Chapter 17 The Broken Baby

Last chapter we learned that Tayler fears failing as a mother due to her own upbringing. Instead of facing her fears head on she has emotionally distanced herself and seems totally unaware that her daughter is suffering because of it. Amaya interrupted the Legacy to make sure we all knew how traumatized she is after walking in on her parent’s doing the hoo. Not long after, Tayler revealed that she is expecting her second child and Amaya was not pleased. Gabe completed his fish collection and achieved his aspiration of Angling Ace a while ago. I haven’t chosen a new one to work on but I am thinking about the Curator because he has the collector bonus trait. I probably won’t have him start a career because nothing really fits him aside from opening a retail shop maybe. I didn’t mention it but Abby achieved her Master Chef aspiration so I chose Master Mixologist to see if I can get another point out of her. It’s fitting because she’s really into the booze nowadays. She still doesn’t seem to have really strong romantic feelings for anyone but I am hoping to have time to send her on some dates soon, she deserves to meet her soul mate. Mav still hopes it turns out to be him by the way!

The results of the pregnancy test were not as Tayler had hoped. She was petrified of screwing up the child she already had, how could she possibly have another?

Gabe “I don’t understand why you’re so upset. Having another baby is great news!”

Tayler “Sure, it’s great news if you actually want another baby.”

Gabe “Please don’t talk like that.”

Tayler “Like what? Gabe, I didn’t want anymore children. I can’t help how I feel I’m sorry.”

Gabe  “You’re hormones aren’t allowing you to think clearly. Just give it some time and you’ll be just as excited as I am, I know it.”

Tayler “Did you seriously just say that to me? Why does everything have to be about hormones to you?”

Gabe “Because maybe I refuse to believe that my wife actually dislikes her own children!”

Gabe “I didn’t mean that, what I meant was.”

Tayler “Oh I heard you loud and clear!”

Gabe “Honey, please…”

Tayler “I swear if you say one more word you’re going to be sleeping on the couch tonight Gabriel, I mean it!”

Abby “Cleaning again?”

Amaya “Yeah, mommy and daddy are fighting about the baby again so I needed a distraction. Can’t we just call the stork and tell him we don’t need a new baby?”

Abby “I think once the stork is on his way it’s a done deal. I bet your dad felt the same way about me but having a brother or sister isn’t really so bad. You always have someone to play with and if you break something you have someone to blame it on. Being the big sister gives you the upper hand when it comes to the art of framing you know.”

Amaya “Did daddy ever do that to you?”

Abby “More times than I can count kid.”

Tayler’s second pregnancy was much harder on her than the first. By her third trimester her stomach was twice as large as it had been with Amaya. She had very little energy and couldn’t stay on her feet for long periods of time.

Prior to having children her marriage to Gabe had been like a fairy tale but things were becoming very strained. His excitement over her expanding waistline was driving her crazy. She wished more than anything that she felt the same way he did, the way that an expectant mother was supposed to feel. She wanted to relish every small kick and daydream about who the baby would look like but all she felt was fear. She loathed her own mother now more than ever. Tayler had always felt despite her upbringing that she had made something of herself. Her childhood was in the past and she could be a happy healthy and most importantly a normal Sim. Foolish pride prevented her from opening up to her husband and sharing the real reasons she was afraid to have another baby.

Instead she took out the anger and frustration on the one Sim she was closest to.

Gabe is cheerful by nature but seeing his wife change so drastically over the last few years is starting to take it’s toll. Blaming pregnancy hormones makes it easier to rationalize but deep down inside he knows there has to be much more going on inside her head. He can upgrade any appliance and repair a broken sink like nobody’s business but fixing a broken Sim isn’t quite so easy but he was willing to try.

After doing extensive research online he realized what seemed to lacking in his marriage was communication. Never once had he asked his wife why she distanced herself from Amaya or why she was so upset about the new baby. Making up excuses was easier than learning the truth. What if he found out it was him? That she felt the marriage was a mistake or she just didn’t love him the way he loved her? The thought of hearing those words was too much to bear but so was living out the rest of his days arguing over every little thing.

Unfortunately, the conversation did not go as planned.

Tayler’s labor came on suddenly and instead of having a heart to heart Gabe found himself rushing his wife to the hospital.

Amaya “Is now a bad time to tell everyone how I feel about this new baby business?”

Despite Amaya’s protests to leave the baby in the hospital nursery for another family to adopt, Gabe returned home with another beautiful daughter. Welcome to the family little Lacey Starsze!

Amaya “Daddy I think you have made a horrible mistake!”

Gabe “Oh? And what would that be?”

Amaya “I think you need to call the stork and have him take Lacey back to the baby factory because she’s broken.”

Gabe “Broken?”

Amaya “Well, you said I was a prefect baby and hardly ever cried but all Lacey does is scream all day long. It’s starting to give me a headache and I know my health is very important to you daddy.”

Gabe “Nice try squirt but your sister isn’t going anywhere.”

Amaya “Fine, then I’ll just have to fix her myself!”

Gabe “What was that?”

Amaya “Oh nothing daddy!”

Amaya “Medical science never fails. I will create a potion to stop that crying if it’s the last thing I do!”

Amaya wasn’t lying, all Lacey does is cry. I’ve read of such a thing in other Legacy families but this is the first time I’ve ever had it happen in my game. She’s fed, changed, played with yet the moment she’s put down in her bassinet she screams. I think someone wants to be the center of attention!

With the strain on his marriage and a colicky baby Gabe was feeling worn down. He did his best to hide it from his family but his younger sister had started to take notice. Finding him taking his aggression out on a pile of stereo scrap on her bedroom floor was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

It was time she had a chat with her sister in law.

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My PC needs to be cleared of some dust bunnies so I will have to leave you hanging. I don’t want it to overheat 😦 I wanted to point out that it was never my plan for my poor Gabe to have marriage troubles but I always let my Sims be themselves, even if it isn’t what I had expected. That’s part of the fun of playing the game I think! As you can see from the 1st image, Tayler didn’t get that glow about her that other sims do when they find they are eating for 2. She was scowling and miserable her entire pregnancy and after Amaya and Lacey were born she didn’t rush to tend to them as many of my Sim mothers do. It’s funny how it all seemed to fit with the childhood I envisioned her having when I dug into her family tree.

Coming soon, how does the talk go and will it do any good? Lacey grows up and as a little spoiler I she just may be my favorite Sim to date. Will Amaya feel the same or will there be some sibling rivalry rearing it’s ugly head? We also have some new neighbors and their sole purpose in life seems to be to photobomb my Legacy!