ds1 & 2 are 18months apart. It was full on in the begining but they are best of friends now at age 5 1/2 and 4. The good thing is they are into the same type of things at the same times, toys etc.
ds3 will be a bigger gap, when he arrives they will be 6 & 4 1/2. I am looking forward to the fact the older boys can feed themselves, TT, etc and actually want to help out a bit when bub comes.

So i see beneifits in both a bigger and smaller gaps. In some ways a bigger gap i feel will make it harder, like family trips etc trying to find something that all 3 will be enjoying, but on the other hand we certainly were not ready to have fallen pregnant when ds2 was only 9months like we did with ds1!

me and my sister are 3ys 9months apart and were fairly close as children, even more close as adults. There is 5yrs 9m between me and my brother but we are not as close.... i too think its not the age difference its the personalities that make the bonds.