Family

Having another baby makes you think about your own upbringing in so many ways.  With this child being so late (11 days and counting......) it makes me think about my other two - one was induced 11 days late, and the other was on his due date.
Their personalities are very different, the one who was late is very stubborn and determined!!  Rushes headfirst into every situation, makes up stories, manipulates everyone around her.... She's hard work.  But I admire her spirit and her fight.  If we can keep ourselves from killing her, I think she will be a fine young woman who is very successful.
The one who was on time is my little man.  He's a squishy wee thing, and ever so clever.  He's quicker to give up than J, she can be tricked into doing jobs whereas if H isn't interested, he walks away.  He surprises us with his deep thinking, his understanding of how things work, and his patience.

I originally thought this one might be a boy, but now thats its late, I'm thinking its a girl!  And I'm petrified that its going to be another stubborn minx like #1.

So I grew up in a family of 4 kids - and we are all very different!!  This is our most recent photo together from April 2010 - its been a few years since we had one since we have at different times all lived in different countries! But we were all together at my younger brother's wedding.  My brothers are wearing the Robertson tartan - one is a family kilt from my late uncle Adam, and the other was custom made in Edinburgh.

When I think about personalities of my siblings I can summarise, but really we are all too complicated to make wide statements about.
My older brother is sensible.  He's intelligent, and he loves a good laugh.  And a good bottle of wine.  He's a family man and a career man, and I think his biggest challenge is to work the two together.  He feels responsibility heavily, but he is a good friend since he has had the same close group of mates since high school - despite them living around the world.  He misses NZ, which is good since he married a kiwi so I think they will be back to NZ eventually.
My older sister is very talented in a creative way.  She is extremely musical and a deep thinker - she probably over thinks most things truth be told.  She is very protective of her family and her way of life, and I admire her tireless pursuit of contentedness.  She's the sort of person who will be there for you if you ask her to.
My little brother was the unsettled one, but that's changed some over the last few years.  He likes his mates, his concerts and his travelling.  He is an excellent provider, and will work almost anywhere doing almost anything to make sure that the required funds are raised.  Like my older brother, he enjoys a good laugh, and a good drink, and a bloody good time.  When he is on form, he is a blast to be around.  He's married an Aussie girl, so I suspect he is there for good.
I'm the practical one.  I did the boring things (like savings, school, education, work, buying houses etc.....) when I was supposed to, and I guess I'm middle aged before my time.  Getting divorced and having illegitimate kids to a much older divorcee with tatts and a harley threw a bit of a spanner in the works in terms of my reputation, but when they all realised how incredibly sensible Shane is, I think my boring nature was just cemented in stone!

I do wonder what my kids will be like in 30 years time.  I'm pleased I'm having my third child because how nice to have siblings.
(I just wish this baby would come soon!!!!!!!!!)