Happy Birthday Finn.

Tomorrow is my nephew's third birthday. His THIRD birthday. I can hardly believe it. I still think of him as a baby. I remember the call that I received in the middle of the night from my exhausted brother-in-law when he was finally born. After many hours of labor, my sister had an emergency c-section and baby Finn entered the world. I was so excited for her. I visited her the next day in hospital regardless of the disapproving eyes that glared at me as I left the office. I arrived to see my sister as a new mother and to meet the little boy connected to me forever by blood.

I of course was at his first birthday party and I watched Finn snub the beautiful green and yellow rubber ducky cake. Like his father. I watched him grow into a mischievous toddler. Like his mama- a trouble maker. Clever, funny, naughty, adorable.

Tomorrow he will have a birthday party and I won't be there. They are going to tour a fire station, and picnic at a park with lots of kids, and Zack & Evan won't be there. Because we are here. Which is good, except for the fact that we are not there.

When my sister and I had babies close in age I was thrilled. My sons will have cousins. I did not grow up with much family. My mother was an only child, and my father's brother did not have any children with his wife, plus they rarely visited. I had envisioned that my sons would be very close with Finn and Kristoff. I imagined sleep over parties and babysitting swaps. Family camping trips and Sunday barbeque's.

But life took us to California, what feels like a million miles away. I am going to miss the birthday parties and the everyday get-togethers, and it makes me sad.

I hope that my nephews will know that although far away, I am still a proud Auntie. I hope my sister knows that I miss her so, and if she did not, well she does now.

Love you Finn. Happy birthday. Stay naughty. :)

Love,
Auntie Rachel