Chapter 38: Cats and Dogs are real!
Time moves quickly and before his parents are really ready for it, it's Link's turn to age up to a teenager. The house is filled with family and friends. There is food, conversations and games being played until it's finally time for Link to blow out the candles on his cake.
Link ages up with the dog lover trait, and an aspiration to be friends with all animals.
Daisy ages up the next day, unfortunately with a gloomy trait. But Link tries to be there for her as much as he can when she's feeling down. Somehow, hugging her now is a bit different than before, however. Stranger, somehow.
But cloudwatching, they can still talk about anything and everything.
While Link is exploring teenage life with Daisy, Harmony is taking over his old bike and is learning how to ride it.
She's also completed her childhood aspiration of being a creative genius.
And as Love Day is approaching she tries to use that creativity for something that will bring joy to everyone in her class.
However, there was a glitch in the plan.
"Was everyone happy?" her father asks her later.
"Yes."
"Then it wasn't a failure, was it?"
"I suppose not." She still think it's a crummy love day.
Link is having much more luck with his (although he is wrong about the weather, it's as stable as it always is in San Sequoia).
But the best love day is for Christmas and Jamie. Both having Fridays off, and with the kids off to school, they decide to go on a good old fashioned date! They start by wandering around the lake, and finding some chairs to rest in and talk. Not about the kids, or work, or chores, but about the things they used to talk about long before they had children.
And then they visit the place they got married. Just across the lake and yet they never seem to go there. It's just as beautiful as they remember as they swirl around the dancefloor reminiscing about their wedding day.
Later in the evening, Jamie's parents comes over for dinner, and stay to watch the kids as Jamie and Christmas head off for the second part of their date. Another location they haven't visited since the kids were born, the nightclub in Anchorpoint Warf.
It's not long after that Christmas realise something.
For all the troubles they had conceiving Link and, especially, Harmony, Christmas never expected to become pregnant again. She honestly didn't think she could*. Does she want to be? On the one hand she miss having her babies around, on the other it was so utterly nice to just be adults again for a while. But life is life and a baby there will be.
So the next morning, they tell the kids about the new sibling. Link is less than impressed.
"I'd much rather have a dog." (he seriously got a thought bubble with a dog inside when Christmas shared the news)
Harmony is much happier about the news. But that night is a first of a series of nights with nightmares due to her over active imagination.
So Christmas and Jamie decide that the kids needs some alone-time with their parents before the baby is born. Spring is not yet over, but they start planning a vacation for the first few days of summer. But first, Simster, and Harmony completes the egg collection.
Jamie says good bye to his office, as they need the room for the baby. He hates saying good bye, but there is no way to expand the house this time, and Christmas works from home more than he does. It's only fair.
It does turn out to be a good looking nursery. Just a few paintings on the walls needed.
And as Christmas is finishing up an exhibition of art at her work, there are plenty of paintings being created.
Maybe even Christmas has started to believe in cats and dogs?
With all the painting she manages to complete one of her two aspirations. Perfect for creating playful art for the nursery.
Finally, summer is here, and they've rented a beach side cottage in Brindleton Bay! Unfortunately they learn that due to strong currents and shark sightings on the nearby Amity Island, you're not allowed to swim in the sea. That is unfortunate with such an inviting beach. But Harmony happily plays in the sand, Link tries his hand at fishing, as Jamie relaxes in the sand and Christmas, now large as a house mostly strive not to be too far off from a bathroom at any given moment grills food for the family near the public bathrooms.
But what is this? An uninvited guest? Harmony is delighted by the little creature, and Christmas and Jamie surprised. Surely cats were just mythical creatures?
And as it turns out, dogs too were real, as Link happily discovers.
"See dad, I told you so!"
"I have to admit that you did."
"So can I have one?"
Jamie ducks out of that one when Christmas calls to dinner, and after dinner the whole family ventures into town to catch a comedy routine at the lounge.
Back at the cottage as they are all sleeping, Christmas wakes up in the middle of the night, annoyed that the only bathroom in the house is on the ground floor. She hurries best she can down the stairs.
But too late! Pregnancy can be so humiliating sometimes.
At least the shower is nearby.
And now that she's awake she might as well get a snack.
As Christmas sleeps in the next morning (being awake in the middle of the night takes its toll) the rest of the family enjoys the area. Jamie takes a jog, and Link leaves food out for all the stray dogs and cats. He wishes there weren't so many strays. Why can't people just adopt them and love them?
Once Christmas is up and everyone had breakfast, the family hikes over to the park next door, where a lake offers the swimming that the sea does not.
Christmas, meanwhile takes a nap in a sun lounger. She doesn't remember pregnancy being this draining. Supposedly age has a thing or two to say about the toll on her body this time.
As they gather for dinner, and Link and Harmony has once more put out food for all the strays in the area, the cutest little dog bounds over to them. Even Christmas has to admit it's the cutest thing she ever saw.
He seems friendly enough, she thinks, and walks over to greet him, trying to mimic Link, but instead of a friendly greeting the cute little dog growls and snaps at her. Oops! There goes Links hope for a dog.
He'll have to settle for a game of "Don't Wake the Lama" that night. Not really what he was hoping for.
Still, they return home with a feeling that they'd had a good holiday and made good memories together.
Back home, Willow and Derek has showed up to help out as the new baby arrives. Christmas is happy for the help as she right now have very little energy for anything.
But not long after they arrived, she has to rush to the hospital as the labour is progressing fast. Jamie doesn't even have time to join her from work before the baby is out.
And so little Amity joins the family. And just like that, the time of diaper changes, late night feedings and constant worry for the little life you are now entrusted with has returned.
* Through MCCC I have a 2% risk of pregnancy for normal woohoo. In years of playing, this is the first time someone becomes pregnant because of it. And with Harmony I had them try and try and try again with no luck before choosing the science option.
Link ages up with the dog lover trait, and an aspiration to be friends with all animals.
Daisy ages up the next day, unfortunately with a gloomy trait. But Link tries to be there for her as much as he can when she's feeling down. Somehow, hugging her now is a bit different than before, however. Stranger, somehow.
But cloudwatching, they can still talk about anything and everything.
While Link is exploring teenage life with Daisy, Harmony is taking over his old bike and is learning how to ride it.
She's also completed her childhood aspiration of being a creative genius.
And as Love Day is approaching she tries to use that creativity for something that will bring joy to everyone in her class.
However, there was a glitch in the plan.
"Was everyone happy?" her father asks her later.
"Yes."
"Then it wasn't a failure, was it?"
"I suppose not." She still think it's a crummy love day.
Link is having much more luck with his (although he is wrong about the weather, it's as stable as it always is in San Sequoia).
But the best love day is for Christmas and Jamie. Both having Fridays off, and with the kids off to school, they decide to go on a good old fashioned date! They start by wandering around the lake, and finding some chairs to rest in and talk. Not about the kids, or work, or chores, but about the things they used to talk about long before they had children.
And then they visit the place they got married. Just across the lake and yet they never seem to go there. It's just as beautiful as they remember as they swirl around the dancefloor reminiscing about their wedding day.
Later in the evening, Jamie's parents comes over for dinner, and stay to watch the kids as Jamie and Christmas head off for the second part of their date. Another location they haven't visited since the kids were born, the nightclub in Anchorpoint Warf.
It's not long after that Christmas realise something.
For all the troubles they had conceiving Link and, especially, Harmony, Christmas never expected to become pregnant again. She honestly didn't think she could*. Does she want to be? On the one hand she miss having her babies around, on the other it was so utterly nice to just be adults again for a while. But life is life and a baby there will be.
So the next morning, they tell the kids about the new sibling. Link is less than impressed.
"I'd much rather have a dog." (he seriously got a thought bubble with a dog inside when Christmas shared the news)
Harmony is much happier about the news. But that night is a first of a series of nights with nightmares due to her over active imagination.
So Christmas and Jamie decide that the kids needs some alone-time with their parents before the baby is born. Spring is not yet over, but they start planning a vacation for the first few days of summer. But first, Simster, and Harmony completes the egg collection.
Jamie says good bye to his office, as they need the room for the baby. He hates saying good bye, but there is no way to expand the house this time, and Christmas works from home more than he does. It's only fair.
It does turn out to be a good looking nursery. Just a few paintings on the walls needed.
And as Christmas is finishing up an exhibition of art at her work, there are plenty of paintings being created.
Maybe even Christmas has started to believe in cats and dogs?
With all the painting she manages to complete one of her two aspirations. Perfect for creating playful art for the nursery.
Finally, summer is here, and they've rented a beach side cottage in Brindleton Bay! Unfortunately they learn that due to strong currents and shark sightings on the nearby Amity Island, you're not allowed to swim in the sea. That is unfortunate with such an inviting beach. But Harmony happily plays in the sand, Link tries his hand at fishing, as Jamie relaxes in the sand and Christmas, now large as a house mostly strive not to be too far off from a bathroom at any given moment grills food for the family near the public bathrooms.
But what is this? An uninvited guest? Harmony is delighted by the little creature, and Christmas and Jamie surprised. Surely cats were just mythical creatures?
And as it turns out, dogs too were real, as Link happily discovers.
"See dad, I told you so!"
"I have to admit that you did."
"So can I have one?"
Jamie ducks out of that one when Christmas calls to dinner, and after dinner the whole family ventures into town to catch a comedy routine at the lounge.
Back at the cottage as they are all sleeping, Christmas wakes up in the middle of the night, annoyed that the only bathroom in the house is on the ground floor. She hurries best she can down the stairs.
But too late! Pregnancy can be so humiliating sometimes.
At least the shower is nearby.
And now that she's awake she might as well get a snack.
As Christmas sleeps in the next morning (being awake in the middle of the night takes its toll) the rest of the family enjoys the area. Jamie takes a jog, and Link leaves food out for all the stray dogs and cats. He wishes there weren't so many strays. Why can't people just adopt them and love them?
Once Christmas is up and everyone had breakfast, the family hikes over to the park next door, where a lake offers the swimming that the sea does not.
Christmas, meanwhile takes a nap in a sun lounger. She doesn't remember pregnancy being this draining. Supposedly age has a thing or two to say about the toll on her body this time.
As they gather for dinner, and Link and Harmony has once more put out food for all the strays in the area, the cutest little dog bounds over to them. Even Christmas has to admit it's the cutest thing she ever saw.
He seems friendly enough, she thinks, and walks over to greet him, trying to mimic Link, but instead of a friendly greeting the cute little dog growls and snaps at her. Oops! There goes Links hope for a dog.
He'll have to settle for a game of "Don't Wake the Lama" that night. Not really what he was hoping for.
Still, they return home with a feeling that they'd had a good holiday and made good memories together.
Back home, Willow and Derek has showed up to help out as the new baby arrives. Christmas is happy for the help as she right now have very little energy for anything.
But not long after they arrived, she has to rush to the hospital as the labour is progressing fast. Jamie doesn't even have time to join her from work before the baby is out.
And so little Amity joins the family. And just like that, the time of diaper changes, late night feedings and constant worry for the little life you are now entrusted with has returned.
* Through MCCC I have a 2% risk of pregnancy for normal woohoo. In years of playing, this is the first time someone becomes pregnant because of it. And with Harmony I had them try and try and try again with no luck before choosing the science option.
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