The Bratford-Martin-Family - Week 2

- - - Update 14.3.2011 - - - Welcome back to the Bratford-Martin household! On our return, we find everyone just as before: Andrew Martin (on whose behalf we are here this "week"), who is now 55...

...his partner Monica Bratford, who will be an Elder in 22 days... (she has, by the way, 3 bolts for Matthew Hart and Phineaus Furley, and only one bolt for Andrew - but she fell in love with Andrew on her own accord, and since both Matthew and Phineaus are taken, she is not going to act on that 3 bolt attraction)

...and his son Jacob Martin, who is the same age as Monica. What is going to be in store for them this week?

On Monday, Monica is promoted to Top Secret Researcher. One of her friends from back in their university days, Jane Hart (nee Stacks, now married to Matthew Hart), happens to walk by and is of course invited in. 

Jacob is made Assistant Coach today. But this is not the end of events worth mentioning for this day... 

...no, it's not Andrew who was kidnapped by Aliens while stargazing on the flat roof, but his son! Jacob was kidnapped, and it is a bad memory for Andrew. 

Tuesday morning sees the first snow flakes swirling around the house. 

Poor Jacob is deeply distressed by his experience with the Aliens. Well, he is not a Knowledge Sim and therefore can not fully appreciate it in quite the same way. 

One of his best friends from college, Dirk Dreamer, has recently given birth to a half-Alien child. Jacob decides to ring him and talk to someone who has been through the same ordeal. Apparently, Dirk manages to calm Jacob's frayed nerves, because after that phone call, he does not stop in the middle of things to sigh and think about the kidnapping anymore. 

Instead, he actually looks forward to having a baby, as you can tell :-) 

Thursday brings a skunk to the front door and Monica tries unsuccessfully to pet it. 

Jacob's pregancy gets more visible every day. 

That night, a burglar comes "visiting"... 

...and as there is no burglar alarm installed, she gets away with the telescope (Jacob doesn't mind, I am sure!)... 

...this decorative paravent, an expensive armchair and the stereo. 

Poor Jacob - he has only just overcome his trauma from the Alien kidnapping, only to find they have fallen victim to a burglar! How much more does the poor lad have to take? 

It is just gone seven on Friday morning when Jacob goes into labour out on the patio. 

Little Martina is born, and Jacob thinks his sweet daughter makes up for all the anxiety he has been through as of late. Martina Martin has 13 half-siblings spread throughout New Maximiliania. I wonder how many of them she will get to know once she is older and goes to school. 

There is a room on the top floor, behind the far left window, which has been empty so far. It now becomes Martina's nursery. 

This is what it looks like inside. 

Everyone is thrilled about this cute addition to the household. Andrew, who raised his son as a single parent, is glad to be there to help with his granddaughter Martina. 

Monica is promoted to Theorist. 

She, too, likes to feed little Martina and cuddle her. 

Jacob loves his sweety to bits, but it is time for him to get back to work. 

On Saturday, he is promoted to Coach. 

The flowers have suffered during winter, as Andrew finds out after the snow has gone. 

Monica has just maximized her logic skill. She now needs to max out her cleaning skill and gain another cooking skill point before her next (and last?) promotion. 

But it is Sunday today, and spring is here - what better excuse is there for Monica to shop for clothes? :-) 

She likes this outfit and leaves Belle's Boutique and Tailoring satisfied. 

Jacob brings home his colleague Brittany Upsnott - another former co-student. 

Why does Monica pour the water all over herself instead of watering the plants? :-) (Have you ever observed that? I don't think I've seen this happening before!) 

On Sunday evening, Martina turns into a cheerful toddler. We leave this household with Andrew being 62 years old and Monica and Jacob having 15 days left before Elderhood. When will they reach their lifetime wants? Is Andrew ever going to make any progress towards earning those 100.000 Simoleons? Who is going to teach Martina her toddler skills?