My Tiny Little Sims

Yes, you’ve guessed it! After a long absence from their little house, I finally got round to playing the Doters again! Hope you all enjoy!

So Thomas and Kara Doter were blessed with the birth of twins. They were, for a long period of time after the wedding, blissfully happy - though Thomas was still made to go to work every weekday. Whenever he could, he managed to cram in a phone-call or even a quick break to see his wife and children, who he adored beyond measure. He found he could spend hours in the little nursery suite they had had built as an extension, sometimes feeding the children with a strange green substance (recommended by Dexter, of course), sometimes playing with them, sometimes lulling them to sleep or just snuggling them.

However, Kara saw things quite differently. Of course, she lavished love and affection upon her little boy and girl like any good mother. But raising twins, for the most part by herself, was not at all easy. When one wanted a nappy change - the other was hungry. If one fell asleep in one arm - the other would cry shrilly to wake it’s sibling up. Cuddling one meant trying to entertain the other. Often Thomas rang her when she had finally got them both settled down…or when she was sitting on the loo. On hearing the phone, both woke up to resume the constant whinging.

Dexter was no help at all. He may have been something of a virtuoso at selling cars…

…but his piano playing (scheduled whenever and at whatever time the twins were asleep or his son was spending time with his new wife) left much to be desired…

…as did his uncanny ability to remain in bed when the twins were crying.

In some ways, he was the best grandfather a child could ask for - he loved playing about with the children, or even baking them his special Orange Cream Sponge (learnt on his days at the ranch). If needs be, he could entertain and cuddle the day away with both of the twins: but it was quite clear he preferred to spend time with Eddy instead of Dolly. For their first birthday, he came up trumps with another two delicious Banana Sponge Cakes and they threw a little party. Of course, Eddy blew out his candles first.

Afterwards, Thomas and Kara celebrated their first wedding anniversary with a private supper for two.

Everything got a little easier when the twins turned two years old. Thomas and Dexter, both trying to preserve the family business, took Eddy to work whenever possible. There, he was potty-trained, learned to walk (a feat he rarely performed for his mother) and even how to say a few words. Dolly (the family pet-name for Dorothy) stayed with her mother. Both of the twins were similar, but each had their own personality.

Eddy was far more relaxed and laid-back. He inherited his father’s ebony curls and the arched shape of the eyebrow. His smile was, quite literally, sparkling.

Dolly was shyer but more bubbly - a lot like her mother. Her grandfather loved tickling her to hear a sweet little high-pitched tinkle of a giggle.

Neither knew the plans of their beloved grandfather - but if they did, neither would have understood.

(Before we start, please excuse the fact that Kara is wearing several different clothes throughout the birth. Such is Sim-Life )

Yet again, poor Kara squealed like a stuck piglet. She hurt all over, the pain intense…but after fifteen minutes of nonstop groaning, pushing and praying silently, a second baby was born. Thomas and Kara were the proud parents of twins - a boy and a girl.

"My God, she gorgeous," Kara crooned, tickling the baby’s perfect round tummy. "And we said ‘Dorothy Cindy’ for a girl, right? Edward and Dorothy Doter."

"Well…" Thomas hesitated. The sole reason for the early wedding date was so that his children would take his and his father’s surname. He didn’t think Dexter would be too pleased if the family business changed to "McGillan’s Motors" - it just didn’t sound as catchy. "Err…honey, d’you think we ought to say that the twins were born after the wedding? So they can have my name instead of yours?"

Kara paused. She looked at her baby daughter, mewing softly in her arms like a newborn kitten, and her heart melted into butter.

"Sure thing, Thomas."

And so, the wedding went ahead. Dexter, his cowboy hat put away (for once) in the wardrobe, had combed his hair specially. The twins were set upon the ground to watch the ceremony.

"In sickness and in health, for better or for worse, forever until death do us part, do I pledge myself unto you as your loyal, loving spouse. With this ring, I thee wed."

And the couple enjoyed their first kiss as Mr and Mrs Thomas Doter.

After a small family supper, the twins were put down in their cribs. They looked very similar, both with black hair and dreamy blue-green eyes.

Edward was slightly larger than his sister (being the dominant twin) and Dexter was all ready talking about making him head of the business one day. (This is him):

And Dorothy, all though small, was particularly feisty and kept her mother very busy (Here she is):

But nonetheless, Dexter Doter toasted his new daughter-in-law and twin grandchildren. He even produced his dusty old Olympus and took a photograph for the album:

Watching the young Doter couple kissing happily and contentedly, Dexter’s clever old mind turned to his grandchildren once more. His grandson, the child he had wanted for so long to assure the Doter family line, was sleeping serenely in his cot.

"This is it, Dexy, old boy," he muttered to himself, fingering his own old wedding band. "Time to put Plan B into action."

With the beautiful crescent moon shining over the house, giving unconcious blessing to the union of these two people, Dexter Doter’s crooked smile flashed in the darkness…the most sinister smile you ever saw.

"Really? Are you sure?"

Kara nodded, her cheeks colouring. She fiddled with the 24-carot diamond ring on her finger for about the hundredth time.

"Oh, Kara, honey! That’s great! I can’t believe it…they…they were both positive?"

"Yes."

"Brilliant! I’m going to call dad." And, eyes sparkling, Thomas hurried away. His own engagement ring glistened on his finger.

How many times had Kara relived that moment? How many times had she heard Thomas’ delighted voice; felt his warm hand rest on her stomach for the first time; seen the band that was soon to bind them glimmer in the sunlight? It was as if she was reliving a dream - but sometimes it felt like a nightmare. Wherever she turned, Thomas was at her side to help her - at church, in the supermarket, with her friends, even out clothes-shopping.

And now…now it was her wedding day. Her stomach bulged, tightening the folds of her hideous plaid red gown. She caressed it, feeling a dainty kick from inside her, and felt instantly more at ease with herself and her baby-to-be. The ceremony had been due to commence in a weeks’ time, but her early contractions had urged Thomas to rethink this and marry Kara before the birth.

The arch above her head let in tiny rays of light, and she welcomed them. She knew that, in a matter of hours, she would be both a wife and a mother.

As a short, sharp jab of pain echoed through her abdomen, Kara acknowledged that perhaps it wouldn’t be as long as that. She clutched her protruding belly and roared in agony as everything within her seemed to overwhelm her mind. The baby was coming.

"But it can’t happen now!" she thought desperately. "I’m not even married yet!"

She heard footsteps behind her, and both Thomas and Dexter appeared.

"What in tarnation is happening?" the latter demanded, clutching his weak chest.

"Oh my God!" cried Thomas, leaping up. "Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!"

"A fat lot of help they are," Kara thought, before her mind lost focus on anything other than the heavy burden in front of her.

Hours later…

"You’d have thought he’d have grown tired of screaming," Kara thought grimly, listening to Thomas’ eightieth high pitched screech in the space of an hour. Her mind turning back to the task at hand…"Just one more push. Just…one…more…and…"

Squelch!

The next few minutes were mayhem. Tears rolled down Kara’s cheeks as she realised that her ordeal was over. Thomas took his firstborn and cleaned him, giving him a little diaper.

"It’s a boy," he stuttered to his wife. "What are we going to call him?"

Holding her baby boy for the first time, Kara smiled. "Edward Tenessee Doter. We all ready agreed on that, remember?"

Suddenly, another pain rippled through Kara, utterly spoiling the tranquil moment.

"Honey," she gasped, clutching Edward to her chest. "It’s happening again! I think we’re having twins!"