re: "better looking kid than this"
I'm worried it's not possible. I can honestly tell you all that of the hundreds of little kids i've spent time around, his son is the cutest, most well-behaved, smartest little boy I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I pray mine come close to that.
re: living together
I know that if/when we take things to a more serious level, it will be unrushed and well-timed. neither of us want to fuck any of this up by being foolish or hotheaded and rush into something before we're both ready. I think in that area, he's more concerned with me being ready, as he has pretty much been there and done that, and wouldn't want me to feel i rushed into marriage before i was ready.
As for child support: We don't have any form of joint finances just yet, but I was just thinking the other day that we will probably set up some sort of slow-growing savings account in both names that we will agree to add to each month...something like that. the child support situation is not at all mine until the day comes when we merge all accounts, which I can only see myself doing if we were to get engaged. so far it has affected me in that he has had X amount less each month to live on, and other than that he knows how I feel about the larger-than-required sum he pays weekly, but the deeper I've fallen in love with both him and his son, I couldn't say I'd want that boy to get a penny less than the current amount. how can you begrudge your child? I'd never expect him to. if it means less money to say, put a down payment on a house or something in the future... Well, it is what it is. Life isn't always ideal. I accept and love him, history and all.