Moms with children with age difference (2+ years)

We're in the same boat. My son just turned 2 and I'm due in March. While I'm in the hospital, it'll just be Damien and daddy at home so I think that'll help, but we're just gonna try to make sure to take him out and do something with just him as often as we can, just one or both of us, so he knows he's still special to us. But, he also loves babies, so I'm hoping it won't be that bad :)

My daughter is 10 and my son is 15 months. She was jealous for about a week, now she gushes at him and loves him up. I'm expecting another in April, and I'm hoping for the same reaction. I'm actually more worried about my son's reaction than my daughter.

 my boys r 2yrs apart..june 07 and july 09..my older boy loves his brother but does get jealous sometimes..idk how they will b when they are older...my MIL has a sister 10ys older than her and a brother 10yrs younger than her. they all pretty much cant stand each other. only in like small doses..i have 3older sibings. my two oldest siblings i didnt grow up with (looong story) but we get along pretty good. but my brother i grew up with and that is barely 1yr older than me we fight alot. but we also stick up for one another strongly..so u dont ever really know..it all depends on ur kids..i think yrs or more is too much of an age diff for kids to get along, but a yr or less is also too close for comfort..

Our twin boys are almost 7 years old, and I'm due in a few weeks... I don't think our sons will get too jealous considering they've had to share everything since their days in the womb. lol We took them on vacation in September, and had them make a build-a-bear for the baby. My DH has two older sister one is 9yrs older, the other 6 yrs older they all get along fine. I have one sister shes 4 years younger we get along good now, but I always thought she was a huge pain growing up.

Our boys are 9 and 2.  We also have a blended family which makes it harder.  Each of them gets to be an only child two days a week.  Both of them go back and forth on how they treat each other. 

SS often comes back from his other house not wanting to even acknowledge his brother.  He gets over it pretty quick.  (Faster if DH is home.)  He does get jealous sometimes but he does love his brother.  Just last night he came in and asked me if he could read his brother a bedtime story.

DS is a tyrant & will suddenly become very loud and obtrusive any time we try to talk to SS.  If that doesn't work he'll sometimes run up and head-butt his brother.  He also gets super excited when SS comes home from school and just wants to be around him no matter what they're doing.

All kids have different dynamics.  Sometimes they are so cute together.  Sometimes it's like trying to push together two magnets with the wrong side.  But they really do love each other.

I have two children and am expecting my third next Saturday November 14. Loren, my daughter, is 11 and she seems to be ok with it. Just says she will not babysit lol. She seems to be excited. My second Alexaner, is 5 years old, he is excited about being a big brother to Cooper. Loren and Alex are actually really close to be so far apart in age. I know that making me the transition will not be totally smooth but as long as Alex feels involved and knows he can help and  that I have time for him and Loren I believe we will be ok. Loren has more anxiety about having two little brothers to deal with as she gets older. lol

I am hoping for the best!! I do know that in the last few weeks Alex has demanded alot of my attention. He did ask the other day for a MOmmy day. So we spent the whole day hanging out and talking about Cooper. I asked if he was stressed because he knew Cooper would be here soon he replied with " I just want to make sure you are going to still have time for me and love me too mommy" I replied with " yes sir always have time for you and love you with all my heart" I let him know I am going to need his help and him to be a good boy and teach Cooper all he knows!!!

Best of luck with you and yours!! I am sure things will be great. I know with Loren and Alex she was great and still is!!!

Thank you ladies so much I really do appreciate all of the advice and tips. So far my daughter is in school when its time to go to the doctors so when she gets home I give her the ultra sound pictures and she keeps them she is super excited about that and talks about the baby all the time. I didn't know if that was just because he wasn't here yet or if she is actually wanting someone smaller than her to be here.  I started to become more paranoid about it when I started to make the baby his first baby blanket (I did the same for her before she was born) and she is helping but it feels like she is a little jealous about it, so im letting her pick out the colors and things like that but I am also going to start her one as soon as I am finished with this baby blanket.

Once again Thank you so much!

my dd was four when our dd2 was born. they have the normal sisterly spats but they are pretty much inseparable and have been since dd2 was born... they both seem pretty excited about this new baby as well (and they are now 8 and 4)  i know my mom said i had "issues" when my brother was born 6 and a half yrs after me. but i was literally the baby of the entire family so perhaps that is why.... though when i talk to my aunt, she says my mom overreacts lol

So far all my kids are 5 years apart from the next. I have twins 11, then a 6 yr old and a 15 mo old. They're all boys.

I've loved the age difference! When the baby is born a 5-6 yr old, in my experience, is very excited and wants to help out where they can, but at the same time have enough of a distraction with school and other responsibilities and things they're doing at that age. Any jealousy issues have so far have only been with my 6 yr old when he doesn't get to do the same things that the older boys are doing, or when the older ones had friends over and he wasn't old enough to really have friends over yet. And since that's more of age appropriate things, I'm confident it will all balance out. The younger sibling can be a pain in the butt to the older one/s and sometimes the older child/ren can be too "bossy", but I think that's pretty normal and not an indication of how they'll get along later in life. When they're out and about away from me (like at school) they seem protective of one another and proud to be siblings. I've even overheard them stand up for their little brother when another child was being mean to him. They're best of friends and worst of enemies, but at the end of the day they really do love and care for one another. They also have loved playing with the 15 mo old and it's cute to see him chase after the big boys to play with them. My 6 year old is so excited his little brother is able to "play" now.

Get her involved in helping you out where she can. I have my older boys go grab me a diaper, blanket or binky for their little brother and they all seem very willing to be helping out. I'd also try to take her to some appointments with you so she can hear the baby's heartbeat or see the sono, stuff like that. My boys loved that kind of stuff when I was pregnant!

As for the "somewhat sane" thing, if you figure out the secret to that while having children, please let me know! lol!

My daughter was 8 when my son was born. She didn't bond with him right away like I had hoped. She acted out a little (being extra emotional and moody) but now my son is 18 months and she adores him. She is like mini-mom to him, very loving and very protective. Of course he sometimes gets on her nerves and into her stuff but she is very attatched to him and it's sweet. The other day we were looking at old pictures of when he was a newborn and she had tears in her eyes. I am having another in June and I hope she will be the same way with the new baby. I'm sure your daughter will love the baby a lot.