Oh Presto, Congratulations! [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/happy.gif]
I have a 3yr gap with my sister. As far as I remember, we fought ALOT when we were young. Mainly over toys and later on TV/Phone/PC. But nothing too serious and I think my "very wise" parents deemed them as trival sibling rivalry and probably knew that the back of their minds that we would outgrown this phase.
It was especially bad whenever I moved on to a new phase, e.g. me in sec sch while she was still an irritating pri sch kid or when I entered Uni and she was this still-irritating sec 4 teenager. I remember we would pick on each other often and somehow refused to give in even for the slightest thing. I have to admit that many a times, I wish I was an only child.
But having said that, I think we have actually been each other's pillar of strength unknowingly. And more often than not, she has "mimicked" my way of growing up. Thankfully I didnt lead her astray! At her wedding, she thanked my parents for bringing up her but thanked me especially who have been with her every step.
Our relationship really matured and blossomed after we both started working (earlier on we seldom see each other for awhile esp during those uni hostel years). Once we have grown up and found our own identities, we are extremely comfortable with each other and really stand by each other in times of bad relationships, bad days at work or when we need to join forces against the parents at times
Now that we are both married and have moved out from parents' place, we cherish time together alot and make it a point to sync our visits to parents. We also spend time going to facials/massages/shopping together. I was extremely busy in June and my little sister pestered me nonstop every week to give her a slot to meet me for lunch.
So, if you ask me now, I would give anything to have such a sister in my life. And I wouldnt change anything about our childhood and growing up years. These days, they only serve as fond memories.
Sorry for the long post but I was reading about the 3yr/5yr gap thingy and was smiling in front of my laptop. 3yr is a good gap. Let the kiddos fight them out. It's just a passing phase [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/happy.gif]