The gals of Troop 572 looking cuuuuute

Controversial opinion: Being sick is not a good time

Hey y'all! Haven't really been around too much. I've been sick for the past week-and-change, (probably the 'VID or a sinus infection) (I didn't bother getting tested because I go literally nowhere and my partner, who does go places, tested negative).

Basically, I imagined Teen Lou and Esme cheering me on whenever I did Olympic-level feats like showering or making myself tea.

If for some reason you wanna know more, here's a cut because I suck at being pithy.

My body's response to getting sick is basically 1) whine so, so much and 2) sleep for 17 hours a day until conditions improve. Fortunately, my partner is very much a caretaker at heart and ensured I was fed and that the dogs were looked after. Oh, did I mention school started this past Monday? So yeah I haven't been online much.

On top of all that, my mom was hospitalized. I was on the phone with her wife every day and long story short, it was a combination of getting bronchitis and pneumonia at once, a blood clot in her liver KIDNEY, being on too high of a dose of 'beetus meds, and also being allergic to one of the antibiotics they put her on. Oh, and she has Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, which means they had to pay extra attention to her heart so she wouldn't have to get a 3rd ablation.

So, when I was online, it was on FB to let people know what was going on with my mom. FB is basically the equivalent of a mass text to everyone I know and I otherwise don't really get on it. ANYWAYS.

The #1 fear in my life, that I have had since I was a wee little kid, is my mother's untimely demise. She's been sick a lot throughout my life despite being a tough ol' broad who is the real-life inspiration for Destiny Child's "Survivor."

Which is to say that on top of being physically worn down, I have been endlessly emotionally exhausted as well. Like every update from my step-mom/mom's wife about her hospital stay would end in me crying and freaking out, having super vivid dreams about having to plan my mom's funeral (THANKS BUT NO THANKS NYQUIL, YOU NASTY YET SUCCESSFULLY CONGESTION-KILLING BITCH).

I have been playing Sims 4 still, but not the Orson's because I cannot be trusted when goofed up on cold meds. I've been playing a very casual game that sort of started off as a 100 Baby Challenge with Wicked Whims turned waaaaay up, but is now the story of 7 sisters who have the same mom but different dads.

I might show some pictures from that because some of those kids turned out hella cute and interesting. Plus I was needing a bit of a break from the Orsons anyways.

That's all! I'm feeling like 75% human these days so I'll likely be on a bit more, but mainly just wanted people to know that I didn't die or rage quit or anything.

Final sleepover as a child with her two BFFs

As a tween, Esme's thing is strawberries.

Her hair is also a bit longer, and she has her ears pierced (finally!)

With another year before Lou can start preschool, it was time to start touring and signing up in advance. Greenacres Preschool was the last stop after a day full of wandering around halls full of tiny cubbies, cutesy posters, and toddler artwork.

While waiting for the coordinator, Stormy met and got to talking with a chatty lady with a loud, Jersey accent and a big smile named Eva Purcell, and her adorable daughter Esme, who Lou immediately took a liking to.

By the way, this lot was by the awesome and talented @rebouks, which you can download right over here! It is honestly the cutest preschool I've seen yet and loved its entire vibe.

Troop 572 descended upon Stormy like hyenas to a fallen zebra, all because she was cooking dinner.

Lou's toddler-to-child birthday!

Y'all, it took me 3 days to decorate this cute af cabin I downloaded from the Gallery.

The flight back home to San Myshuno.

The Orsons are off to their first-ever vacation now that Lou can form long-term memories! She was allowed to invite Esme to keep her occupied.

Notes on where to grab the lots I used here below the cut!

The airport is Eason Airlines by @insanitytrait, and can be downloaded here. The airplane scene is by the ridiculously talented @xldkx-cc, and you can snatch one of your own hereabouts.

Childhood friendships are the cutest I say, having been a kid who was moved around a lot, who has one close friend from when I was 11-12

Esme & Lou and the last day of school.

(Some whining ahead.)

Okay, so I had a whole freaking story about preschool and the Bheeda twins and Lou mastering the art of being an extravert who respects introverts and stuff and I am so, so bummed I couldn't get it to happen. The thing is that this lot (which by the way is stunning and my issues are absolutely not the fault of the builder, @rebouks) is contained within a shell. And for some reason that I have not been able to determine, I couldn't get it to not fade whenever I zoomed in. It's almost certainly my fault. Some out-of-date no fade mod, probably. I did check and try to root out the problem but by like hour 5 I was like, "Fuck it, I'm sick of toddlers and really wanna get Lou aged up anyways." So I did what I could and at the very least got some nice shots from outside! The good news is that Greenacres Preschool is here to stay and there will be other toddlers in this legacy challenge. IT WILL HAPPEN. In the meantime, click that link and see how it looks on the inside. It really is such a rad build!

At the park with their respective moms, Lou and Esme caught sight of each other and immediately ran toward one another and hugged.

I love how Lou is always the one who lifts up Esme ever-so-slightly.

Most kids the first time they go to preschool or daycare:

Lou:

The Purcell apartment took me, no shit, like 8 entire days to do. I struggled so much with the vibes, but ended up settling for carpet, wallpaper in the bedrooms, and marble in the bathrooms.

Esme's bedroom is honestly the most incredibly femme bedroom I've ever made, and it was such a blast. Just blasting 90s pop and grabbing everything in the pink swatch.

Those two handsome boys at the bottom are Macchiato (the black and tan) and Latte (the cream), Pomeranian brothers who wear fancy bows and eat out of designer dog bowls. Next up is the Bheedas, whose apartment is like half the size of the Purcell's, and I have an actual style idea for them. By the time I'm done with all this decorating, I'm going to be so amped to play. I miss the Orsons so much T_T

Before getting home on the bus after school