"Mitchell," Astrid gasped, calling to her husband from the loungeroom, "I've just felt a contraction!"
Monday night. It had been a quiet day - Bjoern had gone back to school (the weekend seemed to have lasted forever, and so many boys!). To be honest, Astrid had been rather restless for most of the day. She had tried to paint, but couldn't get comfortable - so she'd decided to take a page out of Mitchell's book and spend the day in bed. It was the last bit of peace she would have for a while.
The anticipation had been too much for her. She couldn't sleep well, and her bladder had shrunk to the size of a pea she was sure. She had just been trying to get a glass of milk - her bones ached and she could use the calcium - when the labour pains began. She made her way to the sofa.
"What was that, honey? I was sort of in the zone writing that routine."
"My contractions have started," she said, in the same tone of voice in which you would remark to someone that it was raining outside.
Monday night. It had been a quiet day - Bjoern had gone back to school (the weekend seemed to have lasted forever, and so many boys!). To be honest, Astrid had been rather restless for most of the day. She had tried to paint, but couldn't get comfortable - so she'd decided to take a page out of Mitchell's book and spend the day in bed. It was the last bit of peace she would have for a while.
The anticipation had been too much for her. She couldn't sleep well, and her bladder had shrunk to the size of a pea she was sure. She had just been trying to get a glass of milk - her bones ached and she could use the calcium - when the labour pains began. She made her way to the sofa.
"What was that, honey? I was sort of in the zone writing that routine."
"My contractions have started," she said, in the same tone of voice in which you would remark to someone that it was raining outside.
"Holy Plumbob, Astrid, are you okay? Are you in pain? Can I get you anything, anything at all?"
Mitchell had conveniently been at work when Bjoern was born. He left Astrid at home, and when he got back, there was a baby. She assured him she had delivered at the hospital; a young mother, inexperienced and afraid, of course she had sought professional help. After everything had gone smoothly, she decided this time she could do it herself, at home. After all, it wasn't her first rodeo.
"I'm fine, Mitchell, calm down. I need you to be calm. Can you do that for me?"
Mitchell had conveniently been at work when Bjoern was born. He left Astrid at home, and when he got back, there was a baby. She assured him she had delivered at the hospital; a young mother, inexperienced and afraid, of course she had sought professional help. After everything had gone smoothly, she decided this time she could do it herself, at home. After all, it wasn't her first rodeo.
"I'm fine, Mitchell, calm down. I need you to be calm. Can you do that for me?"
Mitchell took a few deep, calming breaths, then became still.
"Yes, Astrid," he said, "I can be calm. I'm completely cool. Cool as a cucumber, that's me, that's what I am right now."
"Yes, Astrid," he said, "I can be calm. I'm completely cool. Cool as a cucumber, that's me, that's what I am right now."
"Do you think Bjoern will be okay? I'm still…" she paused, wincing through another contraction, "I'm still worried about him."
She struggled to get off the sofa once the pain had passed. She collapsed in her husband's arms.
"Everything will be fine, Astrid," Mitchell assured her, "I know it will - now don't worry about that and just breathe deeply for me. Can you do that?"
"I- yes. Yes, I think so."
"Good," said Mitchell.
She struggled to get off the sofa once the pain had passed. She collapsed in her husband's arms.
"Everything will be fine, Astrid," Mitchell assured her, "I know it will - now don't worry about that and just breathe deeply for me. Can you do that?"
"I- yes. Yes, I think so."
"Good," said Mitchell.
"I love you, Astrid."
"I love you too," Astrid replied.
With this man by her side, she could do anything. She could face any pain, any heartache. Any --- "Aaaaagh!"
"I love you too," Astrid replied.
With this man by her side, she could do anything. She could face any pain, any heartache. Any --- "Aaaaagh!"
"Mitchell, we may have a slight problem!"
All at once, Astrid was seriously reconsidering her decision to give birth at home.
All at once, Astrid was seriously reconsidering her decision to give birth at home.
Several long and painfully arduous hours later, two bassinets were set up in Astrid and Mitchell's bedroom.
And Cecilia, Astrid's second-born, and Daniel, Astrid's third born, were welcomed to the family.
"This is certainly a surprise!" Mitchell remarked.
"It sure is," Astrid replied. Twins - no wonder she had been so restless and exhausted! But finally, a girl, a daughter! She tried not to be too excited - the last thing she needed was to give Bjoern further reason to be envious of the newborns.
"Do you think we can do it?" asked Mitchell, a waver in his voice.
Astrid nodded. "Of course we can."
"This is certainly a surprise!" Mitchell remarked.
"It sure is," Astrid replied. Twins - no wonder she had been so restless and exhausted! But finally, a girl, a daughter! She tried not to be too excited - the last thing she needed was to give Bjoern further reason to be envious of the newborns.
"Do you think we can do it?" asked Mitchell, a waver in his voice.
Astrid nodded. "Of course we can."
"You called me, Mom?"
The following afternoon, after school, Astrid was ready to introduce Bjoern to his siblings. He had been asleep when they were born, and they had been asleep before Bjoern had gone to school.
The following afternoon, after school, Astrid was ready to introduce Bjoern to his siblings. He had been asleep when they were born, and they had been asleep before Bjoern had gone to school.
"Yes, Bjoern, I did. Come in, meet your little brother and sister. Be very quiet around the babies, don't make sudden noises or you'll startle them, okay?"
Bjoern nodded.
He couldn't quite name the sentiment - anticipation, dread, fear, and a bit of curiosity. These tiny people were his family now - someone else he could be friends with, or who he could grow to resent for the rest of his life.
He approached the green bassinet tentatively.
Bjoern nodded.
He couldn't quite name the sentiment - anticipation, dread, fear, and a bit of curiosity. These tiny people were his family now - someone else he could be friends with, or who he could grow to resent for the rest of his life.
He approached the green bassinet tentatively.
"This is Daniel," said Astrid, gently. "He's the younger of the twins."
Bjoern nodded. That meant that Daniel was heir. Everything his mother and father had worked so hard for would be passed on to Daniel to inherit, rather than Bjoern.
But he wasn't angry. He couldn't be - not at one so tiny. The baby gurgled, and little spit bubbles formed around his mouth. He waved his arms about, then let out a small squeal.
"Aww, he's so cute!" Bjoern couldn't help himself.
Bjoern nodded. That meant that Daniel was heir. Everything his mother and father had worked so hard for would be passed on to Daniel to inherit, rather than Bjoern.
But he wasn't angry. He couldn't be - not at one so tiny. The baby gurgled, and little spit bubbles formed around his mouth. He waved his arms about, then let out a small squeal.
"Aww, he's so cute!" Bjoern couldn't help himself.
"And the older of the twins is your sister, Cecilia."
Bjoern was still smiling. A sister, and a spare just like him!
"Hi Cecilia! I'm Bjoern, and I'm your big brother."
Cecilia just looked at him - she seemed a much more peaceful baby, content to simply lie there and look out at the world.
"Don't worry, I'll look after you," he said.
Bjoern was still smiling. A sister, and a spare just like him!
"Hi Cecilia! I'm Bjoern, and I'm your big brother."
Cecilia just looked at him - she seemed a much more peaceful baby, content to simply lie there and look out at the world.
"Don't worry, I'll look after you," he said.
"You okay, champ?" Astrid asked. Bjoern was either taking her words about "no loud noises" to heart, or something was troubling him.
"I feel weird," he confided in his mother. "They're so small and helpless and, I mean really, all she did was coo at me, but they make me feel...warm?"
Astrid smiled, and bent down to look her eldest in he eyes. "That's called love, Bjoern. I feel the same way when I look at them, and I felt the same way the first time I held you in my arms.
"I feel weird," he confided in his mother. "They're so small and helpless and, I mean really, all she did was coo at me, but they make me feel...warm?"
Astrid smiled, and bent down to look her eldest in he eyes. "That's called love, Bjoern. I feel the same way when I look at them, and I felt the same way the first time I held you in my arms.
"Huh," he said, turning back to the babies, "love."
"I don't think we need to worry about Bjoern, Mitchell. He certainly seemed to have warmed up to the twins yesterday afternoon." Astrid told her husband.
"I didn't think we needed to worry. Bjoern's a good kid - we've done well with him, Astrid."
"I just...wonder," she lowered her voice to barely a whisper "Where did my mother go wrong?"
"I didn't think we needed to worry. Bjoern's a good kid - we've done well with him, Astrid."
"I just...wonder," she lowered her voice to barely a whisper "Where did my mother go wrong?"
"Aurgh - flarn! For Plumbob's sake, I hope I didn't loose that entire routine!"
Astrid sighed. "How many times do I have to remind you to SAVE - FREQUENTLY! Especially with that hunk of junk of a computer." She returned Daniel to his cradle and turned to the computer.
"Step aside Mitchell, I'll fix it."
Astrid sighed. "How many times do I have to remind you to SAVE - FREQUENTLY! Especially with that hunk of junk of a computer." She returned Daniel to his cradle and turned to the computer.
"Step aside Mitchell, I'll fix it."
"There, all done. Looks like there's a fairly recent backup, too."
"Oh, thank goodness," Mitchell breathed a sigh of relief.
Truth be told, Astrid usually didn't really mind being the glue that bound the family - and, at times, the house itself, together. Her existence was humble yet purposeful - she had a husband and three children to devote herself to, after all.
"Oh, thank goodness," Mitchell breathed a sigh of relief.
Truth be told, Astrid usually didn't really mind being the glue that bound the family - and, at times, the house itself, together. Her existence was humble yet purposeful - she had a husband and three children to devote herself to, after all.
Mitchell tried, but he was a bit - absent-minded at times. He made friends with the neighbourhood (no doubt where Bjoern got his social streak), and he wrote his jokes and comedy routines and that essentially summed up his life.
Despite his flaws, Astrid did love him more and more each day. He was a loving and faithful husband, and a good father who did his best to carry his share of the weight. He encouraged Astrid to achieve her goals as much as she encouraged him to achieve his. They had a wonderful partnership going on, of that there was no doubt.
But sometimes, even the ever-patient Astrid would lose her cool with all the things breaking around the house that were left to her to fix.
One day it was the toilet.
Just a few days ago it was the stereo.
Now, she grunted as she took a wrench to the kitchen sink. She was a neat sim, and the puddles were enough to drive her crazy at times.
Mitchell was trying to help as much as he knew how to, but that lazy trait of his could set her over the edge more often than not.
Mitchell was trying to help as much as he knew how to, but that lazy trait of his could set her over the edge more often than not.