I have a two-year-old niece, who by all accounts, is the most delightful niece in the history of nieces.

The other day, I was playing with her and through my linguistic skills in deciphering baby talk, I realized that she wanted to watch her favorite cartoon, Nickelodeon’s tripped out series Yo Gabba Gabba. But as I reached for the remote to turn on the TV, she motioned to the computer, which is where she watches her Nick Jr. programs on demand and on her two-year-old terms.

Then it occurred to me: For my niece, there will be never a time when a portable computer or high-speed internet wasn’t easily accessible.

And much like that fact she will never fully understanding the concept of dial-up or life before any internet connection, there will never be a time in her life when the criteria to become the President of the United States is limited to being an old, usually decrepit, white man.

I think about the conversations we’ll have when she’s old enough to speak about politics and how she’ll look at me with a confused look as I try to stress to her to the significance of exactly what Obama accomplished by becoming the 44th President of the United States, before he ever even made an executive decision on anything. Moments in American history (for better or for worse), will be measured before and after Obama took office. Kind of like some of us do with Giuliani and his run in New York.

In effect, I’ll remind her that not only I am eons older than her, but also that the world I was most familiar with is no longer the world that exists.

*Cues up “The World is Yours” by Nas*

Damn, I almost feel like Wall-E, the archaic robot.

And while it remains to be seen exactly how Mr. Obama will change the course of this country for the better, it’s good to know that for the first time in a very long time, America has taken a progressive step.

Now, if only I can get my niece to get into a more sensible cartoon, like say Voltron: Defender of the Universe.