Merry Christmas To All

What a great time of year! Six crazy kiddies running around the house screaming for joy (mostly), amped up on sugar and Santa Claus. I love the excitement that having a house full of children who are full of Christmas spirit can bring. I love being the aunt that gets to try and find the perfect presents, to indulge in another doll or batman shirt. I love to add to their spoils and I love to watch them laugh. They are my Christmas spirit and my joy in this world. I hope you enjoyed your holidays as much as I did and that you had some cute kiddos to help you remember what real happiness is like.

Merry Christmas!

Love,

Aunt Neisha

Happy 1st Birthday Arden

I can't believe my spit up spewing, diaper filling, screaming little bundle of baby is turning one today! Arden, my youngest and fifth niece is the big 0-1! 

She is one of the funniest little girls I know, laughing and spitting and screaming with so much intensity! Standing out in the crowd of estrogen seems impossible but this adorable girl has done it and done it well! I love the gap between her front teeth and how she wants to walk so bad but can't quite get it. She still gets mad when you leave the room and she can't see what's going on and she's about as squirmy as a captured fugitive. But that smile, that laugh, that girl! I love her so darn much! We celebrate on Saturday, but today I celebrate the sixth addition to my auntie brood and I will adore her just as I do each and every one of my bouncing, growing, gorgeous babes! 

Happy Birthday Arden Caroline! 

Love,

Aunt Neisha 

The Knight

Sorry I've been gone so long, it's been a long month. 

My grandfather passed away a few days ago. While he was fighting pneumonia, among other alements, I sat down to write my nieces and nephews a story which turned into a story for the doctors and nurses at the hospital and ended as a goodbye to my grandfather at his funeral. The story is true. It is inspired by my grandmother and grandfather's life together. It is one of my most favorite fairy tales and is one of my biggest inspirations for writing, as well as loving (tied with my other grandparents story). I'd like to share their love story with you all. So, please enjoy! 

Once Upon A Time... 

There was a young and beautiful maiden who had just lost her Prince Charming. She was left in a cold tower along with her three young children as her swollen belly grew with the weight of a fourth. 

Soon her days were full of three bustling boys and one sweet little girl. The maiden felt so much love for her little blessings but worried about them growing up without the strength and protection of a father. As she searched the village and scoured the countryside for someone to help her family, the maiden began to feel hopeless. 

One day, while pushing her littlest through the market, a gleam caught her eye. Standing there sparkling in the sun was a Knight in Shining Armor. He was tall and strong and, most importantly, kind. 

He smiled at the young maiden and asked if he could be of service to the young woman, Knights can always sense when they’re needed. The maiden graciously accepted his help and soon after his hand. 

The Knight had a young daughter of his own and soon a sixth child, another boy arrived. He built his love a castle of their own and filled the days with patience, understanding, love, and laughter. 

The maiden had found herself enveloped in true love that would last a lifetime. 

This is not just a Fairy Tale, though the story is pretty magical. 

This is the story of how a man loved a woman. The story of how a man loved his children. The story of how a man loved his grand children, and great-grandchildren. 

The story of how heroes exist in this world in the form of men. 

This is the story about the man in this room. 

He is the head of a family. He has a wife, six children, five children-in-law, fourteen grandchildren, eight grandchildren-in-law, and twelve great-grandchildren along with siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews, extended family, and countless friends that cherish him. We have all been blessed by this sweet and gentle man’s kindness. 

We found that magic still exists in this world, and a very large amount is held within his heart. 

So please, if you could take care of it for us we’d all be so grateful. 

Oh, and most importantly, 

They All Lived Happily Ever After 

The End

A Short Cut

My oldest niece, Avery, decided to make a big contribution this past week. She had ten inches of hair cut off and donated it to Locks of Love, so that she could help children who are fighting for their lives have pretty hair too. At five years old Avery has learned to be kind, generous, and giving. An aunts dream. She is so very proud of her donation and of her fun new do. Av was the queen of pony tails and is still getting used to her short locks but she's totally rocking her short style! I'm so proud of my baby girl!

Love, Aunt Neisha

Good Luck Avery!

Happy First Day of School, Avery Nadine! I can't believe it's been more than five years since I met my very first angel! You are smart, strong, and full of fun! I love how you can run around scraping knees, riding your bike, and fishing all while rocking a skirt and tennies! You will do so amazing at school, just like everything else! Your giggle will light up the place! I adore you my beautiful girl! 

Love, Aunt Neisha

Tonight I'll Say It: Laughter, Love, and Lollipops

I clearly wrote this a while ago, before babies number five and six were born, but I thought it was more relevent for this blog.  Believe me, I have plenty of thoughts on the subject but here's a sneakpeak of where my head was a while back...
Tonight I'll Say It: Laughter, Love, and Lollipops: I have been blessed with three gorgeous nieces and one adorable nephew and two days ago found out a fourth niece will be joining the bunch i...

Good Luck Laenie!!

Well, after a fashion show, mani, pedi, facial, and final clothing preparation, Laenen is ready for her first day of school. Just wish the rest of us were! 

Here are my first day wishes to my sweet and sassy lady:

Happy First Day of School to Little Miss Laenen Shae!! I can't believe that my tiny little Laenie Bug is all grown up and going to kindergarten!! You have grown and matured and amazed all of us with your strength and determination to not only overcome your fears but to rock every place you go. You are fabulous, beautiful, and oh so fancy! I love you dearly and can not believe you are this big already!! I can't wait to watch you take over the world, bedazzling it all the way! 

Love, Aunt Neisha

Meet the Babies

Okay, so who are all these little people I’m talking about?  I’ll give you the quick (my defiition of quick may not be as quick as yours) run down of the babes.

I have two older Brothers, each is married with three kids.

Big Bro                                  Little-Big Bro

1)Avery- 5                           2)Laenen- 5

3)Ainsley- 3                         4)Rhett- 3

6)Arden- 10months             5)Maeve- 1

Avery, was the first of the brood of babies in my family.  She was born in January of 2008 and was the most adorable little red thing I’d ever seen!  She was already chubby cheeks and had my big brother’s face in mini baby girl form, all the way down to his crazy eye brows (they grow straight up, aunt Neisha has a version of them that she’s learned to control, and will pass down to A when she needs it) and his scrunched up grumpy face.  She was perfect.  An angel in my arms and the calmest and happiest baby.

Laenen, was baby girl number two.  She came four months later, in May of 2008.  And again, looked a lot like her daddy.  She was gorgeous and grumpy from day one.  My little diva princess with huge, gorgeous eyes and a penetrating gaze that dared you to get closer.  We learned quickly not to.  Laenie had serious (and when I say serious I mean blood curdling) collick and broke my heart daily with her terrified cries.  I held her at the hospital and a few times shortly after she was born.  For the next year any attempt ended in such stress that we began a shy game of grins at a safe distance, don’t worry, I won my little girl over.

Ainsley, baby girl number three was born in January of 2010.  She was a grogeous baby that reminded us of her big sister but looked more like her mama.  She had a sweetness about her from day one and made me realize that no matter how many babies, and specifically how many girls, we had in this family each one was not only their own individual little person but they were awe-inspiring every single time.  She made quite an impression on her big sister, who was thrilled with this little cuddle ball that had come into her life.  At least for the time being.

Rhett, the solo boy in my family so far, was born in March of 2010.  We knew he was coming and we were thrilled!  We loved our pink but were so excited to buy blue and see what a little man was all about.  In the case of Rhett it was about the most perfectly made little boy in the world.  If I thought his big sister had big eyes, I was shocked by these huge spheres of wonder in front of me.  He became the man of my dreams, the moment I laid eyes on him and he’s spent every day of his life reinforcing that, no man compares to my monster.

Maeve, our fourth bundle of pink perfection arrived in January of 2012.  Now all the “big” kids were able to at least kind of understand that a new baby was on the way and they were excited. They wanted to help pick out names, baby clothes, crib decorations, and anything else that would make them a part of baby preperation.  They waited anxiously for her to arrive and she did, the tiniest wisp of a girl.  She was immediately a soft, sweet-faced thing that made you see her in stark contrast to her rambungsious siblings.  She finally gave mama  a break (as much as a new born possbily can). 

Arden, baby girl number five and overall baby six was born in September of 2012.  Talk about a production!  This girl  had mommy, daddy, four grandparents, two aunts, one uncle, two sisters, and three cousins waiting at the hospital for her arrival.  She was one loved baby girl!  I realized on that day that you could never have too many babies.  I had another gorgeous, healthy, happy niece who would cover me in more spit up and produce more dirty diapers than I’d ever seen before in my life!

I have five blue eyed nieces and one green eyed nephew.  They’re all fun, creative, independent, and just plain adorable!  I am, I’m pretty much certain, the luckiest aunt in the world.  And I try to do all that I can to dote on all six of them every chance I get.

So, how do you live in the world of today and have any remote hope of them all turning out safe, happy, and healthy?  Enter the Auntie.  These babies are my world and will find themselves surrounded by people who love and encourage them daily.  They will know the realities (not always pretty, and definitely not always something mommy and daddy want to think or talk about) and the wonders of life.  They will go on adventures, whether it’s running through their great grandma’s yard looking for fairy’s to getting off the plane on their first big trip.  These kids will know love, loss, laughter, and life and be ready to face it head held high and with a  glimmer of mischief in their eyes.  These kids are gonna rock the world. 

And if they end up living in the small town where I (and they are currently) grew up and go no where special (I doubt it, I’ve filled their heads with enough images of the world that there’s little chance they won’t explore it) then I will be over joyed with their contentment.  I want them to survive this world that takes no prisoners.  I want them to survive the mean girls of junior high, the hazing of college, and the wounds of a broken heart.  I want them to thrive.

And I want to be there to watch every second of the ride!!

Love, Aunt Neisha

Welcome!

This is where an admittedly awesome aunt comes to praise, panick, and all around adore the beautiful babies that she is lucky to love!

My first post will be up soon, thanks for joining me!

Love, Aunt Neisha