.  My children will have Anniston and Ava to thank for their childhood.  One day.

Last night was another first, I taught Anniston how to swing by herself.  All I could hear was, "look Auntie Joy, I'm doing it!"  To say it warmed my heart is an understatement.  And an hour before that first, she asked me to draw with her.  While being wanna be Pisacos, she said to me, "you are my best friend."  I hope she still feels this way when she is fifteen and I'm telling her no to something.

That is Anniston's portrait on the left and Terry's portrait on the right.