I’m ready to give my son a sibling but my life isn’t ready for another baby yet. My husband and I live in downtown Los Angeles and our neighborhood is fucking trash. For the past few months there’s been a shooting within one mile of our house EVERY DAY. One of them was a 7 year old boy. The fireworks are nonstop, day and night. And recently there’s been a string of abductions of women around my neighborhood. Last week I was playing with my son at the park (we were the only ones there) and this guy starting legit circling us in his car. Starting us down. Circled us 4x before I got out my mace, put my baby in the stroller, and power walked home. Scary af.

It didn’t used to be this bad. We’re both from here. But since the pandemic and everyone lost their jobs it’s been a nightmare.

We want to move, we’re working on a plan, and we have flights scheduled to gtfo in September. We don’t have a permanent place to live in our new location (just a long term air bnb) and we’re really hoping we’ll enjoy our new city enough to settle long term. It’s more affordable, safer, better schools. But moving is scary.

I always envisioned trying to conceive #2 as soon as my son turned one, but that’s not going to fit in our lives right now. I’m just stressed and a little heartbroken.