My Dearest Paityn,
As today started (at the bright and early time of 4:30 a.m.), I thought back to this day 15 years ago when you were brought into my life. March 3, 1999 is forever etched in my mind because of you!
I remember being at DePaul eating breakfast and getting ready to go to class when PaPa called and said that your mom was going to the hospital. Should I go home right now (by taking the train) or wait for PaPa to get off work? I just could not wait to see if you were a girl or boy and to finally meet the baby that we all had talked about for the past few months. PaPa said that he would go after work and that he would pick me up as soon as he was done for the day. I definitely did not pay attention in the education class I had that day because all I could think about was you! Boy or girl? How much would you way? Would you look like the Murphy clan?
I remember talking with your mom after you were born and how excited I was to find out you were a girl. I was a little confused about the spelling of your name (but as you know, I have come to love the fact that the girls’ names in our family are not spelled in the normal way). I loved that your mom used the middle name of JAYNE, just like every other girl in our family and now we shared something in common.
I could not wait to go shopping for all the pink and purple clothes that I could find. Shopping for you was so much fun because I had never really shopped for a baby before. When I went to Babies R Us, I was so glad I was able to shop for a girl because that is the section that has the cutest things (I never could shop for boy outfits).
I remember meeting you (my first niece) for the first time at the hospital and crying with your mom, Grandma and PaPa. You were so beautiful and tiny (5 lbs 5 oz). Even though you were a little peanut, you could scream! Those lungs cleared out the room at one point (I guess nothing much has changed).
As I look back on this day, and the countless others I have shared with you during the last 15 years, I also want to say thank you. Thank you for showing me how to love someone so much it hurts. Thank you for loving me back and showing it every time I came home from college (and still to this day, even though you are too cool sometimes to give me a hug). Thank you for calling me Auntie Kelly, even when your friends were around. Thank you for teaching me about Christmas morning routines and how to get up early just to rip open presents and ask every 5 seconds “Mine?”. Thank you for the countless memories of summers spent playing and talking while I watched you when your mom went to work. Thank you for being such a great big cousin to Ashleigh & Mollie, they love you more than you know. Thank you for putting up with Uncle Greg, even though you secretly enjoy his teasing. Thank you for being such an amazing girl who I would be proud to call my own. I can only hope that my two girls grow up to be as wonderful as you!
Happy 15th Birthday, Paityn! I cannot wait to see what the rest of your life has in store for you! I know it will be amazing!
Love,
Auntie Kelly
P.S. Sorry that I did not get this out yesterday. I got started late and did not finish because I was crying so much thinking back on all that time with you. Time goes by too fast!
Just a note about family 
15 years?? What the what???
Kelly, this is such a sweet tribute to your relationship with Paityn. I cried reading it, so I can’t even imagine how you managed to write it. This line did me in: Thank you for showing me how to love someone so much it hurts.
Beautiful. I hope you share this with her.
Im sure you cried through that whole thing! I cried as I read it! I cant believe she is 15 The aunt/niece relationship is such a beautiful thing. I have enjoyed hearing stories about her over the years. So glad you are slicing 🙂
Oh this is a tear jerker! Wow, You have to share this with her one day.
Beautiful letter! I loved the P.S. at the end. I find myself crying when I write certain pieces also- those are always my favorite pieces.
I just LOVE this post. I could relate so much to all of the feelings as my first niece, first grandbaby of the family was born in ’98 and changed our lives. She is so so special to me and I too cannot wait to see my little girl idolize the beautiful person she is. As a matter of fact when Jordan mentioned he hopes our little girl loves to fish I said not to worry. She’s going to LOVE Emily. And Emily loves to fish! I am so happy that you joined in on the slicing. It’ll be my way of “seeing” you every day!!!
Welcome to slicing!! This is the sweetest thing ever and I have my own Paityn and I so get it. Love.
Your love for her came across so vividly in this piece. Your paragraph of thank you was so touching it brought tears to my eyes.
Kelly, this is so touching! She must have this letter, I agree with everyone. I’m thrilled to see you joining along in this journey 🙂
Well Hello slicer! So….you are so on my street. Tee-Tee’s man (my nephew) turns 18 next month and graduates high school in May. Although he is 6’3″ and built like a line backer, he’ll always be my little man.
Kelly, I can’t believe Paityn is 15. It seemed like only yesterday, she was your little helper getting your room ready for another year. When you said thank you for showing me how to love someone so much it hurts….I thought “yes, the perfect sentiment.” That’s the feeling I have been trying to find the words for…you hit it, lady! Love that you are slicing with us!
You know I love to laugh as much as I love to cry. Yep! You made me cry. Your niece will cry when she reads this. You have to share this with you her.
look at you, Ms. Writer— good writing comes from the heart, I fully believe that and always tell my students that— if you are writing/blogging about topics that you deeply care about then your readers will be able to relate! I LOVED the paragraph where you thanked your niece and exposed to your readers why your relationship is so awesome. Keep up the good work!