Hello from Bald Head Island!
Matt and I are enjoying some time with my family and then Matt’s family while we wait for our moving truck to make its way across the country. It’s weird being homeless and I’m definitely feeling anxious to get settled.
We had a busy week before we left – cleaning, selling furniture, and finalizing an offer on our house! We tried to see as many friends as possible, and I started to get really sad saying goodbye. I will miss our wonderful friends so much!!
We are really fortunate that Matt’s company provided a relocation package for us, so we didn’t have to pack a thing. Our giant moving truck arrived on Monday and the wonderful crew packed and moved the house in about 12 hours.
After a long day of travel, we made our way to Bald Head. Matt starts work the week after Thanksgiving so we’re planning to totally disconnect before the crazyness begins again.
I’ve gotten a lot of questions about what I’m planning to do in New York and the answer is: I’m not sure. Everything happened so fast that I’ve haven’t had time to think about it. I’m going to try staying at home for a while to think about if I’d like to look for something part-time, try to do something on my own, or just enjoy my job as a mom. Any advice for me?
Maria
November 16, 2017 at 4:38 pmYou realize your current situation is nothing like being homeless, right?
Laura
November 16, 2017 at 5:02 pmYes, I do. But, probably not a very good title considering the people who are actually living on the street. I’ll change it. Thanks for pointing it out.
Jennifer Valdes
November 22, 2017 at 7:00 amNot sure why everything has to be taken literally, but I got your meaning when you said “homeless”. 😉
Enjoy your move. It can be stressful but exciting. We went through a similar thing years ago and looking back now…it was a fun time.
I would stay home with Em for a whileand enjoy that time. Things will happen when they happen and the time is right. ☺
Laura
November 22, 2017 at 8:36 amThanks:)
Kat
November 16, 2017 at 7:37 pmI’d say find a few playgroups/library storytimes/mommy and me groups and just keep trying them until you find your mama tribe. And every time you don’t find them, don’t lose heart! They are there waiting for you and they don’t even know it yet!!!
Laura
November 22, 2017 at 8:39 amThanks! Def want to find that tribe
Marissa
November 16, 2017 at 7:55 pmMy advice: be a SAHM if you can! These are the most awesome years of your baby’s life & you’ll never regret being with her during this time. Best decision I ever made was to quit working 2 years ago when I had our first daughter. We just recently had our second daughter. It’s definitely a luxury to be able to stay home & I don’t take a minute for granted. Not always easy either, but totally worth it. Find Mom groups & Mom friends & you’ll enjoy it! Good luck with your decisions.
Laura
November 22, 2017 at 8:38 amThank you!
Patricia
November 16, 2017 at 11:32 pmI agree. I feel so lucky that I was able to stay home with my children when they were young.
Julia
November 17, 2017 at 11:17 amI feel like staying at home for 6+ months might make you realize that you actually do want to work. I am tempted to stay at home to be with the kids, but I’m currently working part-time and I feel like I enjoy my job and I also think our daycare gives my kids social advantages that wouldn’t be available to them if it was just me and them.
I also think the stay-at-home mom community in NYC might be smaller than in Dallas, so it might make it harder to find your mom group, but maybe not!?
Other consideration that makes it tricky is if you are planning on having another kid anytime soon. Some would say that shouldn’t matter (and I agree!), but I had a hard time pretending it wasn’t affecting my plans!
Julia
November 17, 2017 at 11:19 amalso–a side question, if your house hadn’t sold, would the new employer buy it off of you or would you guys be stuck with trying to sell it after moving to NYC?
Laura
November 22, 2017 at 8:37 amNo – I think we would be stuck trying to sell it! Fingers crossed it closes!
Laura
November 22, 2017 at 8:38 amI think you may be right – I loooved working part time
Sheila
November 19, 2017 at 8:09 pmGive yourself some time to get used to NYC – having lived there for 6 or so years, it took a lot of adjustment. Here’s my advice!
– learn the subway ASAP. If your daughter can still fit in a carrier, wear her on the subway the first few times and observe how the other moms deal with the stroller situation. A light umbrella stroller is your best bet!
– take advantage of the delivery services! Groceries, restaurant food, grubhub – do it with no guilt. A lot of the bigger grocery stores like c-town offer delivery. Fresh Direct is great too – or it was when I was living there (which was a few years ago, granted)
– take a walk every day and explore the nabe.
– I agree with the above poster who said you might find the stay-at-Home mom population isn’t as big as Dallas. That was certainly true for me and one of the big reasons we moved away. But, it just may take a bit more looking to find a tribe. Consider joining the Y! There’s a nice one in Park Slope, Brooklyn that is very family-friendly.
Good luck on your adventure! You will LOVE the food scene there 🙂
Laura
November 22, 2017 at 8:36 amAwesome – thanks for the advice!
Sarah
November 27, 2017 at 6:09 pmI went from teaching full time to being a SAHM when we moved from New Jersey to NYC (Battery Park) and loved it. Finding my mom tribe was key— there were tons of SAHM in that area. I was a member of Hudson’s River Park mamas (HRP) which was a great way to meet people— I think Park Slope Parents is similar. And yes yes to getting to know the subway and using the baby carrier for as long as possible. I used the ergo on the subway until my older daughter was 20 months. Love Taza has a great resource for which subway stations have elevators. Also cup of jo and love taza have some great articles on fun nyc outings with little ones. We’re in the CT suburbs now with 2 kids which was the right call but we had such a blast in nyc with 1 toddler. Have fun and fill us in on your adventures.
Delia
December 8, 2017 at 4:13 pmIdk I think the SAHM situation, while having serious advantages, ignores that mama’s brain needs exercise & socialization! You’re a professional and while it may take some time, you def. have skills to find part-time work as a consultant or sub even! Having your bub in a daycare situation may help you meet new friends, play dates etc. Just don’t forget about your mental needs; Being home all the time can be really exhausting and draining too.
Laura
December 8, 2017 at 9:06 pmIt’s already exhausting! But we’ll see. Thanks for your thoughts!