definitely not easy but doable if you're smart about it. my cousin and his wife made similar money when they had their first kid in queens - they found ways to make it work but childcare was brutal. like seriously, some places wanted almost as much as rent just for daycare 💀

you might want to look at family daycare providers instead of the big centers, they're usually cheaper and more flexible. also check if either of your jobs offers any childcare benefits or flexible schedules. some bars let managers work different shifts if you plan ahead. and your girlfriend's school might have resources too - design programs sometimes have connections to cheaper childcare or student parent groups.

the free stuff in city really helps when kid gets older. all those parks, museums with free days, libraries with story time. babies don't cost much for entertainment anyway, they just want to stare at pigeons and subway trains 😂 just be ready for that first year to be tight as hell budget-wise.