Dear Big Sis,

Where do I begin? You've been in my life as long as I can remember. You felt me kick from inside Mom's belly and you watched me take my first breaths. You changed my diapers and you dropped me off at school every morning for years. You've been my best friend since the day I was born, and I could never thank you enough for that, but here's my best shot...

Thank you for understanding me like nobody else can.

No one will ever get me like you do. You've grown up in the same house as me and have seen me at my lowest/weirdest/grossest. I can confide anything in you because I know you will understand perfectly, like nobody else can. If there's one person in this world who knows me better than anyone, it's you.

Thank you for telling me when I was being the worst.

We were never the perfect siblings who *always* got along, but I have realized that having you there to keep me grounded has been a blessing. Thank you for not letting me turn into a spoiled brat.

Thank you for bringing me along everywhere you went.

It couldn't have been fun having to drag me along on the weekends when you had to play babysitter, but you always made me feel included with your friends and never made me feel like an obligation. I never felt like the dorky little sister (even though I definitely was), and I truly believe that I am a more mature person today because of you.

Thank you for always giving me "makeovers."

Seriously, if it wasn't for you I would probably be all but clueless about how to do my hair and makeup and actually dress like a girl. From dolling me up for fun as a little kid to helping me get ready for dances and prom, you've always helped me look my best.

Thank you for giving me the best advice.

Especially for warning me about boys. I may have been too young at the time to understand what exactly you meant when you said, "Don't waste your time on stupid boys," but I definitely get it now.

Thank you for being an amazing role model.

You were and still are the one I always look up to. Intelligent, beautiful, funny, and spirited: I will always be a little jealous of you, but that's because in my eyes you are and always will be my perfect big sister.

Thank you for giving some of my favorite memories.

Growing up with you was always a fun time. Between making funny faces at each other over the dinner table, laughing way too hard over our dumb (and really weird) inside jokes, producing our very own music videos, very seriously singing duets to our favorite songs in the car, and of course standing next to you on your wedding day, an innumerable amount of the best memories of my life include you. The list could go on and on, and I consider myself lucky that we get to keep making more of them for the rest of our lives.