The Vincis (C) - Round 8

Starring:

Caitlin Vinci, Adult Family Sim, LTW Graduate 3 Children From College

Paolo Vinci, Adult Family Sim, LTW Have 6 Grandchildren

Silvio Vinci, Teen Fortune Sim, LTW Become Prestidigitator

Conor Vinci, Teen Family Sim, LTW Gradute 3 Children From College

Liam Vinci, Teen Popularity Sim, LTW Become Captain Hero

Leo Vinci, Child Family Sim, LTW Grow Up Well

Gemma Vinci, Infant Romance Sim, LTW Grow Up Well

~*~*~*~*~

Last round at the Vinci house, all HELL broke loose! In a good way. Baby Leo was born, the fourth child for the Vincis and the fourth boy. Silvio aged into a teen and brought along his childhood pal, Beth Thayer, with him into hormone-ridden teenagerhood. Leo aged into a toddler and then into a child. Caitlin got knocked up again with child number five, and both she and Paolo realized they needed a swig of the ole elixir if they were going to be able to survive having five more children. Baby Gemma was born, child number five and the first girl. Yay, Gemma! You beat the Y chromosome! And finally, Conor and Liam grew up into a pair of very handsome teens. What will round 8 bring? Well, I'm not sure, but I can almost guarantee MOAR BABIES!




The first occurrence in Summer at the Vinci house was both a sad and an exciting one. The three teenage boys were heading off to college. They all managed to get several thousand dollars worth of scholarships, but Silvio topped the pack, with $4000 toward his new life at Sim State.


One thing he did stick around for before moving out was the Headmaster visit, though. He'd never been to Rosebud Academy, and he would have liked to have it on his resume before he headed off to college. So, when the night came, Silvio was his mother's best helper, showing the headmaster around and talking with him and calling him for dinner when Paolo was done making his best fancy dish. All of the children made it in.



As much as Paolo loved his boys, he was particularly taken with little Gemma. It was really something different raising a girl, and he was strangely terrified at the prospect. But then Caitlin reminded him that the girl would hardly need his defending from life's troubles since she would grow up in a house filled with boys. That made him feel better. So did the idea of her having not one, not two, but FOUR big brothers to threaten potential boyfriends.




Of course, Caitlin and Paolo can't stop getting busy and don't want to, so Caitlin found herself with the telltale morning sickness all over again.



She loved having children, and she wanted even more of them, but one thing she wouldn't miss when she was beyond child-bearing years was the morning sickness, the bloating, and the sore back. She could hardly remember what it was like NOT to be pregnant.



In their late-night private conversations in their room, Caitlin and Paolo sometimes talked over whether what they were doing was right...bringing all these children into the world. Sure, they were taking wonderful care of them, supporting them, bringing them up right, but...there were so many children out there who DIDN'T have those opportunities. They decided to give one of those children a chance.




Later that week, young Willow Vinci became the newest member of the Vinci family. Though Caitlin and Paolo wouldn't have cared if she was purple, the fact that she shared Paolo's black hair and darker skintone made their hearts happy. From the outside, she would look as though she were one of their natural children, and they were grateful that she would be spared the burden of strange looks and questions about her parentage. Her only difference was her warm brown eyes, whereas the natural Vinci children had green or blue, and that never would give anyone a moment's pause. It simply made her unique.




Willow was a fairly aloof, serious child, neat (for a kid her age), but outgoing and active. The Vincis supposed that being put up for adoption and then adopted into a new HUGE family might make a person sort of serious and hesitant about people.



Paolo was first to welcome her into the house, and he found that, to his delight, Willow shared his love of food. He told her all about the foods he made in his restaurant and how he had always enjoyed preparing good food for people he loved.




They made fast friends that day, and even though Caitlin and Paolo had both decided to adopt her, it was that day that Paolo planted the seed of utmost love and devotion in Willow to her new daddy.




Which wasn't to say Willow wasn't fond of Caitlin as well. She was just...hesitant of her. Caitlin knew that the girl had a lot of issues with her mother - the woman who had given her up for adoption. She didn't try to press herself on Willow but simply showed her all the good-hearted affection and kindness that a woman with a heart as large as Caitlin's could possess...and that was a lot.





While Caitlin and Paolo were busy welcoming the newest member into their family, a little romance was budding between Silvio and his longtime friend Beth Thayer. She was so pretty, and Silvio was so intensely fond of her that a first kiss seemed inevitable.




The "new" family seemed to settle into a comfortable routine. Willow was getting more talkative by the day, and Leo was delighted to have a new sister... all of his brothers were big now, and his only other sibling did little more than cry and make smelly diapers. Now he had a playmate his own age.



Finally, it was time for the boys to head off to college. Conor and Liam decided to go early so they could be with Silvio, and besides, the house was getting a little crowded for their tastes. Not that they didn't love their family, it would just be nice not to have to fight 7 other people for the bathroom in the mornings. All three boys packed up and shipped off one night to a tearful but proud set of parents.



Shorly after they left, Caitlin's sixth pregnancy began to show. It was an exciting time. This would make child number seven!



But before a new little one could come into the picture, their present little one had to grow up. Caitlin brought Gemma to the cake and helped her blow out her candles.




She was truly a gorgeous little girl, with raven-black hair and eyes as blue as the sky.




It also looked like Gemma was going to take over from Silvio as the house neatnik. And apparently growing up around boys hadn't affected her so much as growing up with so many people: the girl would talk to anyone with two ears to listen...well, when she could talk.



Willow began coming out of her shell a bit and began thriving more every day. She even brought home a friend from school now and again to play with, though lord knows there was plenty of company at home already. The neighbor children seemed to like coming over; the Vincis were like a huge playgroup, and Paolo always made them good snacks.



Caitlin also began working with Willow on her schoolwork. Not that the girl needed it, really; she was intensely bright. But Caitlin and Paolo thought routine and fairness to be very important, so Willow joined in the evening homework rotation.



Leo was glad he wasn't the only one stuck doing those dumb assignments, anyway.


Pop!




As it turned out, all that studying paid off. Willow and Leo both came home with A+ report cards and earned two very proud parents in the deal.



Paolo, still working away at his job as a celebrity chef, encountered an opportunity to go on live national television, which was exciting. What was less exciting was the prospect of competing with one of the most famous chefs around: Pierre Lefromage. Paolo wasn't at all certain he could beat the man.



But, as HIS parents taught HIM, he decided to be honest and simply put his best foot forward...and he was rewarded handsomely with a much-needed 25,000 simoleons for the family!



Caitlin's ever-swelling belly was finally done growing. Child number seven was on the way!



Gina Vinci neatly dodged the Y chromosome and joined the Vinci family that night. Perhaps the hormonal tides would be turning in the house: for the first time ever, the girls outnumbered the boys. Paolo and Caitlin were delighted.



Later that month, Paolo and Caitlin lay in bed talking. "So...nice weather we've been having..." Paolo commented with forced innocence. Caitlin laughed. "Paolo, you don't have to be coy. Let's try again."



The next day, it was time for another birthday. The family gathered around while Paolo helped Gemma blow out the candles.




The Vincis truly made good-looking children.


[[Author's Notes: How, how how how HOW can a house like this be SO EASY when Enzo and Fiona had such a nightmare with just one set of twins!? I have no idea, but all I know is that I hope things continue to go so insanely smooth for Caitlin and Paolo. I really love playing their house, despite the level of activity that is mind-numbing. I don't remember at last playing whether Caitlin managed to get knocked up again at the end of the round, but I'm sure she will be soon, if not already. They may or may not decide to adopt again depending on how many more they can bang out before getting perilously close to elderhood. Re: Willow. She is SO CUTE. I was so delighted when she jumped out of the van because (1)she looks like a natural born child (2)she's not hideous!! I have never allowed a sim to adopt a child before (other than Savatore, and then I sorta knew he'd be first up in the queue), and I was terrified she'd be some big-lipped freak of sim nature like EAxis likes to create. So WHEW. Dodged a bullet there. Re: Gemma. This is the first child to have the black hair/blue eye combination! So far, the brown hair seems to pair with the blue eyes and the black hair seems to pair with the green eyes, so I'm really excited to see a different combo. She's a lovely little girl. I don't think there's anything else to report, so on with the bloopers!

Bloopers:
Willow really seemed to have a chip on her shoulder about the baby the moment she stepped out of the van...and she doesn't much care for Conor either! ]]