Expecting number 3, excited, any advice on starting again after big gap?

[Jackieharris]

Hi
I'm expecting much longed for number 3.

I always wanted 3 and had planned toget there whilst still in my 20s but life hasn't gone too smoothly so we've had to put off plans for a number of years so I'm now 34, will be 35 at birth.

My DS will turn 13 around due date, DD will be 7.9. As it's so early we haven't told them but they knew it was on the cards as we often discuss having another with them. Of course DD wants a sister and DS wants a brother so one is going to be disappointed!

Anyone out there with similar gaps? We obviously had quite a big gap with first two so used to different activities on different days etc and fights over cbbc vs cbeebies! Now they are older they pretty much do their own thing at home so we expect to have a fair bit of time for the newbie without the older ones feeling left out.

Another thing is that we have away all our baby stuff years ago so will have to start again from scratch! It's bewildering- prams and car seats are so different and so much more expensive than 13 years ago.

There is also the room sharing issue. DS and DD shared until a year and a half ago. They have got used to their own rooms now and we just couldn't put another one in with DS. DP thinks we should consider moving to a 4 bed but I think that's a huge expense considering the baby will be in with us for a while and DS could be going off to uni when the baby is 4/5. That would mean DD sharing until she is 11/12 which I don't think is too bad but with a big age gap and potentially different sex it could be a problem. But we have time to figure that one out.

Oh and DD and DS were sharing a room until around a year ago too but DH and I are both ft students so in no position to buy and would not want to rent a four bed. However once we graduate next year we will be looking to buy then and will likely go for a four bed, possibly five, even though DD will only have a few more years at home before abandoning us to go to uni! What a scary thought!
Don't have any problem with the kids sharing a room though and DD has already asked when the baby can go into her room...got a feeling that will change once he or she is actually here, and DD's moody teen years properly kick in :P DS however would likely sit up all night firing nerf gun bullets at his new baby brother or sister haha!

Quite a similar situation to me then, ginger geek! Congrats on your bump and good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

I was 38 when I had dc3. At the time dc1 was 12 and dc2 was 9.
The room sharing was a challenge - love the shed idea!
Now I have a 24, 21 and 13. Oldest two still haven't left home although at uni or away for weeks on end, so room sharing still a bloody problem!

Room sharing in the long run I think is going to be our biggest problem.

Dc1 is very independent though so I really dont expect him to live at home far into adulthood.

Although I realise with current lack of employment and high houses prices we may have no choice.

Room sharing and the size of our house is an issue as well for us we have a tiny 3 bed. Dd2 and the baby going to be sharing a 6x6 box room for the immediate future, can't afford to move and although dd1 has a double room to herself, she loves her room and is in their a lot and she needs her space away from the little ones for homework/friends round etc starting to feel claustrophobic and haven't even had dd3 yet aagh