The day after Ash was born, the girls approached me asking about whether or not I would allow them to age up. I was uncertain, but they had good grades in school, and they had done enough as teenagers. The only thing they would miss, is prom. Sunset Valley's high school only recently started having a prom, but the girls said it was going to be "lame" anyway.
After agreeing to let them age up, Marialla went first. She was lovely. She ended up with the traits:
- Star Quality
- Heavy Sleeper
- Athletic
- Artistic
- No Sense of Humor
She immediately found a job in the medical career as an organ donor.
Ahleanna was next. Her traits were:
- Brave
- Workaholic
- Ambitious
- Friendly
- Bookworm
She got a job as an investigator! She would be helping out the police with crimes!
Aviella aged up last. Her traits were:
- Hates the Outdoors
- Workaholic
- Ambitious
- Friendly
- Star Quality
She decided that she didn't know what she wanted to do as a job, and decided to open her own daycare. Although her sisters were not pleased with the idea of having a daycare run out of their own home, they agreed. Before she left, she dyed her hair a more orange tone. She said the other one was too "dull" that she wouldn't get noticed.
Little Ash was a sweetiepie. He was constantly happy and rarely cried! He was a pleasure to have in the house.
He loves when I kiss his little belly! He giggles uncontrollably.
I pay the bills as my girls leave the house. Hopefully it wont be the last time, but from my experience, once my children move out they have very little time left for mom.
I decide to age Ash up, since it is just myself and him left in the house. He looks so much like his father. He is absolutely adorable, and I am happy that he is mine.
Suddenly as I am doing the laundry, my phone rings. Marc called to ask me on a date… he said he was in desperate need to talk to me about something. I agree to the date, and hope that he isn't planning on breaking up with me while on a date - that would be shallow. Even though I was worried, I let it go, and call the baby sitter to watch Ash while I go out.
When I get to the beach, we begin talking about my challenge, and how I am starting to slow down. I admit that I was beginning to get tired of the whole process, and that giving birth so many times really makes someone feel old and tired. He then asked me if I would be willing to let him be the next father.
I began to get angry. I told him that he knew the rules, and that he should remember the deal we made before I even had baby 50. He tells me to relax, and I take a deep breath. He says he doesn't only want to be the father to baby 80, but all my children until 100 as well. I was shocked. I didn't know how to react and hated to admit that the idea (although breaking the challenge rules) reinvigorated my love of this challenge.
Instead of answering him using any words at all, I pull him into a deep kiss. I knew that he knew this was my way of saying yes. As I was kissing him, I couldn't help but become more and more excited about being pregnant again, and seeing my first child with the man I loved so dearly. This way I would be able to finish the challenge, while being with the man I loved. No one loses.
He suddenly reached into his back pocket. I tried to look around him to see what he had, but before I could see…
He shoved a bouquet of beautiful red roses into my hands. I gladly took the roses, and gave him yet another hug.
As the night was enveloping the beach, and the stars began to come out, he knelt to one knee, and bent over. I was worried that he was in pain so I reached towards him saying "Marc…?"
Suddenly a shining ring came into focus. I didn't realize what was going on until I heard the words:
"Catherine… marry…?" I shook my head to focus on what he had said. "What?" I asked him to repeat his previous statement. "Catherine… I love you, will you marry me?" I gasped and quickly jumped up and down and shouted YES YES YES!!! over and over until he managed to stop my jumping long enough to put the ring on my ring finger.
We then started to look at the stars when I felt his warm hand on mine. I leaned in close.
His body was so warm and comforting against the cool ocean breeze. I invited him to stay over that night, and we headed home to bed.
My bed feels so much better when it is shared with the person of my dreams. Nothing happened between us that night, we were both so ecstatic that we fell asleep instantly to dreams of the wedding we were planning for the next day.
He woke up early the next morning to try to lose a few pounds before the wedding. He succeeded in losing quite a few, and looked much better and healthier. Apparently, my sleeping with other men, and having babies with them impacted his health, in a negative way.
The night of our big day! Many of my children arrived at the beach for the ceremony. Marc went right over to Bentley because the large number of females seemed to make him slightly uncomfortable.
We stood by our arch as the sun began to set. Ash sat near us too, I couldn't leave him home with the baby sitter on my wedding night!
We stepped under the arch, and said our vows...
I put the ring on his finger, slowly to make sure it wouldn't fall off…
And he put the ring on my finger. He was so gentle.
And then we shared our first kiss as husband and wife!
The cake was delicious! Every one of the guests had a slice or two, and there was nothing left by the time Marc, Ash and I headed to our brand new home.
The first thing we did as we arrived home, was put Ash in his new crib. He was beginning to be cranky and was more than happy to fall asleep, even in a new home which he wasn't accustomed to yet. We went to the back yard and found a tree house, built specially for my next 21 children.
Marc and I climbed in, and one thing led to another… We "blessed" the new treehouse. At least we knew it could withstand some rough playing. No child of mine will be breaking this treehouse. We then went inside the new 1 floor home for a tour. Marc had this house built about a month previously, and had been hoping I would say yes to his request to finish my challenge. I was glad that I did.
Here is the kitchen and dining area. The wall was not yet finished, but we ended up putting up a nice wallpaper on it later.
This is what would be the girls room. Lavender was the theme color in here. There are three beds, though one is a bunk bed. The other has a desk underneath it for anyone who wants to get some homework done. There is also a nice couch for relaxation or reading.
This is the boys room, and part of the living area. The living area extends to the door leading to the back yard, and has a nice desk with a computer on it for game time or writing. The boys room is basically the same as the girls, just with a green theme, and lava lamps!
This is the skill room and the nursery. The nursery has anything that a baby could need! It has an ice blue theme! The skill room has inventing, a piano, the lab set, an easel, a guitar, and my sculpting table.
Next is the master bedroom, and the master bath/laundry room. We had the red machines switched out for white ones.
This is the rest of the living room. There is a bookshelf, tv, gaming system, couches, and the "child" area. Theres a toy stove, dress up chest and an egg chair!
The first thing I did, was take a nice bubble bath to relax. It had been a busy day for me, and I deserved some nice relaxation "Catherine" time.
Meanwhile, Marc decided to try to learn some potions. He seemed oddly interested in something called a "stink potion" not sure what that was… but whatever it is, I hope he doesnt use it.
I taught Ash how to walk, and he learned it very quickly. It was going to be his birthday soon, and I needed to make sure he got all his skills learned!
I took some time to play with him too, all work and no play leads to a very cranky baby!
I changed him into his day clothes, and gave him a bottle. I felt the nausea creeping, so I ran to my bathroom.
I made it just in time.
He's quite the little musician! He loves the xylophone!
I put Ash to bed, and went to my own room to drift off to sleep with my husband.
The next morning, I was in the middle of feeding Ash his breakfast when my baby belly decided to make its first appearance! I was thrilled that I was pregnant! My first baby with Marc!!
I continued to prepare his breakfast,
and he was an extremely happy baby when I placed in on his tray.
After he had finished eating, we worked on the next skill. Talking. This one, he didn't pick up very quickly. But eventually he got it, and I was extremely proud.
I could hear the Exercise channel on from the living room and I guessed that Marc wanted to keep the weight off. I was proud of him! He was determined to do something, and he was sticking to it!
I decided to start sculpting. It had been a long time since I had, and I figured I could have some fun with it. Besides, if I made a masterpiece, the government would pay me quite a large sum for it.
I went to go check on Marc and Ash, and was surprised to see that Marc was reading Ash a bed time story. I was glad that they both were comfortable with each other, and that Marc was willing to take Ash in as his own.
We went to sleep, and dreamed well that night. I was beginning to feel older, and knew that I would need to prepare myself some ambrosia again soon… I still had a long way to go in this challenge.
The next morning, I woke up early, and cleaned the toilet. I forgot that all of this furniture is new, and will need to be upgraded again. I didn't mind though.
I followed that up by doing some laundry.
And receiving some gifts from the wedding. My children and some of Marc's friends sent some lovely things, and I knew I needed to write some letters.
So I got my stationary out, and began to write some thank you cards.
After mailing out all the letters, I took Ash outside to play on the bouncy pirate ship. He loved it!
Eventually he wanted to get off though, and we had a chat. He asked about "daddy" and I knew he meant Marc. It warmed my heart that he felt that Marc was his father. I knew that one day he would be old enough to know that Marc isn't his birth father, but he has such a big heart, I dont think it will matter at all.
We walked back inside, and I prepared for him to grow up.
He was a gorgeous child! His eyes were mid-blink in this picture, and not like that all the time. They are a light brown.
I prepared some dim sum for our family supper,
Which we all sat down to eat. Ash remembered our conversation, and asked about his "real" father. I told him about his dad, and how he had been married and cheated on his wife without me knowing. He instantly nodded, and understood. That man was not his father, but Marc was.
After dinner he went outside to play in the sand box. He built this castle, but then got tired, showered and went to his new room for the first time.
He was instantly drawn to the single bed above the desk. He climbed hurriedly up the ladder and climbed into his new bed. He drifted off to sleep.
Marc and I too, fell asleep easily that night,
but at 3:00 AM I found myself standing outside the hospital. This time, there would be no rumors of having a child out of wedlock.
I walked out of the hospital one hour later, holding my perfectly healthy 80th child. A baby boy.
I named him Marc Jr.
