Moving back is hard to do

Weekends are not at all restful these days even though we have a helper who takes care of the baby through the night. There will often be some issues to worry us, or perhaps we have to make plans that involve some sacrifice on our part. I can just see the glee in my parents' eyes when they say that we finally know that it is not easy to care for infants. Yes we know, and we made the decision to have a baby knowing that sacrifices will have to be made, but we still don't like having to sacrifice.

The issue that had been worrying us in particular last night was our decision to move in with our parents. Sunshine will have to go back to work when her maternity leave is up. 3 months is a long time, but it will still come to and end. We need to move in with our parents so that the baby can be cared for while we are at work, and leaving him with the maid the whole day alone at home is not acceptable to us. We would still rather have our family members watching over him. Having grown used to living a life of our own these 2 years, we are dreading the day when we have to move in with my parents. I'm not looking forward to it even though it is my own family whom I have lived with for more than 20 years. It can't be any better for her.

We will be keeping our apartment as a weekend house so we can have a place to retreat to and hopefully not go crazy. It is foolish financially not to rent it out since we are moving in with our parents, but we can't bear to give it up. Some of my colleagues just could not understand when I told them that I'm not looking forward to moving back. I guess this is a luxury that we have enjoyed for 2 years, and which we have grown used to. Moving in will be for at least the next 10 years, until the son is old enough to care for himself. But by that time it will be our turn to take care of my parents in their old age. 2 years is not enough.

Planning to move in is more complicated than initially envisioned. My sister's family will have to move out of my parents' place, before we can move in, and their moving out date had been a moving target for month. Until they move out, we cannot do a stock-take and figure out what they will be taking with them, what we need to throw when they are gone, and what we need to buy and bring over. Will have to hold more discussions with my parents over the next week or so to hurry things along and gain more visibility. And I think we really should wait until we are settled down in my parents' place before Sunshine goes back to work, especially since her 12 weeks of maternity leave is not yet used up.

Logistically, we need to maintain 2 sets of clothing and baby equipment at 2 places. Culturally, we have to adapt to my parents' practices, which is why we need SCV for her and broadband for me to zone out and take a break from the hassle of life, at least until the baby cries. Financially, I'm sure we can handle the additional expenses of baby, maid, and 2 sets of household expenses, though I haven't put down the figures on paper so I can't blame her for saying that I'm optimistic. I'm surprised how some other families can feed a car on top of all these other expenses. Am I underpaid??

The direction at least, is quite clear now. It is quibbling over the details that is killing us. No wonder some people would rather rear pets than kids.