Babies 13 Months apart, pro's and con's!

So, I have always wanted to have a way/opportunity to just talk. As the mother of two young children surely it is only natural to want to talk about experiences, your views, amongst many other things.
It is always challenging to find things to do when your children sleep, your housework is done and you find that the silence is beginning to become deafening.
Mainly the purpose behind this particular post is so that I can express my thoughts and feelings about having two Daughters who are very close in age.
When I announced that I was pregnant with my second daughter just five months after the birth of my first, I did get some sly looks, chuckles and of course the very direct people telling me it would be the most difficult thing I have ever done and that I must be mental.
I was very nervous about the impending birth of my second Daughter. My first daughter was still so young she hadn't been challenging, she slept well, was walking and spoon feeding herself before my second daughter was born but I was scared that she might be effected by the presence of a new baby in the house after only being the baby for such a short time. I was 12 days over due with Evie (Youngest). I had a difficult pregnancy as I was very large and struggled to look after Mia (Eldest) to the best of my ability. After the 42 week pregnancy my youngest daughter Evie was born on the 4th of August at 4.06pm. I had been induced and gave birth to her in the Birthing Pool at Stepping Hill Hospital (Stockport, Manchester) I had a very traumatic birth and she had to be resuscitated.
The next day Andy (My partner) brought Mia to the hospital to meet her baby sister. It was love at first sight.
Since the day I brought Evie home her and Mia have been nothing short of best friends. It's not like they don't fall out and fight because that's just brother and sisters regardless of age or gender but they are so much closer than I had expected. Mia and Evie do everything and go everywhere together, they are partners in crime. It was difficult in the first month or so whilst I was trying to pin down a routine. I had both girls in nappies and drinking from bottles at the same time so that made for twice the work but I love the way I chose to do it. I find that now that they are both a little older (32 and 18 months) it has just got easier. Theya re each others amusement, they don't rely on me for every jigsaw, colouring or to help build with blocks, they do it all together. If one isn't tired when you put them to bed they talk each other to sleep.
I can understand why people are of the opinion that having to children close together would be a challenging thing to do but I can certainly give an alternative view. I have loved every minute of it. Mia and Evie are destined to be close for the rest of their lives. Mia is always teaching Evie words and how to do certain things, if one falls the other helps them up, the swap the bits of their tea that each other would rather have. Both girls are so loving and caring towards each other, even at such a young age.
Once when Evie was around 11-12 months, making Mia 2, Evie woke in the night crying, I went upstairs to give her a bottle and settle her as it was at the time she had a bad cough, when I went into the room, Evie had gone back to sleep and Mia was stood in her cot, as I came into the room Mia quietly whispered "Can I have a bottle?" When I asked her what had happened to her bottle she said "Evie was sad so I gave her mine". I got teary about it. This is just how they are together. They are protectors of each other, god help anybody who tries to break that bond!!
For anybody who is thinking of having 2 children close together just think, there will be difficult times, just like there will if you have the 2-3 years apart but there are so many more upsides. It is nice to see 2 children to close whilst still so young. I would definitely do it again!!