Happy birthday lil sister.

Today is my sister's birthday.

Her name is Lauren and she's turned 24.

I know it's always someone's birthday, but I don't think I've ever really spoken about her here before.

Lauren and I grew up in a fairly insular environment. The first house we spent the majority of our childhood was not near any other kids, and it really never occured to us to have friends over. Friends were a school thing. We spent a lot of time playing in the backyard together and got along pretty well. She was a terrible competitor so any games we played I had to accidentally start to lose so she wouldn't storm off in a huff. I was always faster, stronger, more awesomer, but she was braver. My parents used to fight a lot, and it was always her that would interupt them to ask if we could have dinner.

We fought as well, but people spending that much time together just do. I've always been fascinated with the order of birth and how it affects people's lives because of our relationship. As the older one, I felt it was my duty to control her (not realising then that it's totally no one's place to control another person) as the younger one she was by far the most attention seeking. As a kid I was shy and quiet but with her I thought nothing of getting a bit rough, and as a result she thought nothing about getting me into trouble.

It was almost a game we played our entire lives, I would try and hurt her (like chinese burns and stuff, not shattered limbs) while she would try and get away with getting into as much trouble as possible. It probably didn't help that I was learning martial arts for a fair chunk of our childrenhood. It pains me to admit it, but I think she had me beat.

After a couple of moves we landed in a nice house that was opposite a big park and next to a court (um, like a dead end street with a roundy bit at the end). There were heaps of kids in that court and so it wasn't too long before we were surrounded by crazy kids. My parents were fighting worse now and Lauren and I had a rumpus room so even with heaps of kids around we were still pretty close, we had a kind of us versus our parents thing going.

Lauren was quite loud and attention seeking at home, but she was quite quiet and shy amongst her friends and now it seems like we've virtually swapped characteristics of our childhood, I'm totally loud (with added hilariousness) while she's quieter and keeps trying to punch me.

She's hella fit now and right into kickboxing and so tries to beat me down everytime we hang out. Last time I saw her was at one of Cara's gigs and she clocked me so goddam hard in the gut. I didn't let her know how much it hurt, but goddam it hurt freakin' heaps. When there are no witnesses I can still take her but it's heaps harder and she's developed a stupid 'never say die' attitude. Damn kids.

My dad and Lauren were always very similar, she clearly got her looks from him (beard and pot belly) while my mum and I were obviously related. My mum was always the aggressor in our parents arguments and so when she cracked it Dad and Lauren would run around fixing whatever would be the problem and then would slump back into their slothful ways once the steamin' got less.

My sister loved our parents getting divorced, she got more attention than ever before and she got more lollies and stuff. She loves stuff. I didn't like it as much, we were happy families a bit, but then my Mum's aggression was turned onto me. Lauren never really understood, she was all; Mum is mad -> Fix issue -> Mum happy -> everyone happy but I thought our parental was acting a bit ridiculous and so we fought. Neither my sister and I are very good and confrontations, our brains seize up and we get flustered and so I hate to admit, but my Mum had me beat. I moved out.

I think Lauren was devestated when I left. It had always been us versus them and then she was alone. I do regret that, but her family life was a lot happier for the change. Mum and Lauren have a weird relationship now, they talk to each other like a old married couple. Mum has moved out of the family home to be with her partner in the country so only Lauren is left, sharing with some friends.

Her life is the happiest it's ever been now, and while I'm not sure how rockin' it is (ie, I'm still not sure if she's kissed a dude or woken up lying on some empties in someone's front lawn) I think she's in a good spot.

We don't hang out much, but if we are enduring family stuff and super old people, it's still very much us versus the world and she's okay to be on my team. I guess.