There are certain advantages of being the first born, despite the fact that your parents literally experiment with you, on their way to becoming better parents. Almost everthing you get is new.
My older daughter is constantly reaping her benefits of being the first born. All clothes, accessories, toys, crib, storller, bedding, bicycles one, two and three were and are all brand new. Being the first born in the family and among our close group of friends, she gets absolutely no hand me downs. Where as, my second one gets tons of them, not only from her sister but from an older cousin and friends. She is actually excited when she gets them! Before she gets into an outfit, she always asks - now remind me again... whose shirt was this?! - and fondly remembers the person who gave it to her.
I am first born too. I had new clothes, new toys, new bicycle (new tvs champ and Kinetic Honda). It wasn't untill I was in ninth grade or so that my mom realsied that my cousin, a year older than me, who lived in Coimbatore, had the same books for school as I did. Her books looked brand new; even the ones that she had bought from her seniors! I was actually thrilled to use those second hand books. They had notes all over in my cousin's perfect pearl like handwriting. Apart from the books, I never had to use anything that someone else didn't need but was still in good condition.
The other morning, as my daughter was getting ready for school, I pulled out a new pair of mary jane shoes that I had bought during last year's sale. 'Wear these with your skirt. They'll look nice' I said. She tried them on. Both of us were disappointed when they did not fit her. As I stood staring at her feet wondering how fast they had grown, she said 'Well, now you can have them!'
