When you give a girl a brother...

You give her someone to laugh with.

Chances are, you laugh harder at the things he says and does than you do at anyone else. It's always been that way, and it probably always will be.

She'll have a personal bodyguard.

He is allowed to be mean to you, but no one else is. He'll be the first to have your back when someone hurts you.

You give her someone to gossip with at family functions.

He understands your weird family dynamics. He also knows when to save you from being cornered by your great uncle. This is when brothers really come in handy.

She learns how to be tough at a young age.

You've also learned that anything can be used as a weapon. Although it wasn't fun at the time, him beating up on you made you tough. Girls at school didn't seem so scary when you had a big brother at home.

You give her someone who will compete with and challenge her.

Does he want to win? Always. Will his competitiveness rub off on you? Yes, yes it will. The desire to beat him will push you further than you could've pushed yourself.

She has a built in best friend.

Summer days were almost never boring with him around. Now, he's one you call when you have news or when you just want to talk.

You give her her toughest critic.

He tells you when those pants make you look fat; when your haircut is not flattering; when you're being a brat; and when that guy isn't right for you. He's only saying it because he loves you.

She'll become immune to strange smells and dirty socks everywhere.

Sharing a bathroom with a boy desensitizes you to a lot of things.

You give her a free ride to school before she's 16.

He won't always be happy about it, but chances are he's forced to give you a ride. Embrace it.

She'll be a very good judge of character.

Especially when it comes to the other girls in his life. You know when they're not there for the right reasons. You can tell very quickly if someone has good intentions.

You give her someone to look up to.

He's a good guy. His decisions in life make you proud. You know where he started and you've seen how far he's come.

She'll (secretly) love him more than anyone else.

He can't do anything that would make you love him any less, no matter how dumb he's been at times.

Thank you for making me tougher mentally and physically; for always being honest with me; and for loving me no matter what. I'm so proud of the man you're becoming and the decisions you're making to get there. You'll always be my #1 for Disney Channel marathons.