OP here. I really love all the support you guys have been giving me. We're spending this month getting healthy (Dr's appointments, my pre-natals etc) and otherwise ready as much as we can despite the job-uncertainty. We're talking about starting to try next month given how strong my response was to all this.

I felt that way too, but I did end up making great friends on my second leave too. And some of them had older children the same age as my older child. So I did end up with two good sets of sibling playmates where both of her kids can play well with both of mine. And as all the kids get older, a year's age difference isn't as big a deal, so this becomes less of an issue.

If it makes you feel any better, OP, perhaps tell yourself that you'll be on maternity leave with other friends -- particularly if you move to a different location!