Cats and Dogs, Living Together

In one of her last posts, Tink described the various steps that twenty-something couples take on their way to becoming the married-with-kids, suburbia-dwelling, CBS-watching, soccer moms and dads that we think of as true "adult" couples. Let's recap these steps:

1) Meet the Parents

2) Move In Together

3) Get a Pet

4) Get Married

5) Have Kids

There are tons of little steps in between these (i.e. go on vacation together and both come back alive and in love), but from where I'm sitting, these are the BIG 5.

Well readers, I am finally joining Tink as a proud, card-carrying dweller of Step 2. Yes, that's right, the BF is moving in! Cohabitation - all the cool kids are doing it.

The cats and dogs living together title is actually very apt for this post. See, my boyfriend is very dog-like: attentive, loving, and active, yes, but also a little messy and prone to knocking over expensive tchotkes and losing his toys (i.e. his new Droid Incredible). I, on other hand, am very cat-like: neat, aloof, and as likely to be found sleeping as awake. Us cohabitating is not going to be boring, that's for sure!

I've been very lucky in my life to have some of the most amazing roommates that a girl could ever ask for. Sure we sometimes fought about dirty dishes, clothes-sharing, or forgetting to lock the door, but we always survived those fights and lived to watch another 6-hour marathon of One Tree Hill or The Challenge: Inferno 2.

I know that living with the boyfriend is going to have its challenges. He likes to watch CNN every night, while I go apeshit if I miss a second of the Bachelorette. He's a blanket thief. I never remember to fill the Brita. But I also know that like my other roommates and I did, me and the bf will get through the fights and live to have another night full of wine and snuggling...with him having all of the blankets, of course.

So, tell me readers: what were some unexpected challenges that you faced when cohabitating for the first time? What were some unexpected benefits?