Last round, Rose Palmer’s brood expanded yet again when a night on the town ended with her becoming pregnant with yet another set of twins. Soon, Rose found herself with six toddlers, making quite the workload for the nanny. By the end of the week, the oldest twins had grown to children and were at last allowed out of the “toddler dungeon” and into the rest of the house.
Hi, Rose...
Rose: Huh? Oh, it's you...
Nice to see you too. Where are the kids?
Rose: They're downstairs...
Of course...
Well, at least it looks like a normal basement now. And I see we actually have separate rooms down here.
Iris: Yeah, Crocus and Poppy are gonna be big soon too and there's no room upstairs for them.
Ok, we've found Rose...we've checked on the kids...where's Chompy?
Iris: He's in Lavender and Lilac's room. He's been real tired lately.
Aww, what’s wrong, buddy? You do look tired...
Oh...
Ok, not how I expected the week to start.
Or how I expected the new year to start...
Yeah, maybe the youth festival would cheer everybody up.
Um...well, I guess if Amaryllis seems happy to meet...whoever this is...
Amaryllis: I'm signing up for the Void Critter hunt...
The Void Critter hunt?
Amaryllis: Yeah. I have to look for Void Critters with my phone.
I don't see any Void Critters around here...
Oh...
Amaryllis: Hey, look! There's one!
Good job. Now you only need...9 more.
Amaryllis: 9 more? Man, this is harder than I thought.
And I guess the mascot is left entertaining the toddlers. Crocus doesn't seem as thrilled as his sister did.
Rose: Guys, we've been here all day. It's time to go.
Iris: But I didn't find all the Void Critters yet...
Rose: It doesn't matter! Those stupid things aren't even real. Besides, I have to get ready for the party.
Oh, goody. I can't wait to see the guest list for this.
Iris: I don't know why you're so excited...you know we have to stay in the basement with the little kids.
Amaryllis: Yeah, but we still get to stay up late!
Rose: Girls! Where are you? I need you down here now before people start to get here!
Well, this should be special...
Oh, hey Carrie...kind of surprised to see you guys here.
Carrie: Yeah, Mom said we should come. Aunt Lily and Uncle Thistle are upstairs, too.
Along with...
Rose: You remember my friend Leon, right?
Um...can't say that I do...
Rose: You know...he's one of the guys in my...social club.
Ahh...right...
Leon: Um...hi, everyone. I...kind of expected the rest of the club to be here...
Well, I see at least one other unidentified male back there...
But it seems Leon is still the favorite of the group...
Iris: Happy New Year...
Amaryllis: Happy New Year...
Aww, how cute...
Rose: (yawn) Can you hurry up already? I've got to get to work.
I don't think it works that way, Rose...besides, I thought you hired a nanny.
Rose: Some help she is. These two haven't been potty trained at all.
Well...she does have quite a workload to keep up with.
Luckily the toddler count's about to go down to two...
Poppy: Time for cake?
Faith: No, not yet. We have to wait for Mommy to get home.
Oh, looks like Iris made a friend.
Allegra: Want to come over tomorrow?
Iris: I can't. I have to watch the little kids. You're so lucky you don't have any little brothers or sisters.
Allegra: Being the youngest isn't so great either. Zyrtec and Tylenol always boss me around. Even Claritin bosses me around sometimes.
Iris: I thought you two were twins.
Allegra: Yeah, but she's like, two minutes older. And she thinks that means something.
Well, speaking of younger siblings I think it's time to get this show on the road. Happy birthday, dear Crocus...
Hey, a matching aspiration and trait!
Not bad...
Happy birthday, dear Poppy...
Ok, that's do-able.
Also not bad...but I think new outfits are in order for both of them...
Wait...what?
Iris: Dad? Yeah! Well, I have to stay home and...really? You want to come over? I mean, Mom's not home right...Ok! I'll meet you outside!
Oh...well this is a surprise...I kind of forgot these kids had fathers.
...with incredible fashion sense.
Iris: Dad?
Reid: Hey, honey...wow, you got so big...
Iris: Yeah, I guess...how come you haven't come over before now?
Wait...I've seen you before. You were the other guy at the New Years party.
Reid: Yeah, I was hoping to check up on the girls then. But I didn't see them anywhere, and then Rose kissed that other guy and I...just kind of slipped out.
Iris: We had to be downstairs to watch the little kids.
Reid: The...little kids?
Iris: Yeah. Poppy and Crocus...and Lilac and Lavender...wait...aren't you their dad too?
Reid: Um...well, actually...
You know, speaking of the little kids, I think I'd better go downstairs and check on them...
Looks like Faith is taking more of a interest in skill building than Rose thinks.
I just realized I never got a shot of the middle twins' makeover. Very nice....
Iris: Nanny Faith? Can I ask you a question?
Faith: Sure, Iris. What's going on?
Iris: Poppy and Crocus and Lilac and Lavender....they're my brother and sisters, right?
Faith: Of course, silly.
Iris: And...brothers and sisters have the same mom and dad, right?
Faith: Well, most of the time...
Iris: Do brothers and sisters ever not have the same mom and dad?
Faith: Well, I guess if they're adopted...but...
Lavender: Mama? Play?
Rose: Not now, Lilac...
Lavender: I'm not Lilac...I'm Lavender...
Rose: Whatever. I'm late for work as it is...
Great parenting there, Rose...
At least we got a promotion out of it.
Amaryllis: Mom?
Rose: Ugh...what are you doing up? I thought you two went to bed hours ago.
Amaryllis: Yeah, but...Iris keeps waking me up. I think she saw a monster or something. Can you come spray the...
Rose: Listen, you two are too old to believe in this monster stuff. Just go back upstairs and go to bed!
Amaryllis: What is up with you?
Iris: ...Can I tell you a secret?
Amaryllis: I guess...if you let me go to sleep.
Iris: I think...I think the little kids are adopted.
Amaryllis: What? That's ridiculous. We were here when they were born, remember? That's what being the oldest means!
Iris: Yeah, but we were both super little then. Think about it. How much do you really remember?
Amaryllis: I remember them crying and waking us up.
Iris: People adopt babies too, you know.
Amaryllis: Where did you get this stupid idea anyway?
Iris: Well...Dad called me the other day and...
Amaryllis: Wait...Dad called you? Our Dad?
Iris: Yeah...and he didn't even know the little kids were here. He's not their Dad. And then Nanny Faith said...I mean, how can he be our dad and not their dad unless they're adopted?
Amaryllis: I dunno...maybe you're right.
Iris: See? But listen...you can't tell Crocus and Poppy. Mom will be super mad if she finds out we know.
Amaryllis: Yeah...lucky Lilac and Lavender are still too little to care.
Not for much longer, though. Looks like we've got one more birthday to get through.
Ok, let's get those toddler years over with. Happy birthday, dear Lilac...
Another matching aspiration and trait!
Ok, here we go. Last one...Happy birthday dear Lavender..
And with that...the toddler dungeon is no more!
Ok, well, now that we have successfully made it through the toddler years, I think it's time for me to be on my way. I'll see all of you next round!
A Message From the Mysterious Voice: No more toddler dungeon! I was toying with the idea of having Rose have one more pregnancy but...6 kids seems like enough for now. The youth festival was fun, but it is not easy to find 10 of the Void Critters-especially for two kids at the same time. And the phone call from the girls' dad was a complete surprise. I'd seen those calls come up for adult children who'd moved out, but I wasn't expecting one to come for a kid who'd never even met her father. (None of the kids have ever met their respective fathers...until this week.)
