Being an older sister to a pair of five-year-old twins was definitely not something I saw coming. We are 13 years apart in age, meaning that we have nothing in common but the same last name and the same parents. For 13 years of my life I was very accustomed to being an only child with the full and undivided attention of my parents. I did not know what it was like to share their attention with others until June 2010 when my brothers were born! Even though they've only been in my life for five years, I've learned and noticed a lot from having siblings with a big age gap. Here are a few of the crazy, sad, and happy moments people with big sibling age gaps can attest to:

1. "Your babies are so cute!"

Being that there is a big age gap, people will undoubtedly think that you are your sibling's parent, and you feel really awkward correcting them and saying that you're their sister/brother. You must be mentally prepared for the multiple apologies for their error that will follow.

2. You act like a third parent.

People's assumptions about you actually being their parent can be justified since you do act as one of their primary caregivers. Your parents are lucky to have the extra hands. You are on your sibling's school's emergency contact card now, so expect calls from the elementary school's nurse's office telling you that you need to pick your sibling up early because he has a case of the flu. Also, when they achieve something great in their lives, you are their biggest cheerleader. You double as a teacher and personal tutor as well.

3. You're at different stages in your lives.

While you're a freshman in college, your sibling is in kindergarten. It might sound like a weird situation to be in, but it is definitely real. They're sitting at the table adding together 2 + 3 while you're in the library finding the derivative of an equation. What you are accomplishing now, your sibling will probably accomplish in 10 years.

4. You get to relive childhood again.

Having a younger sibling with a big age gap means that you have an excuse to watch all of your favorite childhood shows again and also, go on all of the baby rides at the amusement park.

5. You remember all of their milestone events.

When they are born, you are old enough to remember how you felt when they came home from the hospital, their first words, and even their first steps. These are the moments you will cherish forever and luckily, you were old enough to witness them.

6. You think about how old they will be when you get married.

Random thoughts like this often pop up into your mind. You wonder what they will be like in the future and most likely, they'll be teenagers when you decide to get married and establish a life of your own while they're still at your parents' house.

7. Keeping it down at family parties.

After a certain time, your family has to lower the music and their voices because it's your five-year-old brother's bedtime and we cannot interrupt that!

8. You never want them to grow up.

You want them to stay young forever so you can protect them from the world, and it's hard coming to terms with the fact that they will never be this age again.

Having a sibling with a big age gap adds so much responsibility to your life. It is one of the most life-changing things to happen, but it's the greatest and most rewarding thing. Despite the big age gap, you love your sibling unconditionally.