Today, my nephew Jack, a.k.a. my favorite person on the planet (sorry mom, GTB, and Katie-did), turns 3.

I called his mom a few minutes ago and asked the prerequisite “How are you?” Her response: “A helluva lot better than I was on this day three years ago!” Jack’s delivery was rough. So were the few weeks after. Tracey became extremely ill and spent most of his first few days in the hospital. Though those of us who lived across the country didn’t really understand it until after the fact, she was close to death and was lucky to pull through. But, because she did pull through and is healthy and happy (and now the mother of another little cherub, this one a beautiful one-year-old girl) and because I didn’t actually go through the experience myself, I think we can in all honesty say Jack was worth it.

He’s not only adorable, he’s also fearless. I will never get over the sheer joy of watching him swim in the ocean with his daddy this past July, nor would I want to. Joe would hold Jack’s hand and expect him to cower when a big wave came in. But Jack would beg his daddy to take him out further each time. And he refused to come out of the water, even when his jaw was shaking with shivers from the cold Pacific. (The above picture is from that day. Apparently, Jack isn’t even afraid of getting sand in his eyes, as this picture was taken after his third such incident that afternoon.)

He’s also smart in the most ridiculously funny ways. For instance, last time I saw him, his parents were trying to break him of the pacifier habit. He only got one when he was going to bed, and only then if there was one by his bed. One afternoon, he found the Ziploc baggie full of his and his sister’s pacifiers in the kitchen. His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree and he immediately made a beeline for his room. I followed him and when I got there, I saw that he had opened his top nightstand drawer and dumped all the pacifiers in. He then handed me the empty baggie and ran back to the living room to play, satisified with his newly replenished stock of “nanas.”

I’ve always felt a really close connection with Jack. I don’t know if it’s because he was my first blood niece or nephew, or because he looks so much like my brother it’s actually a little hilarious. Whatever the case, he’s had me hooked from the first picture I saw of him. And when he calls me Auntie Cool, which sounds only a little like my real name, I can’t help but give him whatever he wants. Gum, another drink of my frappucino, my kidneys.

I’ve never spent a birthday with Jack. And though I’m not there with him on his actual birthday today, I’ll be there this weekend for his third birthday party. I’m two days away from seeing him, and all I can do is think about him opening his presents, eating ice cream, and waking up in the morning to play with his new train set.

Happy birthday, big guy!

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