The month of May is typically a hectic one at the Jackson Residence.

Mother’s Day momentos crowd the mantle, school activities from multiple campuses jam the calendars and we celebrate the birthday of our youngest family member, Baby Girl, after a succession of back-to-back spring bashes.

The fact that all three kids have birthdays one month after the other—Darius in March, Nia in April and Layla in May—happens to be either a serendipitous set of circumstances or a karmic coincidence. I honestly don’t know which. But what I do know is how rewarding it’s been to witness our baby daughter bloom through the years into the precocious pre-schooler that she is today.

Layla’s birth, which was twelve years after her brother’s and three years after her sister’s, made her the ninth grandchild on my side of the family, the sixth on her father’s side and granted both her siblings’ wishes for another in-house playmate.

As much as Darius loves Nia, the nine years that separate them all but insured that he’d have little time as a high school student to pal around a lot with her. Even though it’s not a huge age difference, the years between the arrivals of Nia and Layla bestowed Nia with the coveted title of “Big Sis,” and hopefully, in the near future, “BFF.”

Traditionally, the baby of the house seems to find themselves becoming the odd one out, lost in the shuffle or overlooked, but Baby Girl in ours doesn’t quite allow for that. The short stature and sweetie-pie features aside, that broad vocabulary she’s developed won’t allow the luxury of that family faux pas.

Nia, as a typical sibling, isn’t above instigating an argument or mimicking her sister just because she can, but Layla doesn’t hesitate to deliver “the git-back” either—who knew a pre-schooler could stop out of a room, slam a door and holler “Leave me ALONE!” with all the ferocity of a hormone-driven tween?

Fortunately, Layla creates as many sweet moments as she does the salty ones: there’s the cuddling, spontaneous hugs and kisses, the doodle-filled artwork that she creates for holidays and the out-of-nowhere affirmations of “I love you!” Sure, Big Sis may be “The Diva,” but being the “Resident Princess” isn’t such a bad gig since she knows how to work it.

When we were discussing whether or not we’d try for another baby and how important another sibling would be, I knew ahead of time that if we moved forward, Calvin and I would be committing to another couple of decades of effort and resources. But neither of us could’ve anticipated that Layla would grow into an indisputable “Lorrie Jr.”, regale anyone she comes into contact with (“those cheeeeeeeeeks!”) and literally become the third time lucky charm in our lives.

Parenting is one of the world’s oldest professions and there aren’t many of its duty aspects that haven’t been explored or anticipated.

But everytime I deliver cupcakes to the classrooms, watch their eyes glow when candles are lit and memorialize their milestones as they grow into their destinies, I feel humbled and grateful. Of all the members of the Jackson Residence, Nia and Layla represent our literal contribution to the twenty-first century, two young ladies poised for infinite accomplishments and possibilities.

Layla’s celebration last weekend afforded her the usual spoils: books, spending money, new spring outfits and a doll and toy cellphone from her self-proclaimed pre-school ‘boyfriend’ Keyton (more on that in another column). But what mattered the most was that Baby Girl felt special and loved. After all, her very existence is a gift to all of us.