For several days I have been feeling extremely anxious. I had never experienced this type of anxiety before. However, I have been able to pin point exactly where it stems from.

You see, not long ago I became an uncle. I know many of you have children already, well the fact is — I don’t! I have no experience raising children.

This being my first experience as an uncle, I am feeling nervous because Christmas is in three weeks.

My nephew is three years old and I want to get him a Christmas present he will really appreciate.

I have been shopping around and frankly, I feel a little different. I don’t mean it in a negative way; I mean, every time I go into a toy store, I feel like a kid again.

Have you ever experienced this? I have the urge to play with the different toys that I am supposed to be picking out for him! I played with Spiderman and the Green Goblin, I even played with a Transformer action figure. I was four years old for twenty minutes. I can’t lie, it was the most fun I’ve had in years!

Hell! I even played with those silly Power Ranger copycats he likes! I got vocal too! “Take that! Surrender or be Destroyed!” I shouted, slamming one character into the other, as I staged various imaginary battles. It was like G.I. Joe vs Cobra all over again.

By the time I looked up two girls who were shopping with their sons were smiling at me uncontrollably. Needless to say I got extremely embarrassed and tried to play it off.

The worst part is, I can’t make a decision on what I want to get him. I am like a kid in a candy store. I want to get him everything I see but I don’t want to upstage his mother and father. Sibling rivalry becomes war when it comes to kids! I know, I had to learn the hard way.

After all, I am only an uncle! Not to mention the fact that if I had my way I’d spend a whole paycheck on his toys. Incidentally, have you seen the prices on these toys?

These jokers are expensive! I think I am going to just take him to the toy store and let him pick two things out and call it a day until his mother gives me the green light.

To all my fellow uncles out there, I feel your pain Brother! Just remember it’s not so bad if we pretend to be kids again. Just don’t upstage the parents.