A New Pair of Feet on Our FIRE Path: Welcoming Our Baby Girl, Yuna

Hello, FIRE community! It’s been a while since our last update, and we have some exciting news to share. On August 8th, we welcomed our beautiful baby girl, Yuna, into the world. That’s right, the special being we’ve been waiting for before calling it quits from corporate is finally here!

The Journey to Parenthood

For those wondering why this is the first you’re hearing about it, we kept the pregnancy under wraps until now. After a challenging journey to get to this point, we didn’t want to jinx anything. But our firstborn, Yuna, is here, born naturally after a smooth pregnancy and an incredible 36-hour labor. I’m in awe of my wife’s strength throughout this process.

Parenthood and FIRE: Our Approach

Now that we’re parents to little Yuna, we’re facing new questions about how we plan to retire early with a child. Here’s a glimpse into our approach:

1. No daycare: Since we’re planning to retire soon, we’ve taken this option off the table. When asked, we mention considering a nanny or family care for Yuna.
2. Skipping the 529: We’re not opening a college savings plan for Yuna. Instead, we’re exploring other options to fund her education.
3. Education beyond school districts: We’re not fixated on living in the “best” school district. Our focus is on providing the best education possible for Yuna, which starts at home.
4. Multilingual upbringing: We’re raising Yuna to be fluent in Russian, Spanish, and English, leveraging our own language skills.
5. Early financial education: We plan to teach Yuna about personal finance to give her a head start on her own FI journey.

Preparing for Yuna: Minimalism Meets Necessity

While we typically avoid unnecessary purchases, a new baby does require some essentials. We opted for cloth diapers and relied on mom’s milk supply for Yuna. Thanks to the generosity of friends and family through four baby showers, we received most of what we needed, including many hand-me-downs.

Looking Ahead: Travel and FIRE Plans

With mommy on a six-month leave and my paternity leave still to come, we’re planning some domestic travel as a family with Yuna. We’re also excited about future international trips as she grows older.

We’ve reached financial independence, saved enough to buy a house in cash, and now with Yuna here, we’re ready to set the final stages of our early retirement plans in motion.

Wrapping Up

Parenthood is our new 24/7 job, and it’s incredibly rewarding. We’re moving forward with our FIRE plans right on target, now with Yuna as our adorable co-pilot. I’m excited to share more about our journey as we navigate parenting and financial independence together.

Stay tuned for our next quarterly update, where we’ll dive into our investment returns, FIRE progress, and spending details, including how we’re managing our finances with a new baby.

What do you think about our approach to parenting Yuna on the FIRE path? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

P.S. While we’ve shared Yuna’s name, we’re still keeping her photos private for now, giving her the chance to decide how much of her life to share online as she grows up. We’re excited to see how she’ll shape our FIRE journey in the years to come!