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cozysimschallenge · 4 months ago

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Dear diary,

Kim and her husband Tomax invited me to spend Winterfest at their house - probably mostly to get me out of the house. Since the eight surrogate baby, a little girl, was born at the hospital almost a week ago (epidural was great for pain but that whole experience was mostly boring and restrictive), I haven't really been going anywhere or reached out to people unless they came knocking on my door.

I'm glad that they did. I definitely needed this! I was definitely going stir-crazy despite my tendency to isolate myself when I am sad. I HAVE been productive - I've turned the attic into a guest room like I said I would, and it turned out pretty cozy even if I say so myself!

I gave them their gifts (Insta-Fun and some brown wool) and got some gifts in return. I had agreed to cook us a holiday breakfast and we enjoyed it together. During breakfast, Kim was feeling a little sick and had some stomach pains, which she dismissed as just some gas pain - but as the day progressed and she and Tomax were making the Winterfest feast, it was starting to become clear that her gas pains were actually early labour contractions, because that's when her water broke.

Tomax panicked and Kim was dumbfounded but also excited. I told them that I can leave if they'd rather be alone, but they both wanted me to stay - it was still early, we could still celebrate! Kim said that she would love to have me there for her delivery since she has been there for me, and I was happy to stay and be there for her.

I swayed with her while Tomax finished preparing the meal, and we sang together and toasted new life! Kim and Tomax had a little nap and I washed the dishes in the meantime. I've been in her place and know that the less household chores either of them has to worry about right now, the better.

Kim had wanted us to watch a Winterfest romcom movie together - it's her favourite Winterfest tradition, but she was starting to be in so much pain that she decided that she wanted to head to the hospital, and that she would rather just have her husband with her. It was all a little overwhelming for her, and no wonder! It's her first time!

I got a message from Tomax that a baby boy had been born safely around and painlessly around 11pm, as well as some pictures of the proud mother with her baby. They named the baby Nathaniel after me. Tomax thanked me for having been such a good friend to his wife, and that he hoped that we will get to know each other better as well. I must confess that I cried, both out of pride or my friend, and happiness, and honour. I don't think that anything has been named after me before. I think I would remember.

I really like Tomax even if he likes jokes and I don't understand them. He's been so good to Kim, and I can tell that they adore each other. I hope and intend to get to know him better as well. They are both invited to the memorial tomorrow, but I will definitely understand if they are not able to come. They have a brand new baby! I'm usually knackered even just after giving birth, and I don't have to take care of the babies! They need their rest and the bonding time with their child.

I can't believe that Kim had a Winterfest baby! That is magical and feels like a good omen. The child is a gift and will bring joy and cheer wherever he goes.

I had a lovely rest of the night at home - being excited and nervous for Kim laced me with energy that I haven't felt since... the day. I took my rug knitting project and sat on the couch with Eddie purring next to me and finished it in one sitting.

In the morning I woke up to a message from Cecilia that she and her boyfriend got engaged on Winterfest, and I'm so happy for them, too! They are also thinking about a baby and she asked me about my opinion, but I truly think that they should decide that for themselves!

So many babies have either born recently or about to be born soon here. I guess we are experiencing the beginning of a new generation here.

It will feel good to see more kids around, I think.

Maybe everything will be alright.

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cozysimschallenge · 4 months ago

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Dear diary,

Here are some of the good things that happened before my life with Pistachio came crashing down.

I got a kitten! She just showed up one day and I felt this... sense of belonging and familiarity with her the same way as I did with my familiar. My familiar has been changing shape occasionally, and I think it has been waiting for the correct vessel to arrive, because once the cat showed up (and did a strange body warp that reminded me of the strange terrifying creature we saw before, but without feeling scary), I haven't been able to summon it again... but feel the benefits when I am near Eddie. That's her name. Eddie. She's been a great help in this grief. A small warm purring thing on me. She and Bella were starting to get along very well, and it's a shame that that was cut off.

Kim got married and is pregnant! And she never made a peep! I would be hurt if I didn't understand - she told me on the phone just today that she felt so guilty and diagusting about it all happening behind my back, but she was so afraid that if I knew, Stash would know and be clued onto her husband... I get it. She was protecting him and herself. I'm mostly surprised that nobody else tattled, to be honest. She must have asked them not to tell me because she wanted to tell me herself. I haven't had a chance to get to know her husband yet, but if she loves him, I'm sure that he is lovely.

I made a new friend, Cecilia Kang, whom I mentioned briefly already in an earlier entry. She is so fun, so lively and full of gossip. She isn't the kind of a friend that Kim is, someone who I would trust with my life, but I feel comfortable around her and hear more about the townspeople than I ever knew before! She is so pretty, too, and giddy with a new date. I'm so happy for her! I taught her to knit, and it was so fun to see how excited she got when she started to get the hang of it.

Ha. Everyone else is finding love while mine has been torn into pieces. I'm not jealous of them, but... maybe I am, a little.

The Creature Keeper finally got his mushrooms from me and he made me a bowl of mushroom mash to try. I don't know if he drugged me or if the mash had magical properties, but I swear I could understand what birds were saying, clear as day. It was fascinating and wondrous! He assured me that whatever it was, it was not dangerous for a pregnant person to ingest; he wouldn't have given it to me otherwise.

I increased my control my magic enough for the Sages to consider me an Adept, and they sent me a package to congratulate me - a couple of different brooms, some ingredients, and an orb that contained a little fairy creature that I could bind as a familiar - I let it go, but appreciated the gesture. I now have a broom that is to my liking! I think the shopkeeper at Magic Alley must have tipped them about what kind of a broom I was after, and it's touching to think about.

A new guy moved to Finchwick. I've only met him once by the pub so far, and he seemed woefully under-dressed for the weather and hurried home to the old house of Granny Cosmopolitan who passed away in the end of the summer. Her house was sold with its furnishings, as I understand, because she had no family to inherit it. He is very handsome, and has a strong echo of the ocean about him, like a salty breeze that my magic can feel though my skin can't. I hope to meet him properly sometime. I can't believe how far I've come from the person who moved here and only wanted to avoid people! Cecilia says that the guy is from Sulani and moved here because he's always wanted to live in the countryside and raise animals - I think he's perhaps out of his mind to move here from Sulani when Sulani countryside would be much less of a culture shock, but I can't fault his aspirations! I forget what his name is. I have a lot on my mind, so it's just slipped through the cracks and disappeared. Cecilia also says that he's single and likes to play at guessing who he will fall in love with and marry, and how many babies they're going to have. Her guess is someone I don't know and three. I hazarded Creature Keeper and none.

We... yes. We added an attic to the house for additional storage. I'm thinking of making it my magic nook, perhaps, or a guest room. I don't really have space to have guests unless they are comfortable sharing a bed with me. I don't know who would sleep over here but the thought of it is lovely. Kim, perhaps. Maybe even Cecilia. Or maybe I will find a tenant who wouldn't mind helping me with the farm in exchange for board and utilities. I don't really need the money, but help I could use. Perhaps I'll put up an advertisement for something like that eventually. When I've clawed my way out of the pit of despair I am in currently. I wouldn't be good company right now.

I caught an aubergine frog in the pond! I love frogs, I just hate touching them nowadays because it makes me squeamish. I may have thrown up a little. But it was worth it.

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cozysimschallenge · 4 months ago

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Dear diary,

I will catch you up to some of the good things that have happened recently, but I really need to get this out of my chest first. I apologise for the tear stains.

NOTE: This entry contains discussions of murder and evil vampires. Proceed with caution. This is probably the most heavy this challenge is gonna be, but who knows what happens later so no promises. Please also note that in none of these entries the picture are necessarily what Nathan has as an actual photo. They're there for visual interest and demonstation.

Stash is gone - not dead, but gone. I never want to see him again.

One morning a week ago, when I went to meet Kim by her booth like I like to do - to check how she's feeling and how her pregnancy is going (I'll talk about that later). As soon as she saw me, her face grew serious and she ran to me and told me she has something important to tell me. She closed the grocery stall for the day and practically dragged me to her place.

As soon as we were inside, she started crying and said that the pub owner, Sara Scott, had gone missing. My heart sank so fast and I felt sick - my premonitions were screaming behind my ribs and my ears and eyes. That wasn't all. It was going to be bad.

She said that she is pretty sure that Stash was behind her disappearance.

I was shaking so hard that I couldn't move, couldn't BREATHE.

Getting that out broke some kind of a dam in her and words flooded out of her. She'd been suspicious for a while. Some time ago Rahul had come to work exhausted and pale, and when Kim saw but marks on his neck, he asked where they came from. He didn't remember. The last thing he remembered before he woke up in a field the left morning was delivering our groceries.

Kim said that she wanted so badly to believe that it was some other vampire, maybe someone who had followed Stash's trail here. She didn't have anything concrete to pin on him, except the time we KNOW Stash bit him when he first moved here.

That's why she's been so distant for a while, always busy by her own words. She said she'd specifically been avoiding Stash and keeping an eye on him and an ear to the ground for any sign of him being up to something. She said it broke her heart to not see me as much as she would have liked and that she missed me terribly. There had been times when she'd tried to invite me over but it had never been a good time for me.

For a while everything had been quiet. And then she read in the news that people had been found dead with parts of them bitten off, and she WANTED to believe that that, too, was just some evil rampaging vampire... but her worries deepened.

And then Kim had run into Stash in Bramblewood when she was having a little walk in the night when she couldn't sleep. Stash had seemed unusually pleased with himself and had worn this... cold smile until he noticed Kim, which is when his face softened into a friendly one instead. Like flipping a switch, she said.

The next morning she heard that someone was found confused and bleeding in the Bramblewood in the early hours of the morning. They had been immediately taken to the hospital, and she didn't know more about that. The man had been a visitor, not one of the locals. As far as news stated, the doctors had suspected an animal attack.

She said that when she'd seen Stash, she had thought he was wearing more lipstick than before. She thinks it may have been blood.

And - it makes me sick to think about - last night she had been on one of her walks in the Bramblewood again (gods know why she kept going there after she already thought the previous attack may have been Stash) when she saw Stash in the distance. She quickly dipped into cover because she didn't want to run into him. Stash's back was to him and he didn't notice her - but he did notice Sara Scott and started following her.

Kim had not seen what happened then, both of them disappeared out of sight and when she tried to run after them to pretend to have something to tell Sara so she could get her away from Stash, they both were nowhere to be found.

And then Sara hadn't arrived at work the next day. The police are involved.

Kim told me - she really thinks that Stash must have killed her. I didn't want to believe her, but...

The occasional bloodstained clothes.

The times I woke up in the night not feeling Stash anywhere on the farm.

The way his powers seemed to grow more than what he was showing himself doing would warrant.

The bruises.

The ghost that visited once.

The hissing. The increased sun sensitivity.

The times he's come home and been weirdly skittish and agitated. The way he yelled at me this morning out of the blue and seemed frazzled.

I went home. With the weight of the world on my feet I went home to confront him. I had this certainty - that whatever else he may have done, he wouldn't, COULDN'T hurt me. We share a bond, whether I like it or not, that of new lives. Trauma, perhaps. Love, until today.

Stash saw from my face that something was wrong, and asked me what was wrong. I asked him: did you kill Sara Scott?

So many emotions crossed his face - shock, pain, panic, anger, guilt. And I knew the answer then.

He did. He did kill her.

Tell me everything, I told him. Commanded him, and he argued first but finally started pleading with me to forgive him - it had been an accident, he didn't mean to--

I asked him about the tourist. The kills in Forgotten Hollow. I was so angry - SO angry that I felt like my magic was boiling in my blood and it took all I had not to erupt on him. Yelling would need to do.

He realised that he couldn't talk his way out of this, then, and got angry, too, and his dark form came out, so much crueler than before. He yelled and spat and hissed and told me how the people he'd killed had deserved it, and how I didn't understand. But I was right: he couldn't hurt me.

I told him to leave. To turn himself in.

He did. He didn't turn himself in, obviously, but he left. He took Bella with him. She was his dog more than mine. I found out later that he also took most of our savings. Before he left, he spat at me and threw his keys at me.

See for yourself, he said. Check the basement.

I didn't know what he meant at first, but then I extended my awareness in the basement, searched the farm for any trace of Sara. The basement felt bigger than the crypt I could see. I followed the sense of space, and found a hidden door behind a succulent wall. I found them inside - urns belonging to the four people he'd killed. Sara's was heavy - it felt like her ashes were there in their entirety. The rest were mostly empty, but had a small amount of ash in each. Undoubtedly the pieces of them he had bitten off and kept as some kind of a sick trophy.

I had to escape to throw up and scream and cry. I was sure my heart was breaking in my chest, it hurt so much, but somehow it kept beating.

When I gathered the strength to go back down there, next to the urns I found his journal. It talked about how he wanted vengeance on both the humans and his vampire family in Forgotten Hollow.

How he trained with his new vampire friends. How he was growing stronger. How he was drinking from people in secret. How he didn't want me to know.

How he'd turned someone else into a vampire, someone who'd been one of his biggest enemies in Forgotten Hollow. How he wanted him to feel what he felt, suffer like he suffered.

How he bit Rahul. How he killed Sara. How he panicked when he realised that he'd killed too close to home, and how he cremated her.

How he enjoyed it all once he got over the initial guilt. How the power was alluring. How he didn't want to stop.

How I was gullible. How I was too exhausted so often to notice. How he could have both: this idyllic toyhouse life with me, and the violent, cruel world of his vampire pleasures.

I was afraid that Stash would apparate into the crypt to get rid of the evidence, so I stayed down there overnight, reading the journal and crying in turns.

In the morning, I called the police.

After that, it's been a blur. The police arrived and searched the house and took my statement. I was told to not leave town and I was not going to - I told them they would find me at Kim's while they searched the house and looked for evidence.

I'm sure there will be more interviews. More statements. More questions. But this is out of mine and Kim's hands now, and we can only tell the police what we know.

I was allowed to return home after two days, and was told that I'm not being treated as a suspect, but to inform them if i need to leave town, tell them where they can contact me. Home felt so empty without Bella and Stash, and a lot of chores needed doing. I don't know how I managed all of it, to be honest. I don't remember if I've eaten or used the bathroom, or slept. I feel like my magic turned my body off to let me do what needed to be done without bothering about earthly needs, but now that I'm back to experiencing my needs again, the toll has been heavy.

Kind people from the town have come to help me, occasionally. They helped me build a little graveyard and memorial in the back of the farm, one that anyone can visit and remember the dead. I am preparing to arrange a memorial service of some sort soon, when the police return Sara's remains. The other remains are being delivered to the families.

Kim and I call each other every day, but are both in a bad place right now and don't have the energy to meet yet. Our love remains, our friendship is deeply rooted, and I think once we recover from the shock enough, it will only grow deeper.

I've sold the chicken, the one that didn't die of old age yet, and the coop sits empty. I had to downsize and sold Lehdokki - I can't take care of that many animals by myself, not when I'm pregnant most of the time, and grieving the life I had besides. I also cut down the plasma trees. The police took the coffin as evidence, and a lot of his other things, including his vampire tomes and his children's books.

I also threw away the stupid washer-dryer combo and replaced it with a smaller washer. No dryer.

I'm still so angry and betrayed. Angry at him - but also at myself. How did I not see it? How was I so blind? If only I'd pressed him more when I was concerned about something--

But no, it doesn't make sense to go down that path.

It was not my fault. That's what Kim says, what the police say, what everyone in town says.

I just need to believe it.

I think I need to go somewhere else for a while, with the police's permission obviously. Deep into the forests behind Bramblewood. Retreat into the wilderness and soak in its vastness and raw energy. Cease to be a person, just for a little while, let myself be whatever my magic is, connect deep into the ground.

...

I miss them. I don't want to miss Stash but I do. In all of the burning anger and roaring waves of disgust and betrayal, I still miss him.

But more than him, I think, I miss Bella. Bella did nothing wrong and I fear for her wherever she is.

Ps. Winter has come.

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cozysimschallenge · 4 months ago

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Dear diary,

I spent most of the day on my feet looking for gossip for Rahul - didn't succeed but did succeed in getting a new friend who IS a big gossip, so I don't think I need to wait for very long to hear something interesting.

All that walking I think jumpstarted labour - when I got home, my waters broke. I was scared for a sec because no matter how many times I do this and how used to I think I am to all of this, it still manages to catch me off guard. Stash hugged me and lulled me from side to side and my fears eased. We've got this.

I gave birth at home. I delayed calling the midwife until I absolutely had to, and then she ended up not getting there in time anyway. Stash delivered the little baby boy while I held onto his shoulders for dear life.

I think I was in back labour for a good bit there because it hurt in a very different way, but thankfully Stash filled up the pool and cuddled me in it, and I could also take a bath to get a little deeper into the water.

The only little hitch keeping this from being a pretty ideal birth experience (despite the pain) is that Simeon happened to stop by just as I was on the exercise ball when contractions were getting strong. I felt bad sending him away after a quick exchange of greetings and an awkward "hi I'm about to give birth and would prefer privacy if it's all the same to you". He came from far away to visit, and has been trying to visit other times too, just always at a bad time. Maybe he should call first. Or I should invite him over. In any case, he wished me luck and patted my shoulder before leaving, and I THINK he put just a little bit of magic into that pat, because the pain was a little easier to handle after that, until my body started to push. He did take a picture though. Not sure how I feel about that.

Afterwards I had some spotting, different from my usual postpartum bleeding, but nothing became of it in the end. Thank goodness.

I think... I want to try an epidural next time, see what all the pregnancy blogs are raving about.

Ps. Next time I won't even try to walk around a lot during labour. I think I've established by now that I hate it, no matter how good it might be for me. It's time I accept that! Epidural would make that impossible anyway.

Pps. Stash hissing during labour got onto my nerves despite me saying earlier that I don't mind it... it does. It feels so weird and like he doesn't have control of it, and he dismisses it as nothing at all when I bring it up. I'm starting to have a bad feeling that I can't quite place, and the hissing relates to it.

Number of babies: 7

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cozysimschallenge · 4 months ago

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Dear diary,

I was reading back to see what I've talked about already, and realised that me updating more often makes it seem that I've been pregnant as long as an elephant, but it's not true - this is my third longest pregnancy out of five. I think. Yes: 3, 15, 12, 1, and this one is supposed to be ten days based on the doctors' estimations.

Spring has passed and summer is here! The dpring literally took only one day, and then it was summer, but that seems to have been the last of the time weirdness - everything has been normal since. My bees have awakened! Oh I've missed them so! They were a little cranky after the winter, but quickly calmed down when I spoke with them and helped take care of their hive. I even sent them to bring a loving message to Stash, who was first very confused about bees flooding into his crypt, but came out so very flustered! It was adorable!

We have extended the roof of the greenhouse so that Stash has some outdoor plots that he can work on - mainly mushrooms, which we desperately need. All our neighbours seem to want them, so Stash decided that we would provide! They can also be picked in Bramblewood, but it's been hard to find them. Perhaps they are more numerous there in the fall.

Stash has become more sensitive to the sun, I think, but he doesn't complain. He just needs to stay inside more and rest. I on the other hand love the sun on my skin, in my bones, so I can pick up outside tasks that can't wait until night.

He also hisses a lot more and looks a little sheepish any time he does it, like he couldn't stop it? He says it just got stuck, kinda like swearing. I don't mind it and told me so, and he looked so relieved that it was almost silly.

I've made good friends with a bunny called Bun Bun, who helps us in the garden, and Stash brought home a tree stump that birds live in. He loves them, and so do I. I asked them about flying, and listening to them sing about it, I felt their elation and freedom, and decided that it would now be time to buy a broom to fly on. I haven't been able to find a pretty one that I like, but a standard broom works well enough. It's been a relief on my legs to be able to fly longer distances in very little time. Pregnancy can be rough on the feet!

In the spring, we went to another fair - this time with Kebab the llama and some of her pink, excellent wool. I couldn't see her once I entered her into one of the stalls, she turned entirely invisible to me, but everyone else seemed to be able to appreciate her! She won first prize! I'm so proud of her. She turned visible again once it was time to leave. But when we got home, Mansikki was gone.

I don't know what happened. We've taken good care of her and she shouldn't have run away, and she was so young too! But she just isn't there, and nobody's seen her anywhere in town or the surrounding countryside. We can only assume that she was stolen while we were away, and someone else has her. Could it be magical? Maybe, but I don't think so. I don't - and hadn't - felt the ominous feeling around the barn as I often do when something magical is going awry.

We have another cow in her shed now, and we call her Lehdokki. She's lovely, but she isn't... she doesn't make the pain of losing Mansikki any easier.

Oh - I've figured out that me feeding the animals different kinds of treats causes them to change colours or produce different kinds of eggs or milk. That's how we got pink wool out of Kebab, who is usually beige.

I've been helping the townspeople on my spare time, and I'm starting to feel like I'm part of the community. Rahul the delivery boy wants to see the outside of this town, and also keep track of gossip. The barkeep asked help with some berries and mushrooms for her drink experiments. Kim keeps being busy and needing help with everyday chores. I do what I can! I'm waiting for our mushrooms to grow and produce some spicy mushrooms so I could finally take them to the Creature Keeper in the Bramblewood, but it's just taking a lot of time. I spoke with the mayor about Rahul's dreams the other day and found out that she's pregnant, too! It was a lovely way to bond!

Another thing that made me feel part of the community is that I managed to repeal the town action plan in which everyone keeps bags on their heads. It was obnoxious to not see people's faces, and a lot of people agreed and signed my petition. The paper bags sounded dreadful besides.

What else, what else? We have expanded the living room and have a fireplace now. I was against it because I'm still wary around fire, but Stash installed a fire guard and demonstrated to me that the fire can't escape. It IS pretty nice to sit in front of the fire, crafting and resting my legs. We also set up a little grilling corner by the porch!

Speaking of fire, I accidentally caught a toilet on fire when trying to fix it in the Realm of Magic. I thought I was going to die there and then, but managed to run away and let others take care of it. I'm pretty sure I had a panic attack, but Morgyn and the other sages managed to ground me again and brought me home, where Nathan took over taking care of me. I'm so grateful for all of them.

I did learn a new spell before the fire happened though - Scrubaroo. It has been really nice for cleaning little messes, but it can't take care of the sheds or the coop or the animals, yet at least.

I think I'm nearly at the end of this pregnancy. It has gone incredibly easily towards the end, and I am very happy about that. The parents are already anxiously waiting for the time to come!

Ps. We have replaced the pool with a pond. Some strange magic was seeping out of the pond that was making us very lethargic and unwilling to socialise. I managed to track the source of the magic to several strange symbols carved into the tiles. If only we'd cleaned it earlier, we would have seen them and been able to get rid of them before they activated.

Pps. A ghost visited one day, and I have no idea why - we haven't had ghosts here otherwise. Stash was more afraid of it than I was, and I felt a little smug about that. I couldn't tell who it was - it wore a bag on its head and couldn't say. I haven't seen it since, though.

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cozysimschallenge · 4 months ago

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Dear diary,

time has still been behaving wrong - New Year came two days after it was already New Year, and this time even Stash noticed that it was going on. He felt bad about doubting me before, and says that he will start taking these things more seriously. I think he will, too, he was very vulnerable when he said it, even weepy. I think he hasn't really quite understood what it's like to live with an immortal magical being. To be fair, I don't either.

After the second New Year's I took an entire day to go to the Realm of Magic. I really wanted to stop this, it's too disorienting. I discussed it with Morgyn and the Sage of Practical magic, Simeon Silversweater, who is an absolute sweetheart, and they performed a ritual on me that should keep me anchored in time. I think it worked, I can feel time pulling me along by my core - I didn't feel that before but don't remember if I ever did. Was I always out of time? Just cut loose from its ropes and free floating? I may have been.

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cozysimschallenge · 4 months ago

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Dear diary,

Bella is a big girl now! It's been so fun to watch her grow - it happens so fast! I suppose that's what parents feel about their babies, too.

We're working on desensitizing her to the toilet, and training tricks (and weeding out bad behaviours). Pistachio loves taking her on walks, which she... tolerates. She'd much rather lounge on the couch with one of us, or Kim. That or walk slowly and smell every single grass leaf she can find.

New year has passed, and I'm starting to get anxious for spring. I miss my bees and not needing to put on anything extra to go outside. I miss grass under my feet and the smell of raw earth. I feel like I am roots awakening in the ground and yearning to come to life.

I don't mean that I haven't enjoyed the winter - on the contrary, I think it was necessary. But I am a creature of summer, and my magic, too, reaches for it.

For the new year, we resolved to improve ourselves. Pistachio resolved to finish his book - and he has! - and I resolved to develop my guitar playing. I sometimes forget about it in the business of chores, social obligations, and sleep. I love the guitar, and would like to dedicate more time to it. Pistachio has offered to keep the sheds clean since he barely needs to sleep and has more time in his day. I'm grateful for that offer. I have to admit that the further in pregnancies I get, the harder physical labour and bending down gets. Perhaps it is for the better, though I do feel guilty for it.

Kim has also completed her move to Finchwick. I'm anxiously waiting to get to see her new place all decorated and done! The house is right next to the marketplace, too, so she barely has to walk to get to work!

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cozysimschallenge · 4 months ago

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The belly in pregnancy depends on the number of babies

If you thought that sims takes into account the number of babies during pregnancy, I hasten to disappoint you: the belly is affected only by the constitution. There's good news too - I've written a mod that fixes this!

Now at each trimester of pregnancy, when it becomes visible (including in labor stage), the pregnant belly adjusts to the number of babies.

This is a steady state, meaning you can go to another area with your sim, send her somewhere, go into CAS - the belly won't change.

A couple exceptions: if you do a sim reset, it will reset. If you change the number of babies (for example, through the MCCC), the belly will not automatically update. For such cases, I added a cheat code that will put everything back in place:

Basically, if suddenly something reset, then calmly use this cheat.

Keep in mind that when you switch to a new trimester, the belly is updated within a few seconds (usually 2-3). This is to make sure the sims don't overwrite the belly size after working off this mod.

Plus, I made several versions so you can choose a more appropriate size for your needs. I wrote more about the modifications below in the installation section.

Compatible with 105-108 Base Game.

REQUIRED lot51 Core Library version at least 1.19! TRANSLATION Russian translation is built in

CONFLICTS I spent most of my time writing this mod without conflicts. So this mod really doesn't cause any error when working with other mods including Command Center, Relationships and Pregnancy Overhaul and Realistic Childbirth.

However! If you are using the Relationships and Realistic Pregnancy mod, you need the additional file SonozakiSisters_Belly_Size_Injector_Lumpinou_RPO

Also! This mod does not conflict with LittleMsSam's Pregnancy Overhaul Belly Part mod in the sense that it does not cause an error. But it will overwrite the values of the mod from LittleMsSam.

Because of this, I wrote the same four belly versions as LittleMsSam, taking her values as the basis for a one-child pregnancy. That is, for a one-child pregnancy, the same values as LittleMsSam will be used. If you need those values, use one of the versions below. In addition to her four versions, there is my basic one (I recommend using it) and one based on EA values.

INSTALLATION Place the files SonozakiSisters_Belly_Size_Based_On_Babies_Count_Version, SonozakiSisters_Belly_Size_Injector_EA, SonozakiSisters_pregnant_progress_script and SonozakiSisters_Belly_Size_Injector_Lumpinou_RPO (when using the "Relationships and Pregnancy Overhaul" mod) together and no deeper than one subfolder in Mods! You can only have ONE version of the SonozakiSisters_Belly_Size_Based_On_Babies_Count_Version file

HOW TO CHOOSE BELLY SIZE VERSION

#housekeeping #oh I've kept thinking that first trimester especially is way too big and that I wish there was a difference between singletons and twins #TO DOWNLOAD #thank you thank you thank you

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cozysimschallenge · 4 months ago

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Dear diary,

I think I stepped into a time loop or sorts. Yesterday was Winterfest... but so is today. Everything that happened yesterday, happened - I have the gift Kim gave me, and the tree is already decorated.

Nobody else seems to think that anything is wrong and looks at me weird when I say that yesterday was also Winterfest. They suggest that perhaps my pregnancy brain got confused because I took a nap and thought it was the following day already, but I KNOW that's not what happened - I distinctly remember that I kept waking up in the night to noises from Stash's basement crypt (he said he was having trouble with his coffin). It WAS Winterfest yesterday... but also Winterfest is today.

I don't know what's happening, gonna be honest. Perhaps I haven't practiced my magic enough and the buildup caused this? Or perhaps this is yet another thing that this farm is teasing me with. I should discuss with Morgan again soon. I feel like I could benefit from another magical person listening and weighing in.

ps. The cows and the llama love their Winterfest gifts!

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cozysimschallenge · 4 months ago

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Dear diary,

It's Winterfest! I remember celebrating it ages ago and a lot of traditions still hold today. We decorated the tree in the morning while listening to music and drinking hot drinks (or hot spiced plasma in Stash's case), and gave the animals a good Winterfest pampering.

Pistachio also managed to somehow befriend a rabbit, I have no idea how. But it's adorable hopping around the farm and even sleeps in a tree stump by the pasture, and Stash thinks that it may be able to help deter pests in the garden in the summer. I hope we can make more friends of them.

We called Kim over for a grand meal of ham and vegetables with a lovely honey glaze and honey-mustard sauce. Pistachio for some reason joined us for the meal - he said that it's traditional and he wants to partake! It did just end up making him sick, but her never complained once and seemed in quite good spirits.

Kim introduced us to a tradition I'm not familiar with, which was... Her wearing a paper bag on her head. I have to ask her about it another time, I didn't want to question is there and then especially when she agreed to spend the holiday with us!

Kim's gift to us was a copy of her signed lease in a basket full of treats - she's moving to Finchley before the year is over! I'm so happy for her - and us too to be honest! It was the best news she could have given us!

Speaking of Kim and news - or rather accidentally uncovered news - Kim seems to have a crush on our dear Beast Keeper! I accidentally found this out when I delivered a rose from her to him and he agonised over whether he should send mushrooms back or if that would be easy to misunderstand as a romantic gesture. To me, mushrooms are mushrooms and I told him I can make sure it's not going to be a miscommunication.

I'm not sure I succeeded even after telling her that there was nothing behind it, just returning a favour. Oops. Hopefully that doesn't lead into trouble for either of them...

Nathan put some hatchable eggs in the coop so we're hoping that we'll have some chicks again soon! More chicks means more chicken to lay eggs. Everyone in town seems crazy shit eggs for some reason and Kim (jokingly) calls me a hater when I say that I don't get it. She suggested experimenting with recipes but I can't currently smell eggs without feeling sick. Just one of those fun pregnancy symptoms.

I've been helping Kim collect some grocery orders - she's been very busy around Wintersday with everyone coming to her for their holiday foods - and it's been nice, except the one time I went to the bar to ask people if anyone needed anything. The bar was full of bears at the time. Or people dressed as bears, rather. It was strange and I didn't like it. I prefer seeing the faces of people I talk to.

I also took a little walk by myself and found this snail statue! I found Death Metal in the bushes around it and left a little gift there myself!

Anyway, it was a lovely Winterfest! We didn't catch Father Winter delivering presents, but that's alright! Perhaps next year.

Ps. Stash said that a plasma bag broke on him this morning when he came from outside when I was just waking up. He had to do some laundry first thing in the morning because it was all over his chest. It makes me laugh imagining him stabbing a straw into a plasma bag and the whole thing popping!

Pps. Bella is afraid of the toilet. I have no idea why. Maybe because it's loud? Because I've spent so much time next to it being miserable? Who knows.

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cozysimschallenge · 4 months ago

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I had a nightmare the other night. It was dark and smoky, and I was in pain and bleeding and looking for Pistachio. When I turned around, Pistachio was on fire in front of the washer and dryer. I tried and tried to put out the fire, but when I did manage it, he was horribly burned and barely breathing. And the darkness pressed closer and closer and began swallowing us, and I knew that I was losing him, and bleeding out the baby.

Pistachio held me for a long time after he heard my screams and told me it was just a dream, just a dream. He was fine, he's fine, and the baby is fine.

Just a dream.

But then at night, the dryer caught fire while Pistachio was turning it on, and his clothes went up in flames when he tried to put it out.

I felt surreal, like I couldn't move, and my stomach cramped hard. It was happening, I was losing them both. Just like the dream said would happen.

But he managed to put out the fire and jumped into the shower to put himself out. His face and arms and chest were burned and he was in pain, but in the middle of all of it he still worried more about me than himself. He didn't even seem that shocked.

He called the hospital, and we were brought there to be checked and tended to.

I didn't lose either of them. Pistachio will have to wear bandages and keep salving his burns for a while and will likely scar, but is being stupidly cheerful and nonchalant about the whole thing.

The baby is fine. I was not miscarrying, I was experiencing false labour.

We're fine. We're fine.

But it doesn't change that I had a premonition in my sleep, and some of it came true this time. Not as badly as it could have, but it did nevertheless.

Pistachio refuses to get rid of the dryer - he insists that he will remember to empty the lint tray from now on. He has a very real reminder after all.

I may have shouted about it and said stupid things and then cried and he was stupidly understanding about all of it. I wish he'd yelled back. Now I feel like an asshole.

But whenever I look at the dryer now or walk past it, dread blooms in my belly. I often have to touch it to make sure that it's not abnormally hot, and open the lint tray to check that it's empty. When I stand next to my candle vats contemplating dipping some candles, my hands falter and fall when I reach for a wick. All i can think about then is making a candle that then falls while it's burning, or setting the curtains on fire.

I don't understand how Pistachio isn't afraid after that. But he just isn't. He

The dark makes me afraid now, too. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but it's the only thing that didn't come true in any form, unless it was supposed to depict the night. The feeling that something is wrong on this farm is coming back even though it feels ridiculous when the sun rises.

I want to stay here. But I have to be on my guard and listen to my dreams.

Pistachio's burns looked a lot better already just a few days later. He says that that's one perk of being a vampire - healing quickly. I still disinfect and salve them with the same care and kiss his bandages for extra healing. He does have weird bruises appearing on his arms though, that heal as fast as they arrived. He needs to be more careful around the farm especially now!

Some nights, when I wake up for a moment because the baby is kicking or I need to pee for the millionth time and I send my thoughts towards Pistachio, I can't feel his presence on the farm. But when I wake up again, he's there again and I'm not sure if I've been dreaming. The line seems to blur sometimes these days.

Bella was a great help during the days after - she is a couch potato and loved cuddling both of us. She has also learned to pee outside so there will be no more accidents inside (Pistachio got wizzes on at least once).

We have mostly recovered from the initial shock (which Pistachio still took annoyingly well- there was no crash afterwards, or at least none that I saw. I would HOPE that he'd tell me after the withered stomach incident, so I just have to believe that he just took it easier than I did. I took a day for myself outside of the house when I got tired of being cooped up home and feeling sorry for myself. So I called Kim and asked if she would like to have an evening of tea and complaining about everything under the sun at her place, and she agreed enthusiastically. She does enjoy a good complaining session as much as I do, and we both know that we just need to be there and that's enough.

Her complaints were much less supernatural and dramatic than my complaints about Stash not taking my dreams or the accident seriously, but it was honestly therapeutic to listen to her go on about prices of produce and difficult customers and how busy she is and how she wishes she lived closer to us and work - she lives in San Myushino at the moment. She might have gotten a little tipsy on wine and became so appreciative of our friendhip that we both ended up crying on each other. I love her so much and she means the world to me even when we don't have time to see each other as much. She's my best friend. Maybe only friend at the moment, alongside Pistachio.

We decided that her moving to the countryside would be a very actionable plan. She lives on a loft apartment that has got to be worth a fortune, and she could easily get a little home here and save a lot of money on rent. She started looking very excited the longer the talk continued.

Perhaps she'll be our neighbour very soon!

We had pizza afterwards and watched a movie - or she did, I fell asleep about halfway through and only woke up to Stash calling to ask me if I was still at Kim's or if he should worry. Traveling home at that time (must have been midnight) didn't appeal to me so I asked if it would be okay if I stayed overnight. Both Kim and Pistachio were okay with - Stash said that he would honestly feel better with Kim giving me a ride home tomorrow than me taking the public transport.

It was a lovely night, and a kind of catharsis. I felt much better from there on, and still do. My fears aren't gone, but at least I'm no longer pissed that Pistachio is sometimes unflappable. I also know now that I can talk about my visions and omens and prophetic dreams with Kim any time I want. She doesn't dismiss them and agrees that they are scary.

Sometimes you just need a good hour or complaining without being interrupted, and some distance.

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cozysimschallenge · 4 months ago

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Dear diary,

Turns out that I wasn't the only one with animal fever - Pistachio's face lit up when I brought up the possibility of getting a new cow.

So, when next it was fair time, we went to the Henford-on-Bagley fair, we brought home Mansikki, a brown spotted cow whose owner was selling her. We ALSO came back home with a llama, because that is what Pistachio had been dreaming about. He thought it would be lovely to be able to dye our own yarn for knitting so I can make the most out of knitting without having to spend as much money on dyes. That is such a sweet thought, and I have to admit that despite my initial misgivings (don't llamas spit on people?), I have really grown to like it. Pistachio named it Kebab.

Having more animals does mean that we need to spend more time tending to them, but I quite like that.

Pistachio also suggested that we could get a guard dog to watch out for foxes (and the strange beast). I said yes in a heartbeat, and after some research, we ended up adopting a little Tibetan mastiff girl called Bella. She's not quite guard dog material yet, she is smaller than the chicken are, but she'll grow into it.

The adoption agency guy seemed to want to linger forever without taking the hint about perhaps us needing to get ready to sleep. I didn't care, I just went to bed, but Pistachio was Boiling. When he kissed me goodnight, he whispered to me that he could drain the guy dry and dump him somewhere, and then laughed and said that he was joking.

Despite the laughter, a chill went down my spine. I don't like the idea of him using his vampire powers like that even in jest, and told him so.

But nothing like it has come up since, and he apologised.

When I have the energy, I've been training my magic. I'm still taking it slowly, but I can clean and fix things with it now, though will happily leave those tasks to Pistachio who gets a little stir-crazy when he doesn't have something to do all the time. I also can't lie: he does look good with his hair up and focused on what he's doing, and the pride on his face when he is done is adorable! I make sure to make him know that I appreciate it.

I also think that I don't want to become reliant on magic to do things. I enjoy this life, the tactile-ness and simple satisfaction of it.

I'm looking forward to getting some more energy again so I can take my time enjoying it more too.

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cozysimschallenge · 4 months ago

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Dear diary,

Wow.

When I finally felt ready to do another surrogacy, the same family as last time wanted a sibling for their boy, and I was obviously happy to help.

However, immediately after implantation, I started feeling weird, and when we got home we turned straight back to go to the hospital because I was already looking like I was pregnant, and kept growing.

Based on the examination and ultrasound, this pregnancy was just like a speedrun version. I know what that means because Pistachio likes video games, and I was flabbergasted.

I felt fine! No pain, no nausea, just growth. The doctors speculated that this was my body being out of sync with time like I'd warned might happen. They were still happy to send me home with instructions to come back if I started experiencing pain or any other concerning symptoms. They thought that labor would at least progress at normal rate.

They were wrong. That night when I started having contractions, my body went straight to pushing without any sign of early labor. We had NO time to go anywhere before the baby was already coming. Pistachio, caught extremely off guard, caught it. He was shaking and so was I, and he called the ambulance for us.

The baby and I are both fine, as is Pistachio , just shaken. The family got the biggest shock of all, I think. They didn't expect express delivery! Nor did we to be honest.

We just sat at home for a day like we'd been stunned and then both laughed about it until we cried. I can't promise more cases like that and neither would I like to! Despite being easy and quick, it was INTENSE. Pistachio said that it was like straight out of a horror movie. I didn't feel that way. I was curiously calm through the entire thing.

We've been taking it pretty easy after that. We've finished most of the bigger build projects and are just settling into a rhythm. It's so cozy here, especially now that it's winter. It's so quiet, and it's warm inside.

I kept knitting and meant to knit something for Mansikki, but it ended up way too small for her and would PROBABLY fit a llama. Maybe.

I think I want a second cow. A brown one. Gonna bring it up to Pistachio soon. I don't have the energy for it quite yet. I just want to hibernate for a little bit.

And I mean hibernate also because I picked up another surrogacy and while it's not making me as sick (or progressing NEARLY as fast), I AM very sleepy. The body needs all the energy for growing life after all.

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