The Broke-Lee Household, Week 4

At the Broke-Lee house, we find everyone asleep on Wednesday morning: Emily Lee, Dustin Broke and baby Lee, Dustin's half-Alien son. (The week at this household starts on Wednesday, because during the last round, I made them move to a bigger place after Lee's birth, and that happened in the middle of their week.) 

For the first time since Lee was born, Dustin and Emily have to go to work. Money is, as you know, not a problem for our two City Planners, and so a Nanny is hired. 

Kendal Lawson does by no means spend the whole day just reading the paper! 

She looks after little Lee very well, plays with him... 

...feeds him, and changes his nappy. 

When Emily and Dustin return from work, Emily tips Ms Lawson generously for being so reliable and good with Lee. 

On Thursday, shortly after 3.00 am, Lee grows up into a cheerful toddler. 

He now moves from his parents' bedroom into the large room on the same floor that stood empty so far; it is turned into a nursery for him with bright colours and everything a toddler needs. 

Desdemona Capp, a former co-student, is invited for dinner. 

Emily has been busy all day raking leaves in the front yard. She then sets fire to the piles of leaves... and to herself accidentally. Desdemona comes running from the fish pond when she hears Emily's shrieks of terror and pain, and a passing townie stops as well, but neither of them can help. 

Finally, Dustin realises what is going on and hurries to his sweetheart's rescue. 

Unfortunately, he catches fire himself before he can fully extinguish the flames surrounding Emily! 

Phew... that was a close shave! Do you remember that Emily studied fire-safety in the previous round? This knowledge finally comes in handy, and she stops jumping about hysterically and manages to extinguish the flames threatening Dustin. Why she stopped burning, I don't know; maybe Dustin did indeed direct the extinguisher at her long enough, or it was the fire-safety knowledge that saved her. 

Saved her? Both Emily and Dustin aren't saved yet - ALL their motives are in deep red, and they could easily both die from either starvation or exhaustion. Desdemona is, once again, of no help - all she does is make a disgusted face because poor, starving Dustin is a bit smelly from the fire. 

Instead of getting something to eat, both of them keep doing unnecessary things, just as giving Lee a bath... (the poor kid gets FOUR baths that night - none of which was really needed!) 

...or getting the mail. (It is one of my self-set rules for New Maximiliania that I intervene very little with my Sims' lives unless children or pets are at risk. Especially when, as in this household, the adults are on permanent platinum, I often leave them to their own devices and simply watch what's happening, merely making sure that there is enough food in the fridge for them not to starve because of that.) 

They take turns in stuffing their faces at the fridge, but that's barely enough to keep them going. 

They keep getting in and out of bed; they lay down for a moment, then get back up to stuff their faces or give poor Lee yet another bath, then go back to bed again. This pattern is repeated all through the night and well into Friday morning... 

...until Nanny Lawson arrives and takes care of Lee... 

...and the two of them get picked up for work by their driver. It is ultimately work that saves their lives: they "eat" while they are at the office. 

The Nanny makes sure Lee does not lack anything while Emily and Dustin are out. 

When they return from work, Dustin still manages to drag himself up to bed, but Emily is so exhausted she passes out as soon as she gets off the car. 

On Saturday, Dustin finally decides to make a proper meal (pork chops), but in spite of his cooking skill, yet another fire ensues. This time, thanks to the fire alarm, the result is not as life-threatening as on Thursday. 

Sunday looks like a turning point in the dramatic events of that week, starting with a visit from the Gypsy Lady, who leaves a magic lamp near the front door. I have lost count of how many magic lamps there are in New Max now! 

Nanny Lawson makes herself very useful around the house; those generous tips she receives daily from her employers seem to make all the difference :-) 

On Sunday afternoon, Lee's room undergoes a make-over... 

...because he has just grown up from toddler to child! 

If I were you, Dustin, I wouldn't be so pleased with myself - after all, you have just been demoted to Master Architect after the wrong decision with a chance card! 

It is Monday, and Lee's first day at school. On coming home, he is accompanied by one of his 15 half-siblings (they all share the same Alien father): Wilma Williamson. 

Tuesday sees the beginning of the Christmas season, and Dustin sits down for a breakfast of omelette next to the bay window with a view of the snow-covered garden. 

Emily makes Christmas cookies after work. 

Martina Martin, another of Lee's half-sisters, comes home with him from school today. 

The two of them get along very well. 

While Emily has been busy inside preparing everything for a Christmas gathering with Dustin's family, he has asked Gunnar Roque (who happened to walk by earlier this afternoon and was welcomed in) to help with the gardening, and gives him a thank-you present. Stella Roth, Dustin's brother Brent's mother-in-law, is already here for the Christmas party. Isn't it a bit too cold for walking around in just jeans and a t-shirt? 

Lee meets his grandmother Brandi for the very first time (in the bathroom, of all places!). 

While his Uncle Beau seems to be deep in thought about something, Lee has obviously a good reason for being even more cheeful than usual. What is it he is looking at through the doorway into the dining room? 

No other than Santa himself! Uncle Brent and everyone else of Dustin's large family is also here, and the week ends on this happy note, after the rather dramatic events earlier on. 

When is Lee going to get his first A+ report? 
How many more of his half-siblings is he going to meet? 
Are Dustin and Emily going to get married? 
How long until they will be elders, and will they retire then?