Gen 5 Chapter 11: Adventures in Raising a Family

Sage's party was a blast. Everyone we invited came, and soon it was time for the cake!

Happy Birthday Sage!

Such a cutie pie!

The cake was definitely a hit! The way everyone swarmed around it, I was sure we'd have no leftovers.

After cake, everyone ran off to play outside or chat elsewhere in the house, and I got to chat with my boss a bit. I really wanted to convince him that I was ready to come back to work and he could end my maternity leave early. But, he wouldn't hear of it.

"Patience, we are fine without you for a few more days, and your job position is safe. I want you coming back to us completely recovered, you understand?"

"Yes of course Gil, I do." Drat. I wish he would have changed his mind!

After the guests left and we finished cleaning up from the party the girls' birthday came. Happy Birthday Ginger and Juniper!

Oh, my girls! They were beautiful. I couldn't stop gazing at their new, more mature looks. I didn't want to get all weepy eyed, but I couldn't believe that my first little bundles of joy were now entering high school!

Phillip and I got everyone into bed, but before we turned in, I had to snuggle my new little sons one more time.

As is tradition in our family, I got to work on renovating the girls' room to look a little more "teenage" as their birthday gift. New wallpaper, carpet, bedspreads, and lamps. I think I did a pretty good job! I decided eventually to renovate the whole house!

Basil and Curry were the object of much affection now that our girls were teens. Raising twins was much easier with 2 extra sets of hands around every evening. 

What was amazing about Basil and Curry, was how strikingly different their personalities seemed to be from our other children. Even if Basil was fed, changed, bathed and snuggled, he would still cry for no reason. There just was no pleasing that kid! 

And, Curry, well, there was no way for me to put my finger on exactly what was different about him but I assumed as he got older, I'd be able to figure him out a little bit better. There was definitely something there, though, that's for sure.

The night before I went back to work caught me off guard. It was my elder birthday! 

Happy Birthday to me!

Ok, so yes, my hair did turn gray, but what surprised me most about becoming an elder, was that I didn't really FEEL old. I had always had such a hard time aging before, but honestly, I didn't feel that way at all this time. The thing was, I tried to find something in my old age to be depressed about, and I couldn't do it! I had the love of my life, Phillip, I had our darling 5 children. FIVE! And I lived in a beautiful town and worked in one of the best Cafes in the tri-county area.  There was just no room for a pity-party over my age.

My 1st day back to work was awesome! Well, not at first. My boss came up to me the minute I entered the kitchen and said, "Sorry, we're keeping Luis as Pastry Chef. He really knows what He's doing." My heart sank. This is what I was afraid of. Then he said, "Go get your apron on, you are the Sous-chef tonight!" Sous-chef!!??!! YES! This was a promotion!

Phillip was doing well in his job, but he had a different response when he was promoted to Middle School teacher.

"Honey, I want to quit."

"What? Quit your job? Why?"

"My heart just isn't in it anymore. I want to be at home, helping to raise our newest little ones. I want to be a stay at home Dad."

"You're kidding me, my adventurous Phillip wants to stay at home more?" It was a sincere question.

"Yes, I do. Our finances are at a place where I don't  need to work. Shoot, we could even start planning that trip to France we've always wanted with all the money we have saved up."

"That's true. Well, if this is what you want, then I'm all for it! But I don't want you to go stir crazy. I mean it, the minute you start feeling a little antsy tell me, ok?"

"Ha-ha. Ok, sounds like a deal to me."

To be honest, it was wonderful having Phillip home. I felt infinitely less guilty over returning to work with him there full time. But I made sure I made time for each of my kids in some small way every day.

"..And that's how the city of Barnacle Bay got it's name..."

*Yawn*

"I love that story Mom. Thanks."

"Love you too Sage," and with a kiss I let him drift off to sleep.

One of Ginger's new obsessions as a teen was a strange hobby that I didn't quite understand her sudden interest in: rock collecting. She had found a ton of every kind you could imagine, and almost every night after dinner, she would leave to collect, and come back late at night, just barely in time for curfew. I bought her a special map of Hidden springs that shows the best gem and rock hunting places, which turned out to be her new favorite thing. I guess there were worse hobbies to be involved in, so although I didn't understand it, I tried to be supportive anyways.

On the morning of the twin's birthday, I got up early to make my kiddos breakfast before they headed off to school, and Phillip was on diaper duty.

 I knew with Basil and Curry becoming toddlers, all of us would be busier keeping little hands away from danger, and training them in walking and talking and such, so it would be important to have a nice big breakfast to eat on all week long.

And then, it was upon us: Basil and Curry's birthdays came. Happy Birthday Basil!

Happy Birthday Curry!

Wow, finally one of my kids got my black hair! But where on earth did this blond hair come from? I vaguely remember a great-great grandpa of mine having blonde hair. Maybe that's where it came from. Either way, the smiles on both their adorable faces could melt my heart in a second.

Phillip and I wasted no time getting to developing Curry and Basil's skills. Phillip decided to tackle toilet training first, thinking that it would be most helpful to have the twins out of diapers ASAP. 

And with me working, well, I could only help out on occasion, but that didn't mean that I didn't help, I worked with both of them as soon as I was home from work, or waking up.

Ah. It seems there is one of my children I haven't yet updated on yet. And that would be my dear Juniper. 

She had developed into quite the hopeless romantic lately. All she seemed to care about was experiencing her first kiss. And it just so happened that she hit it off with a new boy in town, Jazz Velvetcake.

 He and his mother, Royal Velvetcake along with his toddler little sister had just moved into town, and Jazz and Juniper soon became inseparable after that. Juniper even asked Jazz to prom, and he said yes! All she talked about was shopping for her dress, and helping the prom decorating committee.

 

The older twins were so wonderful with the younger twins, too. Ginger especially seemed to enjoy playing with her little brothers, and they adored her to death. "Gigi" was their special nickname for her.

Basil just about had the hang of walking. I had a feeling any day now he'd take off with no help from anyone.

The afternoons sure did seem to fly by on the days I had to work. All of my time off actually was helpful once I got back to the Cafe, because I spent so much time perfecting all of my recipes and learning new ones.

 As Sous-chef, I had so much to offer the Executive Chef I was under, substituting my own dishes when we would run out of whatever the special was that night. Rumor had it that our Executive Chef might be applying for a job in Bridgeport, and if he ended up leaving... well, I had a feeling I might be getting a promotion soon.

Ginger still spent a lot of time with her good friend Sage, from elementary school. He was a pretty shy kid, but very respectful, and always welcome in our house. He came from a pretty large family too, his parents had 4 kids.  He and Ginger were both the oldest, and I think that's why they were such good friends, having that in common.

And, of course the littlest Song boys were growing and learning, and amazing us every day.

"Good Morning Basil! Ready to get up?"
"Up! Up!"

Both of the twins had mastered potty-training, so walking and talking was the new focus for Phillip and I. Curry was especially trying, sometimes I think he was purposefully trying to give us a hard time when it came to teaching him things. But just when you were about ready to put him in a time-out, he'd shoot you one of those adorable smiles, and well, it was just too hard to punish him.

Mornings seemed to prove the best time to catch up on anything going on in the kids' lives.

"And then, he dared me to put the dirt in my mouth, and I did! I got 5 Simoleons!"

"Aw, Sage, you've got to be kidding me, that's disgusting!"

*giggle*

"Shhh... please, I only have one math problem left!"

I decided since I felt a promotion coming on at work, I should improve on one of my best recipes so I could serve it when I became Chef. I decided I would improve the stuffing for my Turkey recipe, and in order to do that I needed some amazing onions. Not the kind you got at the super market. I needed some that have been babied, and grown just right.  So, I started with a very decent onion from work, took it home and planted it.

And, what's the best fertilizer for a growing plant? FISH! So, I set out on my day off, and went fishing at one of the beautiful parks in Barnacle Bay. The sun was just right, the wind was just right, it was a gorgeous day to be outside.

I caught a few good fish to try out as fertilizer, and some to make dinner with later as well.

And lucky for me, I got back just in time to help the girls get ready for their big Prom night! 

Ginger was going just to say she went, but Juniper, well, she had Jazz as her date, and you could tell she had a lot riding on this evening. She tried a million dresses until she found the right one, along with shoes, and spent monumentally more time getting ready than Ginger did.

But in the end, both girls looked gorgeous! Phillip decided to surprise the girls by renting a limo to pick them up. Oh, they were thrilled! 

And off they went to prom. Which, we would find out later, turned out to be a big night for both girls. And Sage as well!

*buckey's notes*- So there are the 5 kids that make up Generation 6! For once, I really don't have a favorite. They are all unique, and I think will have a very different story, no matter who is picked. So, be looking for the Heir Poll coming soon! Oh, and due to infinite problems trying to travel with this family using WA, there will be no more travels for the Song family. I tried taking them to France, and when I tried to play that file again, it crashed my game. So, Phillip's LTW has been changed to "Surrounded By Family".
As for a couple of the guest stars in this chapter, Jazz Velvetcake is actually an Organic Berry Sim I made; in my Sims 3 Studio he is Blu Nadar. I used CAS to make a family with him, and his mother is Sraina's Royal Velvetcake, and his toddler sister is a toddler-version of Royal. If you are interested in adding them to your game, check out the Organic Berry thread found here: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/15/395927.page