“We really like being able to walk to coffee shops, restraunts and bars.”

In that case, when the 1-2 kids come, you need to be living close to grandparents, aunts/uncles, or close friends who love babysitting (preferably free babysitting). It’s amazing how much kids change your lives. You think they could handle restaurants, and technically, they should be able to, but they don’t like sitting at the table waiting for food, and they don’t like sitting at the table waiting for everyone else to finish their food. Which makes eating out a struggle, and less fun for everyone (imagine telling your 3 year old to sit down every few minutes, to stop playing with the salt shaker, etc. Crayons only keep young kids busy 5 minutes or so). And if the kid is an infant or toddler, and they decide they want to scream (joyful or not), it will bother other customers (who obviously don’t have kids) and you will be informed the screaming is bothering other customers and expected to do something about it, and since the kid is too young to reason with, you get to decide if you want your food packed up, or someone can take the kid for a walk, or I suppose duct tape might work, but then you might get a visit from Child Protective Services. Coffee shops are fine if the kids are having a drink or snack, but they won’t want to hang out there when the drink or snack is finished.

I personally find myself planning to go to restaurants near my mother’s house (because my husband and I just dropped off the kids there and we have to go back there to pick them up), rather than restaurants near my house.