Culpepper Pals: Autumn 1: Vatore

[beanstalk_sims]

I just got back from a week off in another city - we visited York, and it was absolutely beautiful! So now it's back to reality, back to work, and back to playing catch up with updates :)

Last time, Kirby and her partner Caleb started off the season poor, with only $250 to their name. Caleb became a Freelance Digital Artist while Kirby worked her way up the Style Influencer career ladder, leading the couple to become financially stable by the end of the summer. They also tied the knot at the VonHaunt Estate, become Mr and Mrs Vatore.

Let's see what autumn has in store for them!



As always, I open the lot to find some fun vampire fashion going on.

I have no idea why this happens, but I do enjoy seeing what Kirby & Caleb will be wearing when I enter the lot.




Also Caleb is uncontrollably hissing while he draws for work.

He's an oddball and I love him for it.






Dusty popped over that morning - probably to catch Kirby up on all the happenings she missed this season. Kirby misses out on a lot as I still haven't been able to give her sunlight immunity yet.

Kirby uses Dusty's presence for work, and snaps some shots of her style.




The ice on the bay is really cool! I've never noticed that before.




"Hey Caleb, do you think we could throw a party tonight? I'd love to catch up with everyone properly."

"Sounds like a pretty good idea. I'll just finish this piece and we'll call up some friends, yeah?"

"Also can it be a costume party...for Spooky Day?"






I bought the Spooky Day stuff pack after playing with it on someone else's TS4, but was a little disappointed that when I threw a costume party, neither Kirby nor Caleb wore one of the new outfits.

Although I do quite like that Caleb chose an astronaut costume.




I guess you could argue that it's a couples costume. Kirby is kind of dressed as an alien, right? :d




And then their friends started to arrive, which was fun! I like seeing what they randomly generate.

That's Vlad hiding in the Boba Fett costume by the way.




Jo turned up as a pirate, which I thought really suited her.




Dusty showed up in the Llamacorn mascot suit.




Overall I was a bit disappointed. What's the point in having a whole stuff pack of costumes if no one is going to wear them? There's two Boba Fetts at this party!

I was a bit disheartened, but I did try this again at a later point with a different family, and got better results. Maybe I just got unlucky with the Vatore's Spooky Day party.

Also they could probably do with some more friends.




I love how the plasma packs look like part of Caleb's costume - he's just having some space food! :D




After the party, the real fun begins - with Kirby finding out she's expecting.




"Hey Caleb, I have some news!"

"Good or bad?"

"Definitely good! We're going to be parents!"




That's definitely a "whoops" face, isn't it?




He comes around to the idea pretty quickly.

They're going to be great parents <3




The day after the party is absolutely gorgeous.

It's the perfect day...




...to stay inside and prep the nursery!




And Caleb's painting on the walls!

I thought it would be really nice to have a mural on the nursery wall, seeing as Caleb's pretty good at art now.




"No judgement, Caleb, but what's it meant to be?"

"Kirby, I've literally just started. Like fifteen minutes ago."




Kirby decides to leave Caleb to it and amuse herself. Jo happened to be passing by, so it seemed perfect for a catch up...and then this awkward hug happened.




Caleb was still hard at work after Jo left. It meant Kirby could crack on with some tasks for work though - I have no idea how high up the career ladder she is at the moment, but I know she's level 7 by the end of winter.








All done! I should probably centre it a bit more on the wall, but otherwise, I'm super happy! :)

It only took Caleb a whole day, bless him.






Another day dawns, but there's still no rest for Caleb - plenty of chores to keep him busy.






I do occasionally let him outside.

I think because Kirby can't go out, I forget that Caleb can, and I keep him home all day just as I would Kirby.




Caleb couldn't stay out for long, he needed the computer to research design documents. But I had him invite his sister over, so at least he had someone to talk to.

"Look at you, Caleb. A wife, steady work, a baby on the way...when did you become so tame??"




"I'm having the time of my life, Lilith! Sure, I could go out to the Hollow, and live in the gloom with Vlad, drinking plasma the good ol' fashioned way but...I like this. I like the life I have here, Lilith."

Honestly, I think Lilith would quite like a similar set up one day. And I really like her, I should probably work her in at some point.




A few hours later, Kirby arrives home from a long day at work.

"I'm promoted and feeling very pregnant."




A couple of plasma packs and a bath, and Kirby is feeling more herself. Caleb's been busy working all day though, and hasn't really put down his sketchpad.

"Maybe we should head out for a bit, Caleb. Go get some fresh air."






And so Kirby and Caleb took a much needed breather out in Windenburg.






This little coffee shop is so cute, and they have the place to themselves, which is nice.

The barista didn't seem to want to make them any drinks though. Maybe she's got a prejudice against vampires.




Still, they had a quiet night together, and a breath of fresh air, so I'd call that night out a success.






Back at the apartment, Caleb decided to try out his smooth moves...

He's a total dork, but Kirby's into it. :)




I don't think much happened the following day other than work, because apparently the only shot I took during the day was of this low poly seagull.

I love him way more than I love real seagulls.




That evening, Caleb got a party invite on his invisible phone.

While he was already at that party. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯




Despite the confusion with the double invite, Caleb still had fun dancing up a storm.

Most of the Culpepper Pals have maxed out their dance skills now, but given the amount of partying they do it's not that surprising.





Kirby joined the party after work (and a couple of plasma packs).

"Hi honey, I saw your wild dance moves a minute ago."

"You married me for my dance moves, right?"




Kirby and Caleb found themselves a bench in the grass, set back a little bit from the impromptu dance floor.

"I'm so glad we had a chance to come here before the baby comes," Caleb said, with a smile, "It's such a beautiful spot, even with a party going on."

"We'll come back here with the little one someday," Kirby replied, "Not for a dance party, of course..."

"For family time."






"Nothing's ever going to be the same again, is it?" Kirby asked, suddenly.

"No...everything will be different. But it's going to be so good, Kirby."

"Everything is different now, but in the best way possible..."




The following day was everyone's favourite autumn event

Unfortunately, someone was stealing the show from the gnomes...




It's time for baby Vatore to arrive!

Caleb isn't panicking at all! Totally feeling level-headed about the whole thing.




I'm not sure why, but I sent Kirby and Caleb to the hospital for their little one.

Caleb seems to have calmed down on the journey over here at least.




"Hi there, ma'am, what can I do for you?"

"I'm in labour and I would like to do something about it."

"Have you tried giving birth? That usually helps."




Eventually, Kirby did get down to the delivery room. But where's her husband disappeared to?




He's crying over his sims.

What else do you do at the birth of your first child?




He did eventually work out he was meant to be panicking in the corridor outside the delivery room.




After all of those hospital shenanigans, Kirby and Caleb welcomed a little boy to their family.

This is Maxwell Vatore.






That bottle Kirby is feeding to little Max is the only grand meal served on this Harvestfest. And yet, still the best Harvestfest ever.

Now, I never keep them as babies for long, are you ready to see toddler Maxwell?




He's the cutest little thing! And there's no denying who his mother is.

Maxwell got the Independent toddler trait.




Kirby got started on the most important lesson for vampire offspring - how to hiss.




He's just so cute guys <3




"We're parents! Let's take a selfie to mark the occasion!!"




Domestic bliss <3




Caleb is just watching as Kirby reads Max to sleep, my heart is melting.

Honestly, I spent most of my time at this point resembling the heart eyes emoji. They're just such a cute little family!




After Maxwell had fallen asleep, Kirby sat Caleb down in the living room to talk about something important.

"Caleb...I'm still unable to go out into the sunlight. I want to be able to take Max out like a normal Mum..."

"What we need to do is work on your vampire skills. How about a spar? I promise I won't hurt you."






And that's how a vampire fight broke out in their living room. Caleb is a lot more powerful than Kirby, she never really stood a chance. But it does help - she needs to go up a level before I can give her any sunlight immunity.

"Honey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fight so rough...are you okay?"




"I'm fine...but I'm going to win someday."

"Maybe you'll get me next time."






Another day arrives and the domestic bliss continues.




I did warn you about how much I love this family right? :D




Compared to some of the other kids I've played, Max has been pretty well behaved so far. This is the first time he did this, and he doesn't do it again this season.




Caleb speed-running his chores seems like the best use for vampire speed, honestly.




The fact he was speeding through his chores so he could dance? Amazing, honestly.

Also because at this point I head headphones on and spotify going, Caleb dancing had me laughing. I can't even remember what song I had on at the time, but it was brilliant.




Definitely one of my favourite sims of all time.




So at this point there was going to be a new Culpepper Pal - this is Kimmy Silverstone - but I felt I was just using her to explore the actress career of Get Famous and didn't feel like she had much going for her other than that, so I put her inthe townie pool.

But before that, she was living in the building, and on this occasion, let herself into the Vatore's apartment...to help herself to clean laundry??




"Wait, these aren't my clothes..."






"Hi I'm Kimmy!"

"You just put my clean laundry on the floor?"

I have a feeling if I'd kept Kimmy around these two would've got on really well. Oh well. Who's to say Kimmy won't turn up in the future? She's floating around in the background afterall.




My heart is melting, just like Dusty's.




And that's where autumn ended! A pretty busy season all in all :)

That means the season is officially over! As for winter, I'm currently planning to post all the updates at once - I've nearly finished playing Spring 2, and I really don't want to get too far ahead in game.

So I'll see you soon for winter antics! :)