Kristie, our kids had similar age gaps and we put them in together (first Lindsay and Erin and then Erin and Paige) when the baby needed to cot etc. We did what Christy did and had staggered bedtimes, but we put the older child to bed first as I would just have to feed the baby one more time before they were down for the night anyway. It worked quite well and we had more issues when they were older and they would talk to one another when they went to bed at the same time. Even now the girls still talk sometimes and I might need to give a few reminders to go to sleep.