Several months back I was talking my baby for a walk and we passed the neighborhood school. It occurred to me then, I really have no idea where we will be living when Evan is ready for kindergarten. In all honestly, I don't know where we will live when he is ready for preschool. And the latter presents problems because I need to start trying to get on waiting lists.
We live in the city and while there is more than enough room for 2 adults and one toddler, things will be too close for comfort with another baby. On one hand, I am in no rush to leave the city. Even though we don't have a yard, we are a very short work to the largest park in the city and can even walk to the city zoo. We know we wouldn't sell this place to get another place in the city. A move means a move to the suburbs, which means a significantly longer commute for my husband who now takes a bus and need be, it is about a 15 minute car ride.
I feel there are a lot of factors when determining when to have a second child.
1) finances- luckily we have much of the gear from the first child, but would need another bed and likely a bassinet, which we didn't use the first time around. Evan costs us about $200 a week in food, diapers, classes, and supplies, so I can assume through toddlerhood we would double this. Plus they pick up more activities and expenses with age.
2) Spacing of kids- ideally I would like three years apart between kids, but after the struggle to have the first kid, I can't assume it will just happen. It could take a long time- so do I start early or start when I would want and prepare myself the age gap could be much greater?
3) Housing- this is a big one. We have a three bedroom place but the third bedroom is on a different floor. We use that room as a guest room/office/ and my workout room that I use daily. I would be sad to give it up. I never had the baby stay in our room because my husband was working. As soon as he cried, I turned off the monitor, closed my bedroom door, closed his door, and took care of him so my husband could sleep. I don't want a baby that doesn't sleep through the night sharing a room with Evan and keeping him up. So either the new baby could sleep in our room, or I will be post c-section sleeping on a pull out couch in my former workout room. It just isn't ideal. But it isn't ideal to move while pregnant, with a newborn, or two toddlers either.
I suppose there are no right answers. Change is difficult, but I don't want to jump the gun and sell our city home until I know we need to move.
