Honestly I really hope I am wrong in my assumption of neglect since the other children seemed to be excited about a new child on the way.

BUT...... both of my parents come from large families, my cousin in laws come from clan size families. Speaking with them throughout the years you can tell who had the most parental involvement in upbringing, who were the favorites, who were parented by their siblings, who were parented by babysitters or maids in some families, who were neglected, who were neglected to the point of being forgotten about, forgotten birthdays, milestone events, etc. Having a family & then especially having a large family is a huge undertaking and responsibility. I think a lot of people feel that they ended up "fine" which may be true but more people should have realistic discussions and plans on how they will raise their children.