My second boy was a "surprise" - he happened the first time my husband and I were "together" after giving birth to Number One - and I honestly think if it didn't happen that way, I may not have ever had more kids because the first pregnancy was such a nightmare. But just like all kids are different, so are all pregnancies - Number Two was sooo much easier (and now i want a third)! Also, since I found out I was pregnant when Number One was less than 3 months old, I hadn't gotten rid of anything! We were set with everything from the maternity clothes to the bassinet to the little onesies that only fit for a couple of months. If you know you're going to have another, sooner really is better. Your body kind of remembers what to do (that's a nice way of saying that the less time in between, the less toning and weight loss there is to undo!!!), you have that much less to re-buy (especially if they're the same sex), and most importantly, the kids will share a lot more experiences together. That said, I was a "lonely only," and I remember playing Brady Bunch (naturally, I'd be Marcia!) and Little Rascals (I'd switch it up between Darla and Mary-Ann) in the backyard by myself which is a little pathetic. Once I was old enough to venture into the neighborhood, I (subconsciously) collected friends who had large (minimum 3 kids) families, and I loved hanging at their houses, sleeping over, and just blending into the flock. When I'd reluctantly agree to having them play at my "boring" house, they'd alway ooh and ah about the room I had to myself, and the toys that weren't mangled from sibling tug-of-wars, but I don't think they'd have found those things to be a trade-off if they'd lived without their brood for a while. My mom's pretty convinced that's why I want "so many" (is three really a lot?) kids. Anyway - I don't know what it is, but I keep finding myself responding to your articles! They're really good - right in that pocket of having something meaningful to say without getting too serious about it.