Re: California
GET OUT!!! you have another baby!!! when how whaaaaa!!! 
my goodness congratulations!
you are so very welcome!
yes i def want to be neighbors!!! 
we lived in Pasadena and LOVED it but recently bought a place in montrose/la crescenta as the kid is getting closer to schooling age.
I have a 2.5 yo and i’d say
- ideally move to la canada … simply because the school district is just superb. BUT this a VERY affluent town so all real estate is expensive. the colleague i mentioned previously … renting in la canada for kids (but owns/lives in glendale) is paying $3500/mo for a 1bdrom house and feels she got a “deal”.
for bigger houses (3-4 bdrooms) its not unusual to see rentals go for $12000/mo (yes thats 12K). That said I have also seen 3 bdrm condos listed approx $4000/mo. How quickly they go … i will leave to your imagination. - more realistically, move to either my town or Pasadena and send your kid to a good Montessori.
if you decide on Pasadena and Montessori … just know that wait lists are long and there is competition (yep! even for babies). contact them now to get info and get yourself on the wait list if need be.
My town is so family friendly and quiet without being dull … AND … with Pasadena, downtown etc being so close … you are still close to the action. In my town … i havnt seen many apts, so if you pick la crescenta (plzzzz do!) id say look into renting a house in your budget range.
Pasadena, burbank, is 15-20min away from me, Glendale is like 10-15 min away.