Tuesday 4 October 2011

What I don't know about you

Round 32: May 2035 (Autumn)

Josie Clarke is 33, Troy is 32 and Jude is 3.
(Tate is 65, Zelda is 60, Patience is 33, Jack and Audrey are both 23 and Felicity is 2)

Narrated by Josie Clarke

When we were kids, I was a brat and Troy was (and still is) a smart-ass. When Jude was born, we were expecting to be raising one or the other.

It's probably too early to tell whether he'll be a smart-ass but so far, he's not a brat like I was.

He definitely has his moments where it's not so hard to believe he's my son.

He's more likely to try to hug other kids, rather than hit them, so he's already ahead of me.

And he's had plenty of opportunity. He has plenty of cousins, plus Felicity is over here all the time.

Troy works on weekends, which I haven't done in ages, so Patience usually brings Felicity around to let her play with Jude. They have fun together and Patience and I get to catch up.

Patience is pretty excited at the moment, because she and Rob are gearing up to start trying for another baby soon. They're nervous as well but they're trying to stay optimistic.

Patience is the only one who knows Troy and I definitely want another one. I wasn't positive that I would but Jude swayed my opinion. It's been a very smooth introduction to parenthood for us.

Jude still keeps us busy enough that we don't get to eat dinner until 8:30 or 9 sometimes but we have it easier than some parents.

I keep waiting for things to go absolutely nuts with Jude but so far, so good.

No one can quite believe I've produced such a calm, gentle child, least of all my parents.

Dad likes to joke that I deserve a kid like me, after all the trouble I put them through when I was at school.

I'm several years out of med school now and Mum and Dad still won't let me live down the time I kicked Patience in the head.

Besides, Patience and I are still best friends, so it's not like it had any lasting effects!

Now that Jude is almost ready for pre-school, my parents are waiting on another grandkid.

They know we're the most likely candidates, considering Jack isn't ready and Charlie isn't ready for more.

Mum and Dad don't know that we've been trying for the last few months. I keep having to kick Troy under the table to keep him from spilling the beans to my parents. I don't want to say anything to anyone until I'm actually pregnant.

Once people know you're trying, the questions get much more personal. It's just not anyone's business but ours. So with most people, I'm just telling them we haven't decided on whether we're having another one yet.

I'm trying to drum Troy into giving the same answer but he just doesn't think sometimes.

Which I guess is how he ended up slipping and telling Jack and Audrey when they came over one night.

Thankfully, Jack has never been one to poke his nose in where it's not wanted and I think Audrey is a little scared of me.

He's just really excited but still, it's frustrating. Troy just has such a big mouth sometimes.

Fortunately, he'll only have to keep it shut for a few more months, because we just found out that I'm pregnant.

We didn't conceive quite as quickly this time as we did with Jude. Troy didn't even have time to blab to anyone that we were trying last time.

Troy is over the moon. He already wants a third. I'm open to it but let's just see how we do with a second first.

So far, I'm feeling pretty good. I'm not too tired yet. I've even been energetic enough to help Troy work on Jude's new bedroom. It's not finished but I think Jude will love it by the time he's old enough to sleep in it.

I'm still plagued by nausea though, just like last time. If this is as bad as it gets though, at least I know I can handle it.

I'm powering through at the hospital, aiming to work for as long as I can before I go on maternity leave.

This time around, I'm hoping that maternity leave will be a shorter one. I almost went crazy staying home with Jude for six months. I like my job too much to stay at home that long.

So once I'm ready to go back to work after this baby arrives, Troy is going to take some time off and do the stay-at-home dad thing.

He's a beta tester, so he can do a lot of his work from home anyway. Jude will be at pre-school, so it'll be just Troy and the baby most of the day.

Troy is already alone with Jude on his "weekend" (which is actually Wednesdays and Thursdays for him), so he knows what he's in for.

I have to work to stay sane, so I'm so glad we've figured all this out this time. It's just going to make everything so much easier for us all.

Notes:
  • Title is from What I Don't Know About You by You Am I.
  • I'm still a bit stunned by Jude's personality. He really shouldn't have had much chance at all of differing from his parents. Troy and Josie's personalities are identical, right down to the last point. But I won't complain. I have enough children of the head-kicking variety living at Luc and Asha's house. ;)
  • Baby Clarke is due in February 2036. Troy and Josie are one of my few couples who are in complete agreement about the number of babies they want. They each want three, so we might see one more from them after this.

18 comments:

  1. Yay! Another Josie and Troy baby! :D LOL. Tate and Zelda are kinda right, Josie probably does deserve a bratty baby like she was. It would definitely live up to the memory grandparents get: "And now my kid will learn a thing or two!" Haha.

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  2. Yay! Though I feel Josie's pain on the hubby spilling the beans. Some men just can't keep their mouths shut :P I'm hoping for a brat this time :)

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  3. I wonder how this second baby will turn out. If they have another easy, happy baby, that's just good luck on their side. They better keep their fingers crossed.

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  4. Anna, yeah, I'm sure Tate and Zelda would get a tiny bit of satisfaction if Josie got a taste of her own medicine, lol! I'd forgotten about that grandparent memory but that would be very apt in this case!

    Thanks for reading!

    Apple Valley, men, huh? Troy was just excited but some things should stay between the people involved, unless all those people are cool with letting the cat out of the bag! They have way more chance of having a brat than having another sweet kid but who knows?

    Thanks for reading!

    Choco, I'm curious to find out as well. Another easy baby would be welcome, especially by the teachers at Sullivan Primary in a few years' time. ;)

    Thanks for reading!

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  5. Yay!!! I was thinking these two need to start having another one. Jude is too cute! I though for sure when he was born that he'd favor Josie but he really looks like his dad. lol on Audrey being afraid of Josie. I could see that, she's not naturally the nicest girl out there. Loved the hospital pictures, and Judes big boy bedroom is really fun.

    I wonder when jack will pop the question. I definitely think he should.

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  6. Aww, yay! I'm glad they are having number two. Can't wait to meet the new baby. I think I want a girl. LOL

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  7. OMG yay another baby!! For some reason I wasn't expecting Josie to want another one, let alone 2! But I'm so happy they will be have a second child, and hopefully a third one.

    Jude really is so cute! He seems to combine all the good things from both his parents :)

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  8. Maisie, heh, I know you were! I saw your comment over at N99. I agree that Jude is looking mostly like Troy. He's aging up this January, so it will be interesting to see if that continues.

    No, Josie isn't really nice at all. Poor Audrey...Josie doesn't dislike her but it probably seems that way at the moment. ;)

    Ha, Jack and Audrey getting engaged? I can see that both of them are the type to want to get married but I'm not sure when that might start to be discussed. Not this round though!

    Thanks for reading!

    Riverdale, LOL! I was thinking about baby names for them and when girl names would pop into my head, I'd think "what's the point? They'll have a boy!" I wouldn't mind them having a girl but I'm getting strong boy vibes. That usually means I'm wrong though, so we'll see.

    Thanks for reading!

    Tanja, now that Josie knows she can go back to work before the stay-at-home thing starts wearing on her, her last objection to having another is gone. She likes being a mother but isn't so keen on maternity leave. ;)

    I love Jude too. I don't know how much he's inherited from Josie, apart from a lighter skin tone, but he is very cute!

    Thanks for reading!

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  9. I love Josie's face in that pic where Troy spilled the beans lol. She looks like "really? Didn't we already discuss this?" I'm excited to see another baby from these two and who knows, the second time may not produce such an easy going child :)

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  10. Mizzgin03, LOL, the best part about that picture is that Josie did that all on her own! It was perfect for the little storyline I had in my head. I whipped out Freezer Clock so fast!

    Troy and Josie have a better chance at getting a brat than another angel, so I think this time around might be more of a challenge for them. They'll have some experience under their belts though, so if that does happen, they can hopefully handle it.

    Thanks for reading!

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  11. Color me shocked. I, like Josie, was expecting a total terror in Jude. He looks like such a sweet kid. Maybe they'll get what they were expecting this time around. Though, I would feel sorry for them if they did.

    Wow, Jude's new room looks amazing! I'd have loved a room like his when I was his age.

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  12. Fini, considering I've actually started to edit my babies' personalities in SimPE, because so many of them were turning out with only one nice point, it was amazing to me that Jude came out with 6!

    We'll see what #2 is like. I'm sure all concerned would welcome another kid like Jude but I'm not sure I'll get that lucky!

    Thanks for reading!

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  13. I can’t believe cutie-pie Jude is already 3!! Where does the time go?! I loved the snaps with Felicity. She’s so stinking cute. I remember Josie kicking someone in the head but I didn’t remember it was Patience! LOL Who would’ve thought they’d end up best friends after that.

    Josie sounds a lot like me when it comes to letting people know that we’re trying for a baby. Especially around my husband’s mother. My husband doesn’t think just like Troy and I love the pic of Josie glaring at him when he’s telling Jack and Audrey. But congrats on the pregnancy! I hope they have another boy. :) I see them with a bunch of boys. Love Jude’s bedroom! I've been anxious to use that set myself.

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  14. Danielle, I know, I had to keep checking I was right about Jude's age! Because of where I'd put Josie and Troy on the play schedules, I only played him this one time as a toddler, so it seems extra fast.

    I think Josie and Patience were actually already best friends when she kicked her in the head! Patience was a bit of a doormat, apparently. Josie was quite the bully!

    I'm wondering if this is just a male trait now, because a couple of my friends had the same complaint about their husbands! Troy has been keen for a baby for a little while now, so he's having trouble keeping his mouth shut. And I can see Troy and Josie with only boys as well. Which means they'll probably have a girl, lol!

    Thanks for reading!

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  15. "Children of the head-kicking variety" LOL--only the Sims would force you to create such a category.

    I also love that she thinks Audrey is a little scared of her (who wouldn't be--Josie is formidable!).

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  16. Rachel, so true! In all my years of teaching, I've only come across one head-kicker (and mine was the head he kicked, unfortunately) but they're running rampant at Sullivan Primary!

    Josie is definitely intimidating and I'm sure Audrey is a little nervous around her. I'm quite certain Josie would enjoy that though.

    Thanks for reading!

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  17. Yeah for a second baby! I laughed when I read that Troy was already ready for the third! *lol*
    I love Josie. It's definitively one of my favorites (but this list is getting ridiculously long!).
    I love Jude's new bedroom!!!

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  18. Sandy, Troy is the family Sim in this pair, so although they both have an Ideal Family Size of 3, it's Troy pushing them along to have them as quickly as possible!

    My list of my favourite Sims is crazy long as well (but hey, they're my Sims, lol). I'm glad you like them so much too.

    I'm coming up on November in my game, which means Jude's birthday is coming up fast! I can hardly believe he'll actually be sleeping in that bedroom soon. :)

    Thanks for reading!

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