The girls have been discussing a room swap, new paint on the walls and a move to the basement. I can almost taste that dream of Greg retiring.

 
“Why does Hanna have her own room? If I move down to the basement, I could have my own room.”

 
Hanna is the oldest. It’s the role of the first born.

 
“Why does Chloe get to play with an ipod? When I was five, I didn’t have an ipod?”

 
Chloe is the youngest. It’s the role of the youngest to want to emulate the older siblings. You didn’t have an ipod when you were five because a) I’m not sure they existed and b) you didn’t have anyone wandering around the house walking into walls because they couldn’t get enough of it so there was no reason to stray from your intense training wheel removal hypnosis tapes.

 
“Why does Ellie get to have a sleepover?”

 
Ellie is the middle child. She grins and bears it and is often dragged to events that are just a little too old for her or activities that are decades too young. She is a good sport about all of it and is having one sleepover to your ten thousand.

 
The Great Room Swap: At present, Hanna has a room of her own with pink walls and a decent closet. She will agree to keep her room if we change the pink walls and get her a desk. I suddenly feel like a professional negotiator, minutes from ordering her a private jet to Cuba.

 
Ellie and Chloe share a room. They have a big walk-in closet, purple walls and tiny, twin beds.

 
Ellie at nine years old has started to slice into the frame at the foot of the bed with her toenails. We may need to re-think this plan.

 
“Who wants to move to the basement?”

 
EVERYONE!