As you all know, we sold our house last week. Which is great, but it also means-we have no place to live until our new house is done (in about a year). For most people this causes stress. For a pregnant woman, this causes massive amounts of stress.

We have always wanted to live in downtown Seattle, but figured that wasn’t going to happen until our kids are all grown up and gone. So, like 25 years down the road. But we figured now would be the perfect chance for us to get an apartment downtown. Okay, apartments downtown are a lot of money compared to apartments outside of downtown. Plus, you have to pay for a parking spot downtown, and those aren’t cheap. We’re talking $200 a month just for a parking spot.

After some thinking on my part, I thought it might be better to get an apartment over in West Seattle, since that’s where our new house is located. I figured it would be cheaper and we could find a permanent daycare center (and not have to switch from one downtown after we move into the new house).

Early Saturday morning we began the apartment viewing fun. We started in West Seattle. I wanted to see them first, since I wanted to like them the best. They were priced right. About $800.00 for a two bedroom, parking included. Even with a view of downtown and a little balcony. Okay, the place was old, old, old and moldy. And just stinky. It looked like all the apartments either one of us had lived in during college. This was a turn off. Especially coming from our current house which is only 3 years old, have 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.

Needless to say, early Saturday morning I realized I needed to *not* compare the apartments to our fabulous house. Or I would never find one I liked.

After viewing the West Seattle apartments, we headed over to Belltown, which is a section of downtown. Sort of between the business district and the Space Needle. It is a really up and coming neighborhood, so we thought it would be great for us.

The prices weren’t any cheaper than the newer apartments located in the heart of downtown and they weren’t any cheaper. There was one we liked right across the street from the Art Institute. The manager who was showing us around was really negative about the students there and said that she tried to not rent out to them (hello, not legal to do that). She informed us that some of the apartments were more like dorms for the student of what she called “not even a real college”. She was really negative about the surrounding complexes and that left a bad taste in both of our mouths. We didn’t want to rent from such a negative person.

We walked around and visited a few more Belltown apartments. On two separate occasions, we saw people smoking crack right in the open. In the middle of the day. I’ve lived in Seattle for almost 6 years and I really love it. I wouldn’t think you would see something like that right in the open. It freaked The King out and he decided right then and there that we wouldn’t be living in Belltown. It just wasn’t a place that I could take the baby out for walks in the stroller. Phew.

The King and I talked a lot on Saturday night about what we were looking for and the advantages and disadvantages of each place. We both decided that we were leaning towards downtown. We would get the most for our money. Plus, neither one of us would have to drive to work (it is a short 3 block walk for me and a short 2 mile bike ride for The King). Oh, and don’t forget the work out rooms, saunas, hot tub and pool.

Sunday afternoon was reserved for looking at downtown apartments. We had visited the two complexes a few weeks prior, and just wanted to revisit them and see what specific ones they had available. The first complex had a few available one bedrooms for a few hundred dollars over what we wanted to pay. Blah.

The second place? Perfect. We both knew it was right for us after we saw it. And even though we had looked at it a few weeks before, it just seemed so much better yesterday. It didn’t seem as small and it was so new and pretty. And do I even have to mention the fact that it is built out of concrete? So we don’t have to worry about the new neighbors hating our precious newborn baby that will be crying at all hours of the day and night.

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Check out the layout (yes, much smaller than our house), but can you see it has two balconies? The King even talked them into giving us one on the 17th floor for the price of the one on the 7th floor. And at a reduced rate, because they had initially misquoted us on the phone but were going to honor that much lower price.

This place is close to the most awesome shopping mall in all of Seattle. Tiffany, BCBG, Sephora, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, the list goes on and on. Plus, Macy’s and Nordstrom and the 3 level Old Navy and Gap. And don’t forget Christmas time in downtown Seattle. So magical with the carousel and the carriage rides and Santa in the window at the flagship Nordstrom (which is one block away from my new apartment). Santa is there every Christmas season with a microphone hidden in his beard. So you can stand outside and hear what the kids are asking for. So sweet and perfect for the Holidays.

Okay, I am feeling much better about the move. I just wish you could come and help us pack.

(oh yeah, and there aren’t any grocery shops in downtown. Not sure what we’re going to do about that).
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On a different note, we have our 16 week appointment today. I am not sure what to expect. I just hope I get to keep my clothes on because I didn’t have time to shave my legs this morning. The King is swamped at work today and may not be able to make it. That bums us both out. Me especially because it means I’ll have to take the bus to the doctor’s and then home and that will probably take a few extra hours.