Babies 45 & 46: A Little Loss, A Little Love, and a Little Life

I get home with Steve and put him to bed, then I hop on the treadmill determined to get this horrible weight off.  Keaton told me that while I'm pregnant, vigorous exercise might be detrimental, but now that I'm not...I'm free to really push myself.

Check me out!  I work out almost the entire day and this is the result.  I am so glad all I really have to do is keep working out to maintain it...I know it won't be easy and I'll probably fluctuate a little, but I'll never let myself get that big again.

Oh, and the phone call is my sister wanting to set me up on a blind date.

Now that I feel good and look good, I'm ready to get out there and do a little bit of dating.  I've decided that I'm going to continue the challenge the way I always have, using sperm donors, but I'm going to do a little dating along the way.  I don't know how serious I'm going to be able to get it, but I guess we'll see.

By the time I get to Steve, he has a good and ripe diaper waiting for me.  Thanks, son!

Shelby helps me care for him too.  God love my kids, when they're teens, I expect them to help with their younger siblings...most of them are good about it, thank goodness...

Steve grows up to look a lot like me, but his coloring is from Patrick.  I know he will be pleased.  He's actually the first father that is probably going to be around a little more.  I'm interested to see how this works out.

I love this little giggle monster!

He starts talking before he does anything else.  Here he's saying, "Mama, hair...purrrty..."

Me: that's good, baby...'cause Mama's got a date.  She's gonna go see about gettin' a man!

Steve: Mama, no man...I Mama's man.
Ok, melt my heart, why don't you, kid!  LOL

I'm eating a little healthier too...I've only been eating things from my garden...I'm starving before I let myself eat this tomato.  Obviously...I look kinda scary...LOL

I meet up with my date at Jolt.  His name is Robert Gaines and apparently Lila's husband met him at work.  He's cute enough.

His favorite color is Pink...hmmm...I guess it takes a truly manly man to admit that...I think...

He's a bit of a talker, so I start to get a little bored with him.

By the time I get a word in, I decide to throw him a compliment.  Just like a man, he eats it up.

I ask him his sign, and I honestly can't remember what he tells me, but it wasn't compatible with mine...

We go inside and start dancing...or I start dancing...he never really does.  Ugh, what a bore!

Of course the bartender gets excited to see me and asks me for an autograph.  After he sees how excited the bartender is to see me, Robert starts getting really stand-offish.  It's like he's threatened of my celebrity or something.  Well, that's not going to work.  It's not like I LOVE being a celebrity or something, but it is what it is.  It's part of my life and if a guy can't handle it, he can't handle me.  I say goodbye to Robert with a quick peck on the cheek and head home.

Uh-oh...what's wrong with Casey?  Did she go out drinking?  Did she fall over in exhaustion?  Hmm, no.  Shelby caught her and talked her to sleep.  Dang, that girl has a powerful weapon on her hands.

Who's Sam so mad at?  No one...he's just arguing with himself...hmm, I have a mad house right now, don't I?

So maybe the only normal teenager I have is Sonny...he loves taking care of his little brother and Steve looks up to him.

The day after I have the date with Robert, Lila calls me.
Lila: So how did it go?  You liked him, right?
Me: Hmm, well...his favorite color is pink, our signs were incompatible, he didn't know how to dance, and he freaked when he realized how famous I am...so how do you think it went?
Lila: Oh, that was just first date jitters.  Why don't you give it another go?
Me: I'm hanging up.
Lila: Ok, well, even if you don't want to go back out with him...maybe just be friends...
Me: Seriously...about to hit End Call...
Lila: Why do you have to be so pessimistic?

Me: It's part of my charm.

After I get off the phone with Lila, I notice I have a voicemail message.  It's really old...ugh...I hate my cell phone company, it's always and forever giving me my messages weeks later.  I gasp when I realize who it's from...
"Hey girl, this is Maple...listen I know we haven't talked in forever, but I have a friend of mine that's moving to Butterfly Acres and I thought I could get him in touch with you and you guys could hang out or something.    Call me and I'll tell you all about it.  I'm getting ready to get on a plane, so I have to go, but I'll talk to you later!  See ya!"

Oh my goodness...that plane never made it.  It crashed.  She was killed.  You can read about it here.  Wow, I thought I would never hear her voice again, and here it is...on my voicemail...who was she talking about?  Hmm...I guess I'm going to have to find out.

***The reddish-orange ribbon is for Sudden Sim Death Awareness.  Thousands of Sims die each month for no apparent reason.  They have no voice.  It's time we give them one. ***
(FYI: I'm sort of kidding, please don't think I'm making light of real life awareness issues)

The first thing I do when I wake up the next morning is find another baby daddy.  His name is Wesley Raab.   He's got a bit of a different look.

After Steve and I go through our normal routine, I feel the urge to get out of the house, so I start making some calls.

So I call Lila...and she's busy...

Then I call Keaton...busy
Evie...busy
Mama...busy.
Daddy...busy.

Everyone that I call is either busy or they don't want to go out.  What the hell?  I start to feel a little lonely.

I call Evie back.
Me: Ok, seriously, I'm not taking no for an answer.  Get your butt up and let's go somewhere.
Evie: I'm not in the mood, Hadley, seriously.  Please just leave me alone.  I'll call you later.

She sounds like she's been crying.  Oh hell no.  I'm her best friend, and when my best friend is hurting, I'm there, whether she wants me there or not.

I take Steve and we head to Evie's house.  She lives in a little wealthy subdivision.  It's pretty new.  Keaton lives down the street.

Evie's husband, Tony comes outside to meet me.

Tony: Hadley, what are you doing here?
Me: What's wrong, Tony?
Tony: It's personal.
Me: That's my sister in there, Tony.  Maybe not by blood, but by choice.  Either you tell me what's going on, or I'm going in and I'm going to find out.  You choose.

Tony: She doesn't want me to tell anyone...
 Me: Do you think she's right?
Tony: I don't think she could really see you right now...especially not with...
Me: Not with what?
He looks at Steve.

Tony: Not with you holding one of your babies.
Things start clicking for me.
Me: Oh no.  What's going on?
Tony: *sighs* We've been trying...to have our own children...and last week she found out that she was pregnant.
Me: *gulp*  Was?
Tony: She went to the doctor this morning for a check up...and it's just...gone.  The doctor says sometimes this happens...but she's...she's devastated.  I haven't been able to get her out of bed all day.

My heart breaks for my friend.  I know seeing me right now might be too painful.  Hell, I've had 44 kids, no problem.  She's having trouble having one.
Me: I'm so sorry.  You were right to keep me out, Tony.
Tony: I hope I'm doing the right things...I just don't know.
He's near tears...he's trying to hide it, but I'm sure the loss is devastating to him too.
Me: Are you ok?
Tony: Yeah, yeah...I'll be ok.  I just...I love her so much.  I want to be able to give this to her.

Me: It'll happen for you guys.  I know it.
I give Tony a hug and leave.

As I head home, I look down at my little man and think about how devastated I would be if I found out I wouldn't be able to have anymore children.  How devastated I would have been if I had lost any of my children.  I have been so lucky so far.  It has certainly been a sad day.

Later in the evening, Tony has a little party, but Evie refuses to see anyone.  Lila is pulls me aside downstairs.

Lila: I don't want to say anything, but I can't help it.  I just found out today that I'm pregnant.
Me: Oh my goodness!  That's great, sis.
Lila: But I feel bad feeling happy about it...especially with what happened to Evie...
Me: You shouldn't.  It's not like you're pregnant because she's not.  Things like this happen.

Lila: I know...but it's so sad...and I'm terrified something like this will happen to me.
Me: It's so easy to be scared about something like that, but seriously, you'll drive yourself crazy thinking about everything that can go wrong.  I've been through this 44 times and I haven't had that many complications.
Lila: See!  You got all the luck...there's nothing left for me!
Me: Ok, crazy preggo hormones, come down...It will be fine, I'm sure of it.

Lila and I chat quietly about pregnancy stuff and baby stuff for a bit, before we both start feeling bad for Evie again.

Then a friend of Tony comes over and starts talking to us, so we have to stop our conversation.  That and Lila keeps gesturing for me to give the guy my number or something.  Ugh!  She's ridiculous! 

Then she leaves me alone to talk to him, but he practically puts me to sleep.  I have a daughter that does that, I don't need a man that does.

When I get home, I realize that Sonny has cleaned the house and made sure everyone was in bed before I got home.  What a great kid!

The next morning I start showing.  With everything else in mind, I am extra thankful for this little bundle.

I walk outside my door and who do I see but Lila and Brad...they have moved into the house next door to me!

Then it's time for Lamb to age up into a teenager.  She is stunning.  She looks a lot like Lila now.  I can really see the similarities!

After she ages up, she pulls me aside.
Lamb: Mama, I have to tell you, I can't wait for the new baby to be born.  I want to help you with everything!

She's family-oriented too and can't wait to have her own family.

I get an interesting phone call:
"Hi, this is Ryan Smith.  We have a mutual friend...or we used to...Maple Don?  She told me you lived here and I wanted to see if you wanted to meet up some time." the man says.
We make plans to get together soon.

After I send the kids to school, I have a PB&J...and I don't eat the crusts.  I'm a bad mom...I make my kids eat their crust because I've always heard that's the healthiest part of the bread and I won't even eat mine...shame, shame.

Then I have to get to fixing the computer.  It's the only one in the house and my kids will kill me if it's not working.

It's kind of tough...I should probably start thinking about replacing it...but I'm a cheapo...I can make it last a little longer.



Steve has learned all his skills, so he ages up to a sturdy looking little boy.  He looks a lot like me, but not identical.

That night, I meet with Ryan.  Hmm, he's a hunky redhead...I think I know why Maple wanted me to meet him...;)



Ryan: Wow, I didn't know you were pregnant!
Me: Um, what did Maple tell you about me?
Ryan: Oh, she told me all about the challenge...so I guess I shouldn't be surprised...
Me: Is that something that bothers you?
Ryan: No!  Of course not...



Ryan: I...um...actually have a confession to make...
Me: Yes?
Ryan: I saw a picture of you awhile ago and um...
Me: Yeah?
Ryan: I sort of have a crush on you...



Me: Wow...um...thanks...
Ryan: I really freaked you out, didn't I?  It's ok if you want to leave...



Me: No, I want to stay....

We looked into each other's eyes for awhile...it would have been perfect if it wasn't for the ever-lovin' freakin' paparazzi standing right there, probably taking notes for some crazy expose'...but we do our best to ignore him.



Ryan: Do you think you might be willing to go out with me sometime?
Me: Sure...I'd love to.  Do you think you can handle my lifestyle?  You know about it, right?  I'm not going to stop it, and I can't guarantee that it's always going to be easy...I just think you should know that upfront.
Ryan: I understand.  I think I can handle it...
Me: Well, if that changes, just let me know.

We talked a little while longer.  I really like him.  He's cute, we have a lot to talk about, and he seems upfront with what he's thinking and feeling.  Hmm, maybe this could be something...



Meanwhile, the kids are at home keeping themselves busy.  Lamb is reading a book and Steve is playing video games.
Steve: Oh, man...sis, did you see that?
Lamb: Uh-huh...
They were all in bed by the time I got home.



The next morning, I went into labor.  The kids were getting ready for school and Lamb saw me and started freaking out.
Lamb: Mama, let me take you to the hospital.
Me: No, I'll be fine.
Lamb: You look like you're in a lot of pain.
Me: I'm ok, baby.  Just get everyone ready and off to school.  I'm heading to the hospital.



All the kids go to school and I head to the hospital.  I come out holding a baby basket...



Steve sees as I pull out the first baby...
Steve: Great, more pink.
I ignore him.



Welcome to the world, Baby 45: Gayle Reed.



Also, younger by three minutes, her younger sister, Baby 46: Tatum Reed.

***Portions of this blog were written in observance of Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month...which is in October. ***