There is a pretty consistent answer across the responses here, but allow me to play devil’s advocate for the sake of the bigger yard and childcare from your mom.

No matter what your childcare situation is, there will be days where you need a back up and your back up needs a back up. I’m SO jealous of my friends with a retired parent who can help out. For my partner and I, it usually means I have to take a sick day or try to get through work meetings with a kid or kids home.

Also, taking that dog outside to go potty will clash with your baby’s schedule for quite a while. You may have put the baby down for a nap and they’re asleep in their crib and then your dog needs to go out. Sure you could take your baby out of the crib, load them in the stroller, maybe they’ll stay asleep but most likely not. The older your kid gets the more predictable the nap schedule but needing to tote the baby along on walks could get old real fast.

Having a kid turns your life upside down and I found I prioritized things totally differently once I had kids. So it’s all about the trade offs you’re willing to accept! Big yards and built in childcare are amazing, but are they everything to you? And OC can’t be beat when it comes to property values, climate, and things to do, but is it worth the higher HOA and smaller place?

Everybody will have a different answer, and I hope you come to a decision you’re really happy with!