In honor of my little brother turning fourteen this week, here are a few reasons why both of my brothers are two of the most important people in my life.

1. You have a partner in crime

You have a guaranteed best friend for life. Getting up to crazy adventures in the backyard has never been more fun. But now, you can team up against your parents, and get to see Thor in theaters instead of some boring TV show at home. Need to bury a body? Call up your little bro and he can do the heavy lifting while you sip a mai tai.

2. You have a permanent source of laughter.

All that time you spent together has to result in some inside jokes. There’s no way you can survive that distant aunt’s wedding without looking over at your sibling and cracking up. And, if all else fails, who better to test all your pranks on? Little brothers may be known for annoying their older siblings, but that doesn’t mean us older siblings can’t hold our own.

3. Anything and everything becomes an adventure

Going into the closet to check for monsters? Check. Going out into the backyard to fight aliens? Check. Going out to the grocery store right after they get their permit and giving you a small heart attack after nearly hitting 5 cars, 3 trees, and a pedestrian? Check.

4. You’re the bomb.com in their eyes

Clearly, you are the supreme god with infinite wisdom on how the world works. Awful teacher? Here’s how to do better in that class. Piss off your girlfriend? I got all the secrets on how to make her happy.

Side benefit: you look so mature and grown up next to them, even if you are failing at trying to be an adult.

5. When they get taller than you, you can steal their clothes

And because you’re older, they can’t say anything.

6. You’re their knight in shining armor.

Nobody is allowed to pick on your baby brother. Of course, this doesn’t include you, you can pick on them as much as you want. Just no one else can.

7. Sometimes they’ll be the knights in shining armor instead

Sometimes they’ll go beat up that dick that broke your heart. Sometimes they’ll bring poorly made cookies or chicken nuggets in the hope it will stop the crying. Sometimes they won’t know what to do so they send over a dog for cuddles. (Even if it's not their dog) Sometimes they’ll bury the body for you.

8. Bigger the bribe, the more likely they’ll cover for you

Need to sneak out the house? Make sure you buy him pizza for the next two weeks, and you were totally chilling together going over math homework. Need a scapegoat cause you can’t afford to get busted again? Make sure you buy him the next hot video game, and it was totally him who broke that vase roughhousing, not epically drunk you trying to sneak back in.

9. They will never not care about you

Even if they’ve been radio silent for the last week because they are the absolute worst at texting, you know that the second you call they will drop everything to be by your side.

10. It is so emotional watching them grow into mini adults

No matter what, he will always be your baby brother: He will stay 11 forever in your mind, even if he just turned fourteen, talking about high school classes and about getting their drivers license (even though that’s still two years away.)

Love you nerd!