You know, I have to be honest with you.
I’m really surprised my brother turned out okay.
Pick those jaws off the floor — I’m sure he’d agree with me on this one.
You see, my little brother grew up with two sisters. Two sisters who antagonized the living daylights out of him. From quite a young age, we took Matthew under our wings (much to his dismay) and really tortured him quite a bit.
My sister once was Belle for Halloween — gold dress, matching headband. It was beautiful. It was even more beautiful on my little brother when he was four. Even better was he responded when we called him “Matilda” instead of “Matthew”. Even better than that was getting him to agree to dance like a ballerina throughout the living room while we played music on the piano.
Now, let’s not forget all those dance lessons we took as children. No, my mother did not make Matthew take dance lessons — however, Kirstin and I put him to work when we made up choreographed dances to ‘N Sync, Backstreet Boys, and Britney Spears in her bedroom, behind closed doors and away from my father’s eyes. I’m sure he could still bust out in the “Hit Me Baby One More Time” dance if we really wanted him to.
There was also a lot of Barbie playing, and a lot of chanting “baby baby stick your head in gravy” singing going on in my house when Matthew was little.
It’s no surprise that he had anger issues towards my sister and me. While we are absolutely certain he once chased us around the house with a butcher knife one summer afternoon, he swears he never did. However, my sister and I distinctly remember locking ourselves inside our bedroom until he calmed down.
I know what you’re thinking - “that Chelsey comes from a crazy family” — but do you blame him? Dresses? Headbands? Matilda? Dancing? Barbies?
That poor boy is lucky he turned out okay.
What I’m most surprised about is the fact that my brother still loves me. In fact, he has always defended me when I needed help most — like that one time his friend told me I didn’t have a boyfriend because I was ugly. I’ve never seen my 10 year old brother pummel his friend so fast in his life. Matthew is too much of a lover to ever hate me or anyone for that matter. He is kind and will go out of his way for others despite his busy schedule.
I also love how passionate my brother is. He discovered as a teenager just how much he connected with music. He is a talented musician, and I am so proud that he is following his dreams and going to school in the fall for sound engineering.
With all of this being said, I couldn’t ask for a better little brother. He has turned into such a wonderful man despite my very strong attempts to torture him beyond belief.
Happy 21st birthday Matthew. Your big sister loves you.
Question: Do you have any siblings? What is your relationship with them?
PS — Mom? Can you make sure that the boy reads this?
{ 86 comments… read them below or add one }
Happy Birthday to your brother!! I know how having a little brother is…and the torture they must go through with so much estrogen in the house.
My little brother is my best friend! He is only 13, but we have been super close since the day he was born. I can’t wait for him to grow up to see what a great man he will become. <3
Aweeeee girl!!! You are a precious sister. Your bro is so lucky to have you, torture and all. My sister is very similar — she is so caring and thoughtful, and despite the torture we’ve both put each other through, we don’t completely hate one another
Don’t worry. My family is JUST as crazy as yours.
Aww Happy Birthday Matthew!!! Hope your 21st is fantastic!
AWww, Happy Birthday to him! You guys look like siblings.
I have two younger brothers, and love them to death!!
Adorable post! Happy birthday to your little brother!!
Aw, such a sweet post! Happy birthday to your little bro!
I have an older sister & we’ve always been very close!
21st Birthday, very exciting!! I have an older brother and older sister. Being the youngest I was always the “pest” growing up but now we’re extremely close and I know they will always be there for me, unconditionally. Yay for siblings!
I have two younger sisters a younger brother, who is the baby. We tortured him too, but love him to death (well, at least I do). You definitely appreciate your siblings much more when you grow up.
I have a little sister and I love her to death! But I much admit, I do wish I had a brother too.
Happy Birthday to your brother! 
I love your PS.
I have two older brothers, so I’m the tortured little sister. I can relate to your brother!
I have two sisters! i miss them ( and their clothes haha) like crazy though. They are both away for the summer…I actually havent seen one sis in 5 months :O
Oh what a sweet post - looks like you two get along great (now)!
OMG! I totally dressed up MY little brother in a golden Belle dress too! In fact I pretty much did everything you said to him as well! Choreographed dances included. He turned out fine though, he just graduated from high school! It’s just how we show them love right? Putting them and all their friends in girls clothes on their bdays? thats love right?
Aww how cute
Happy birthday to your brother!
Haha this post hit close to home. My sister and I are 19 months apart…our poor brother is 6 years younger! Poor little bros! happy birthday to yours!!
Aw, happy birthday to your little brother! You guys are such cute siblings!
Haha - aww!! I feel for him - I was the youngest of four (two sisters, one brother) growing up, so I was always being tortured… being sat on, being told I was adopted, all the basics
Happy birthday to your brother!
Awwwr what a sweet tribute to your brother - Happy Birthday to him
I’ve always wanted an older brother, but I’m an only child so the whole sibling love is kind of foreign to me 
‘Baby, baby, stick your head in gravy…’ yep, your lucky he still loves you. Kidding! Happy Birthday Matthew! Celebrate and have some fun!
Siblings are a gift from God. My sister and I joke that God made us for each other…. the husbands just were lucky we evolved to be perfect for them too. I could gush about her amazingness for years, seriously years….
I tell my sister this verse all the time Philippians 1:3 “I thank my God *EVERY* time I remember you.”
Is he single.
Haha! happy birthday to your brother!
The last I checked he is!!
Very sweet! Happy birthday to your baby bro!
I have a younger sister and we really are best friends, even though I often act more like a mom then our mom.
Oh I act like the mom all the time - he’s always reminding me “you know you’re NOT my mother, right?”
I have a brother and a sister, I am pretty close with both of them. I am the middle child so I spent the maximal time with both of them in my parents house, how can I not be close with both! You and your brother look just alike!
I was the same way! My sister moved out when I was 17, so my brother was only 12. During that time, I got to know him really well. I loved that time!
I have a brother, and we are a bit touch and go…
How sweet! Happy birthday to your lil’ bro!
I made my little brother play barbies with me, too. But, as a compromise, we always let the teenage mutant ninja turtles save the day.
We LOOOOVED playing Ninja Turtles!!!
Aww this is so sweet! I have a younger brother who will be 20 in october. We were super close when we were younger and then we went through some phases where we annoyed each other big time. Now however, we’re finally starting to get close again! Yay
. You are so pretty!
what a wonderful way to wish your brother a happy birthday!
You two clearly do have a very special bond 
I am very close with my brothers who are both complete sweethearts. Losing our sister and dad definitely brought all of us (incl my mom) even closer.
I can’t even imagine losing my dad and sister - your family must be so strong Jenny!
Happy Birthday to your brother! I just have one sister and man, did we ever get into some fights… mostly over barbies or american girl dolls haha. Even with the occasional fighting and ‘hating’ one another, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I think the fighting back then has made us closer today
.
Such a sweet post!! I have little brothers (twins) who got tortured by THREE older sisters. I like to think they came out better because of it.
At least your brothers had each other!
Aren’t brothers the best?? Mine’s right in between me and my sister. We used to make him play Pretty Pretty Princess. The sad part? He beat us every time! We have plenty of torture stories. He was great at sticking up for me. Like when he told his friends to shut it when they made fun of me at a football game (I was drum major of the marching band, and he still associated himself with me!)
I don’t know what I’d do without my siblings!
We played Pretty Pretty Princess all the time too!
Aw, hope your brother does read this; 21 is an awesome birthday too!
Glad you guys are so close.
I have two younger sisters. The middle one and I haven’t spoken to each other since February for complicated reasons. I feel like that happens in every family or extended family at some point. But the ‘little’ one, 6 years younger than me, and I are good.
Aww Happy Birthday to your brother! Haha our younger brothers both have the same name. Mine’s turning 20 soon and we’ve been through a lot together-3 hour lowes trips, vacations, swimming lessons, camping and hours of Mario Kart Double Dash. We’re such polar opposites too (6’2″ vs. 5’1″, mechanic/tough guy vs. studious one). Haha, we love it though!
I have an older brother & sister that I’ve never lived with. I’m the youngest so of course I took all of the torture. I remember when I was little my brother used to stick my pony tail under the heavy coffee table so I couldn’t get out. We all have always joked around with each other & love each other but I’ve always wished I had a little sister!
oh my gosh!!!! you poor thing!
This is so sweet! Sounds like you two have great relationship!!
You guys look so much a like too!
Aw happy birthday to your brother! This is so sweet. I never had a brother, but I can only imagine how my sister and I would’ve tortured one just the same!
What a cutie! Happy birthday to your brother! I have an older brother and sister - much older, by 10 and 8 years. I felt like I didn’t really know them when I was growing up since they were both off to college by the time I was 10! Its nice now that we are older because it seems like we are more “on the same level” and are definitely much closer!
An older sister, an older brother, me, and then a little brother. We all tortured each other equally! (And still do, on occasion
)
My Dad has 5 older sisters; I don’t know how he survived his childhood!
5 older sisters? Yikes! Poor man.
You’re little bro & I have the same birthday!! Awesome post-sounds like you guys have an awesome family:)
This is so cute! You and your bro look so alike, not in a weird way though. I have an older sister (Lauren) and we are super duper duper close, we even blog together!
- Nicole
We do look alike - did I forget to mention the time we put a wig on him? He looked exactly like me!!!
PS: Happy Birthday Matthew!!! =)
Awww how sweet! I hope he had a great 21st birthday
I have two siblings- an older brother and a little brother. I have a relationship similar to yours with my little brother (he’s actually 25…maybe not so little anymore
). We are still pretty close and we get along really great even though he’s living up in NYC! He was an “accident” so my older brother and I teased him all the time about it. However, my life would not be complete without him 
Happy birthday to your brother Matthew his name means gift of GOD.
Aw Happy Birthday yo your brother! I have sort of a crazy family with lots of sibling but none that come from the same parents..but of course the ones I lived with are still torturing me to this day and I am the oldest! P.s. my boyfriend just turned 21 on monday so they have really close b-days:)
Happy birthday to your brother!!
Lol, My brother totally chased me around the house with a knife once! Maybe it’s a brother thing
My brother grew up with two older sisters and one younger, and he turned out perfectly okay, too. In fact, he’s one of the nicest guys I know. I love my brother to death and I’d like to think he is the way he is because of the lovely ladies he had surrounding him all his life
I like to think that too - except that’s probably not the case.
Such a cute post! I antagonized my little brother to no end… I think that’s what big sisters are for… we toughen them up and teach them tolerance! That being said we get along great now (finally!) and I love my lil bro!
Hope he had a great birthday!
Happy birthday to your bro! I have two younger sisters - they’re identical twins so they were always ganging up on me!
I want to have twins!
Happy birthday to your brother!! My “little” brother is going to be 22 in September, and our relationship was very similar to your and Matthew’s growing up! Brian was “Brittany” and he played Barbies as well. He’s one of my best friends!
haha yesss! We have so much in common it’s unbelievable!
Aww your bro seems adorable!! Happy birthday to him! I have an older brother who seemed determined to turn me into a boy. Didn’t really work, but at least I get the cool girl points with guys by knowing about cars
New idea - you marry my brother. We become sisters.
Happy birthday to your brother! The poor guy… it sounds like you put him through a lot!
I have a younger sister and we used to fight all the time as kids. I don’t know how our parents put up with us!
But now we’re really close.
He’s cute!!..and I’m sure I should say something a little more polite such as happy birthday
That is so sweet!
I have a younger brother and I love that we get along so well!!
This is the sweetest post EVER, Chelsey!!!! Your blog is seriously one of my favorites. Haaaaaaands down.
This post is so sweet! and funny! I have a little brother too and used to dress him up all the time. That’s what big sisters are for
chels, hook a sista up with that cute brother of yours!
I have a little brother who is almost 10 years younger than me, but we have a great relationship!
This is such a sweet post! I have an older brother and a younger sister. I was closer with my brother growing up, but I’m probably closer with my sister now that I’ve moved out and don’t see her as often. I love it when I do get to see her!
I have one brother but I wish my parents had more children!!! I would love to have at least 10 of them!!!!
oopps! I mean 10 or more brothers and sisters not children of my own…LOL
I have a brother, 3 years older, and a sister, 10 years younger. My dad was the youngest of 4 and all the others were girls. We have this photo of him on Easter looking very miserable wearing a tutu and bunny ears. Kind of like in the Christmas Story but he was younger. I’m also pretty surprised my dad turned out ok.
Awww that’s so sweet! Happy Birthday little bro! I have a younger brother too, funy enough I wrote (well, started drafting) a post about him this morning, so all will be revealed pretty soon! But he’s just as awesome as yours
Aww, happy birthday to your little brother! I have one brother, and he is almost two years older than me. We got along pretty well growing up - he and his friends used to convince me to do all kinds of stupid things and then laugh at me, but he was always protective of me too. We are close now as adults, and I love it!
My husband is the youngest of SEVEN children! He has 3 older sisters and 3 older brothers… you can imagine all the torture. He absolutely HATES board games (which I love to play) because he was forced to play them growing up. His family is extremely close now, and it’s fun to have so many brothers- and sisters-in-law!
My brother once chased me around the house with a razor blade. Ostensibly, it was to pop the balloon I was holding (not sure why I didn’t just let go?!?). But, he made a voice recording of it, and still plays it. I’m 32 - he’s 36. It’s getting kind of hard to find a tape player these days…
Ahem. Your brother is a cutie…may I marry him please?
Yes. I want nieces and nephews with cute British accents.
HAHA! I’m sure if my younger brother read this he would be able to commiserate with your’s(we also have an older sister). Lots of dress up, nail polish and make up
Aww, that is sweet. I have 3 older brothers.. but the one closest to my age did a lot of the “girly” stuff with me. He even taught me how to braid hair.
Now that we’re grown, all of us are 100% different from each other and it can be a little awkward when we’re together. There’s just nothing to talk about.
Happy Birthday Matthew!
I have an older sister; she’s your age (I’m assuming) and I am your brothers age.
Ahh, great post. I have a “little bro” who is 7 yrs younger than me. I did very simiar things to him as you did. He was one of my baby dolls, students when I played school. I did some pretty funny things to him, but loved him to death. He’s always been my buddy and best friend. Oh, and he’s a soph @ VT in the engineering program. Guess that Matt and my bro Jordan had good big sisters who helped them get ahead. That’s why they are so smart and future engineers. Hope they remember me(teachers salary) and you when they make the big bucks.
ah, yay! I finally get to “meet” the fabulous brother you were gushing about on my post! I actually died while reading this because your family sounds so similar to mine. My brother grew up with three older sisters and we used to shove bows in his hair and force him to play barbies with us. I’ll never understand how he turned out to be so masculine! Thank god for my dad, I guess!
It’s no wonder you love your brother so much — he sounds like a gem! And he’s just my age
God forbid Gingie and I ever break up, but if we do.. hook a sister up?!
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