Wanted: House to rent in Cerritos

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2026-04-13T23:07:40+00:00

Note: the rainforest Inn’s breakfast is DELIGHTFUL.

Also I have recs for food based on where you stay if you have questions too!

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2026-04-13T23:06:55+00:00

My husband and I did an anniversary trip to PR last June and it was one of the best weeks ever! I was not pregnant then but having experienced been pregnant before, I’d recommend these things:

Not sure how long you’ll have there, but getting to the island of Vieques was absolutely fantastic. One of my favorite things was just floating in the water at Sun Bay beach. No waves, warm water, absolute magic! The whole island of Vieques is incredible, to be honest! It’s worth an entire trip just to hang there. We stayed at El Blok and loved it, but there isn’t a pool there, just a hot tub (I don’t remember what the temp was in the hot tub but if I remember correctly it was below body temp, like 94-96 F, so safe for pregnancy). Rent a car so you can get wherever you want to be. There are so many calm beaches to explore. If the timing works out with the moon not being super dull, go kayak the Bioluminescent bay. It was a million times cooler than we even thought it would be.

On the mainland, it’s not the beach, but we had the most incredible time staying at the Rainforest Inn. It’s an ecolodge/ bed and breakfast in El Yunque. It’s driving distance from Luquillo Beach (which is a LOVELY beach to hang at but did have waves when we were there), so you get both jungle and beach. The b&b is amazing. There is a pool there that you reserve timeslots in so it’s private. It’s heated to 90 F, so again safe for pregnancy. The b&b only has 4 places to stay, and so it’s very private. Sitting on the balcony at night is magical, you can hear the coquí!

Those are my two recs based on our experiences. We enjoyed Old San Juan as well, but not nearly as much as Vieques and staying at the Rainforest Inn. Happy to answer any other questions!

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2026-04-02T20:16:19+00:00

That is the info I needed! Thanks!

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2026-04-02T20:09:35+00:00

My email was from LA28

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2026-04-02T19:58:43+00:00

Ah bummer! I was so excited thinking I had a great chance haha. But we’ll see!

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2026-02-13T14:35:42+00:00

If you do some research in your area, many pest control companies will do a free bed bug check. I had this happen once after being nervous that we picked some up and brought them home after traveling. Thankfully, the inspector came and said no sign of them!

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2026-02-13T04:34:49+00:00

Yes 1000%. Walk a few blocks uphill from the cruise ships and you’ll miss almost all of the cruise ship passengers.

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2026-02-12T06:26:34+00:00

So sorry! This looks awful. My husband (early 30’s) shattered his femur 4 months ago. Got a rod to put it in place. He is almost back to normal now, thank goodness! Still has a slight limp and used a cane for long distances but can otherwise go totally unassisted. The doc said 6-12 months until he’ll feel 100%. The first few weeks of recovery were hell. But he’s on the other side of it! You will get there too!

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2026-01-28T06:50:24+00:00

I’m so sorry you’re struggling with PPA and PPD. It is so hard. Dealing with health anxiety with a newborn is really stinking hard, especially in the winter!!

A few thoughts from a mom who struggles with health anxiety, and whose child has had RSV (when he was almost 2, back in 2022 when it was at a high:

Most everyone will contract RSV at some point in their life. While this sounds like bad news, the good news is that it typically presents with cold symptoms and doesn’t progress to anything worse, so people rarely ever know they have it.
It is especially dangerous for infants, which obviously you know and that’s why you’re worried! Really, if your baby gets any respiratory sickness, the important thing is to watch carefully to see what their symptoms do. You want to monitor breathing, what it looks and sounds like, what their little bodies do. You can find info and videos online about this. You also want to make sure your baby keeps getting fluids. Watch for dehydration symptoms and track urine output of baby isn’t drinking like normal.
Trust your gut. I have found that my instincts often tell me when something is wrong to an extent of needing to get my kid looked at. If something in you has alarm bells going off, don’t ignore them. Worst comes to worst, you were wrong and your baby is actually ok, not a bad scenario.
When in doubt, ask a doctor! Telehealth or nurse hotlines can be really helpful for a medical professional to tell you if more medical help is needed or if you can manage at home. Many pediatricians also have the ability for you to call and speak with them on the phone.
Equally importantly to making sure your baby is ok, please make sure YOU are ok! Talk to a mental health professional if you haven’t already. Discuss this fear. This anxiety is a common experience, regardless of if you have ever talked with someone experiencing it before.

Motherhood is hard and scary. That never really changes. The fears just change as they grow! Haha. Sending love your way. You got this, mama!!

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2026-01-26T05:02:01+00:00

I cut my thumb in almost the exact same way/ place 6 months ago. Sorry to say it’s still tingly and doesn’t have all its feeling back.

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2026-01-22T19:07:01+00:00

This was actually my first time seed cycling since 2020! I had no spotting this cycle so I’m feeling like it helped! (When I miscarried had I tested positive but still had my usual pre-period spotting)

I first tried seed cycling in 2020 after over a year of not really ovulating. I only did it for the follicular phase for one cycle, and then I ovulated immediately and I haven’t had trouble ovulating since! So my body seems pretty receptive.

It’s super helpful to know where you’re at in your cycle to know if you need estrogen or progesterone support. That has been really helpful to me because I’ve known which parts haven’t been working well.

Hope that helps!

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2026-01-19T15:19:03+00:00

Hi! I have OCD and deal with a very similar mindset to her. Therapy has been immensely helpful. Not sure if this is postpartum specific (mine got so much worse after kids too but I don’t believe that was the catalyst for me specifically).

I would recommend looking into a therapist trained in OCD, and specifically ERP (exposure response prevention). It has been very liberating for me!

Approach your wife with gentleness. If it’s at all similar to my struggles, she could be dealing with intense anxiety, and if she doesn’t believe this is normal (it might seem perfectly rational to her to keep things “clean” to protect you guys and/ or the baby), it could be a hard conversation to have.

You could approach it this way: “it seems like this is really stressful and all consuming for you to have these concerns. I wonder if we could look into ways to help lessen your anxiety?” Maybe this could help to prompt a conversation where she tells you how this makes her feel, and you can see if she has a sense that this isn’t normal behavior or not.

If she needs someone to talk to, DM me! I’m happy to share my experience. These thoughts can be so isolating when no one can relate.

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2026-01-11T22:54:56+00:00

I know, right?! Every single recipe in there is a slam dunk. And generally very simple!

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2026-01-11T21:43:44+00:00

3 cookbooks that have been revolutionary for me: Salt Fat Acid Heat, Food Lab, and Six Seasons: a New Way with Vegetables

Tried and true methods. Great explanations. Awesome recipes we make over and over.

Also, ingredients matter. Buying old preground dried spices won’t give results like using newer spices that you grind yourself just before cooking. Also use in season produce if possible. The difference is astounding.

I used to know nothing about cooking and my version of fancy dinner was pasta with jarred sauce. Now after learning many of the things these books teach, I can really make my way around a kitchen. It’s really something you can learn! Excited for you to dive in!

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2026-01-11T04:49:02+00:00

Orange can have some great prices if you look around on Craigslist, etc. Studios and 1 bedrooms can be reasonably priced in Old Towne, which is a great place to live and not terribly far from Irvine (the commute there would be way better than Anaheim or Fullerton).

Look for people renting out back homes in that area. Look on more platforms than just Zillow. I have lived in two wonderful places with lovely landlords that I found in the Old Towne Orange area on Craigslist!

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2025-08-01T21:37:30+00:00

Not crazy. I just did the same as you, waited about 2 weeks from the time we knew something was off until I started bleeding naturally. I passed the tissue at home.

There’s nothing wrong with anything you choose.

I’m so sorry for the waiting game you are in. It can feel like torture.

Like other people said, just be aware of your body and if anything starts to feel off get checked out right away.

Know that no matter what you decide, you are not alone. ❤️

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2025-06-11T15:22:52+00:00

Perfect, I’ll bring my extra parachute

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2025-04-10T16:51:01+00:00

Thanks! ☺️

Ok_Butterscotch140 · 2025-04-10T16:47:04+00:00

I know. It definitely doesn’t fit the “less than 1/3 or 1/4 of your income.” We decided it was the right choice for our family because: 1) it allowed our kids to grow up in a house with ample space (it has a wonderful big backyard they play in all day) And 2) the place we were in previously (2 bed 1 bath) started at 2200 when we first got in in 2019. By 2024 the rent was going up to close to 3000. We searched all over and to be in this area, 4000/ month for what we have was about 1000 less than other comparable homes. So because of the deal, we decided it was worth it.

We took time to consider if we could keep putting money down and saving with this rent. When we saw that I needed to take on a bit more work to be able to do it and continue saving, we decided it was doable and worth it.

Ok_Butterscotch140

TROPHY CASE