1.6 Making Progress

Welcome back to the next chapter of The Spectrum of Life! Today we start with Alabaster being an adorable daddy. Bumble Bee is his little precious.

When not skilling with one of her parents, her favorite toy is her IF doll. That might also be because she doesn't HAVE any other toys yet, but details.

Oriole - *sigh* I'm never going to go back to work.

Why do you say that?

Oriole - *URK!*

Aha, well . . . you WILL go back. Just not any time soon. MOAR BABIES!

The DITFT rules say to *try* to get one of each gender without using the fruit. This household is just too poor to deal with any more children than absolutely necessary though, so down the gullet the apples go!

Then she broke the sink. That is not Oriole's happy face, fyi.

What's Alabaster up to, you ask? Gardening, gardening and more gardening.

It was here that I remembered the garden sprinklers, which would have saved me a TON of time, but oh well. Live and learn.

Oriole officially popped the next day.

Since she's off on maternity leave Oriole has primary care of Bumble Bee at the moment.

She's also the one that rolled the most wishes to teach her things, so it works out pretty well. I don't think Bee needs to know about party drinks just yet though, Oriole. O_o

Talking was mastered in no time, then it was on to walking.

I didn't know that pregnant sims could still work out to music or the TV, so this was exciting news. Oriole is able to continue working on her athletic skill for work this way.

Damn you, scumbag raccoon! I'm gonna get that wilderness gnome one of these days . . .

Oriole's paychecks and Alabaster's produce sales had gotten up enough simoleons to do a little bit of remodeling. Mostly some new kitchen appliances and kid toys.

Oriole was about to put Bumble Bee to bed when that action cancelled. What gives?

Oriole - . . . I know that sensation . . . .

Oriole - BABY!

I sent Alabaster in to put Bumble Bee to bed instead, and of course he had to stop and freak out about the labor as well.

He got over it eventually though.

Alabaster - Sweet dreams, sweetie.

Oriole - I know he did not just ignore me . . .

All in due time, we had a flash of rainbow sparkles heralding the arrival of the next Spectrum child!

Everyone meet Spongebob Spectrum. He's an Insane boy who Loves the Outdoors, enjoys some Veggie Burgers, the color Violet and the Kids Music channel on the radio.

In case you were unaware (living under a rock), Spongebob is named after this guy. XD

Alabaster actually had the wish to teach Bumble Bee to walk, so he finished up where Oriole had left off the day before.

We also had another addition to the household in the form of a Horsie Gnome. I named him Seabiscuit.

Alabaster and Oriole are still taking turns with baby-care. It's rather convenient with their schedules being opposite. He's up all day and she's up all night so there's always someone available.

Bumble Bee tries out the new baby toys now that she's gotten all of her skilling done.

Oriole was back, hard at work on her athletic skill. More promotions means more (badly needed) money.

One of the rare times that Al doesn't have the garden, Atticus or a baby to tend to. Unfortunately this TV doesn't pick up the fishing channel. He's barely worked on that skill at all.

Seabiscuit is quite the cute gnome. He loves the garden.

Alabaster managed to break the toilet. Again. Can't wait for the Plumber skill challenge reward from his Handiness skill.

Alabaster - Ugh, gross!

Sorry Al, but Atticus makes some great fertilizer. Especially since I got him the LTH reward for it.

Then Alabaster had to go through his first plant death. He . . . did not take it well. I don't play gardening sims very often, but I've heard tell that Green Thumb sims are supposed to be able to bring dead plants back to life? Al has the Green Thumb trait AND the Super Green Thumb LTHR, and the only option he has for dead plants is to dispose of them. Am I missing something?

Mr. Fix It, his job is never really done.

After the toilet, it was Attie's turn for some upkeep. A thorough brushing and hoof cleaning makes for a happy horsie.

Alabaster is still having trouble figuring out which end is the front, though. *facepalm*

Oriole - What was I doing? I was doing something . . .

Bumble Bee - You were just about to put that blue worm up for adoption.

Bee! Don't say that about your brother! Oriole, you're supposed to be feeding him. *re-ques action*

 Oriole - Oh yah, that's right!

 Bumble Bee - Hey, what gives, omnipotent voice! :<

Managed to afford Oriole a chin-up bar to work out with and a stereo to listen to while she does it.

Random - This cave is out behind the criminal warehouse. Creeeeepyyyyyy.

I found it because I'd sent Al there to get some seeds. The criminal lot is a jackpot for special seeds, and we need to discover and grow one of each.

Back home it was time for Spongebob to enter toddlerhood.

Al got back just in time to help celebrate.

Spongebob - Sparkles. I have them. :D

Spongey here got his mother's blond hair--now with yellow tips for his generation--and also got Oriole's yellow-green eyes just like his sister. At first I thought they both had Alabaster's skintone, but upon closer inspection I think they actually have Oriole's--but darker, like their father.

Now, now, don't start that crying for no reason crap, Spongebob. I don't like those babies. >_<

Oriole - WHY IS THIS SINK ALWAYS BREAKING?!?!?!1!?!11

Because it's cheap and we can't afford better right now. D:

Much like his sister, one of Spongebob's first actions was being put on the potty. No dirty diapers in this house, by golly.

Spongey also gets in some jam-time on the xylophone. He has a very cute face. ^_^

Oriole finally got to go back to work that night. She looks rather excited.

Alabaster was pulling a late-nighter, getting all of his plants fertilized. Not long after this I decided 3 of each plant was too much and cut it back to 2. Still enough to earn a decent take, but not so much that it consumes ALL of his time.

Atticus - *photobomb*

I also installed an outside wallspeaker, so Alabaster could get the benefits of good music while he works.

Since he's insane, I feel no guilt in dressing Spongebob up as a yellow bunny for his pajamas. TOO. CUTE.

Atticus - I feel there hasn't been near enough of me in this chapter. *strikes a pose*

You're probably right. *shamelessly takes screenshots*

And then, Bumble Bee was ready to become a child. They grow up so fast! *sniffle*

Of course, Oriole forgot what she was doing not long after putting Bumble Bee down to transition. At least Alabaster's still cheering her on.

Bumble Bee - BAM, baby!

Bee transitioned successfully, rolling the trait Excitable.

Normally her outfit is supposed to be yellow with rainbow accents, but given that her name is BUMBLE BEE I couldn't help but giving her yellow and black stripes instead.

I splurged on an easel for her, so she'd have something to do with her spare time. She's artistic, and I could always use a portrait painter. So the sooner she gets started the better.

It was Oriole's night off from work so I sent her to do some more 'car shopping.' She did me proud by swiping this beauty first off.

Deer - I saw that!

Oriole - Keep hoppin, buddy, if you know what's good for ya.

She tried to steal this car too, but it said there were other sims around. They must have been invisible, but whatever. There were no other cars around that I could see . . . so it was off to Plan B.

Oriole decided to pay a visit to her old stomping grounds.

This is the house she once shared with her sister, Alouette. Who you can see from her maternity wear has just recently had her second child, another boy I named Cardinal Bird. I forget who the lady is that she's talking to. Also, womrat in a bird cage? I am confused . . .

I felt kind of bad stealing from Alouette . . . but I comforted myself by sending her to Oriole's old room and 'taking back' her own stuff.

I was hoping we'd get this snazzy computer, here.

No dice though, she took the picture off the wall instead.

Another try . . . .

And she took the chair. Oh well.

Back home we used the funds to upgrade the TV to a model that will get all the channels. It's progress! Slow, but progress!

That's it for this installment! See you next time, happy simming!

Completion List : ( [X] indicates completed, strike-through indicates failure).

• Master the Gardening Skill
• Master the Fishing Skill
• Max the Gardening Proffession
• No woohoo before marriage [X]
• Grow one of every type of plant (Including meat, cheese and Omni)
• Complete LTW (Perfect Garden)
• Have at least one child of each gender [X]
• Marry someone with the Loves the Outdoors and/or Green Thumb traits

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