Update: AITA for buying a house without "consulting" my GF of 4 months?
Original Post
I (37M) am a single dad with two kids (16M & 14M). I met my GF (32F) back in February. We dated casually and non-exclusively until September and then began dating exclusively. My GF has indicated that she wants to have kids, she has no kids currently. I am definitely open to that, but have told her only after dating at least a couple of years.
I have been looking to buy a new home. I absolutely hate living where I am living. I bought it when my kids were little and it was convenient then. But, my work is 30 minutes away and the boys' school is 45 minutes away. A house came on the market in a neighborhood 5 minutes from work and 10-15 minutes from the boys' school, and was listed well below market value. My realtor called me, I saw it that same day, and made an offer. The offer was accepted.
I told my GF the good news. She was less than thrilled. She asked why I did not "consult" her. I have been looking for about a year and the reality is houses go quickly. Often, not even on the market for a day if reasonably priced. I had to move quickly. I explained all this, but she is still upset.
I talked to my sister (34F) about this. She says she gets her frustration. My sister said that she was in the same position two years ago, she was a single woman in her early 30s looking to get married and have kids soon. In that two years, she met her husband, got married, and had a kid. So, from her perspective, my GF is thinking that this is the home her kids are potentially going to be raised in. I can see that, but I feel that it is a little premature to expect I will consult my GF of 4 months before buying a home. That is moving a little too fast from my perspective.
AITA?
UPDATE BELOW
I posted a month ago and really haven't had a chance to stop and have a heart-to-heart conversation with my GF. I have been dealing with the holidays (and all that comes with that with two kids, family commitments, kids being out of school, travel, etc.), going through everything to close on the house, getting my house in shape to put on the market, then my oldest got sick, my youngest got sick, and then I got sick. We finally were able to basically set aside a day on Sunday for just the two of us to go really in depth.
First, she apologized for how she handled the news of the house. She agrees that she was being too hasty. But, then she explained why she is this way. For three years, she has been looking for a guy who is: (1) single, (2) faithful, (3) without any major vices, (4) decent looking, (5) financially stable enough to support a kid, and (6) not too old to have another child. She has said, finding a guy who meets those criteria, and is willing to commit to a woman in her late 20s/early 30s (as compared to a woman in her early to mid 20s) is like finding a "damn unicorn." She says she feels in uncharted territory and sometimes does not know how to respond appropriately. But, she wants us to move at whatever pace I feel comfortable. She recognizes I need to prioritize the boys above all else, including potential future kids with her.
Second, I showed her the house and she seems to love it. She said it reminded her of her grandparents' house. She showed me some photos from before her grandparents sold their house and there are some similarities.
Third, we are still dating, but moving at my pace. I am keeping my eyes wide open here.