Just call me “Auntie”

There are some moments in life that feel quietly monumental—the kind you don’t fully process until you’re standing in them. This month brought one of those moments for me.

For the first time ever, I boarded a plane and left my almost two-year-old overnight. That alone felt big—equal parts emotional and empowering—but the reason behind it made every ounce of that bittersweet feeling worth it. I was on my way to meet someone very special: my brand new nephew, Robert Edward Weber IV, named after his Daddy, our Dad and our grandfather.

Becoming an aunt for the first time is something I don’t think you can fully prepare your heart for. The second I saw him, tiny and perfect and completely at peace in his mommy’s arms, something shifted in me. It was overwhelming in the most beautiful way. He already feels like such a part of our family.

Watching my own “baby” brother step into fatherhood was something I’ll never forget. To me, he was the first baby I remember holding. The baby I watched my mom take care of. He’s the little brother who was always way more fearless and cool than I was. Who now, like our grandfather, flies airplanes for a living. Yet seeing him as a dad, there’s a tenderness there, a quiet confidence mixed with awe, that only comes from holding your own baby.

Seeing his my sister-in-law, Natalie as a mother—so natural, so deeply connected—it was like witnessing the beginning of a brand new world for them both. They make it look effortless, even in these earliest days.

Their home, now filled with the soft rhythms of newborn life, felt just as special. The nursery, in particular, stopped me in my tracks. It’s peaceful and thoughtfully designed, every detail carefully chosen. But what made it truly meaningful were the subtle, beautiful nods to my brother’s own childhood woven throughout the space. Little tokens—whether intentional or coincidental—that made it feel like a bridge between past and present. A reminder that this tiny baby is not just beginning his own story, but also carrying pieces of where he came from.

Photographing this season of life for them felt incredibly personal. These weren’t just clients or a session—they were my people, my family, my nephew. Every frame felt heavier with meaning. The way they held him, the way he curled so naturally into them, the quiet moments between—it all told a story I feel so honored to have captured.

And as much as I missed my own little boy back home, this experience gave me a new perspective on motherhood, family, and just how quickly life expands. My heart somehow grew bigger, holding space for both the child I left behind for a few days and the one I had just met. I am so grateful to know they will have each other in the future to make memories with.

This trip will always stay with me—not just because it was my first time away overnight as a mom, but because it marked the beginning of a new chapter in our family. One that I already know will be filled with so much love.

To my sweet nephew, Bobby: you are already so deeply loved. And I cannot wait to watch you grow. And to Rob and Natalie: you were made for this.