Toddlermania: Take Two

You may remember my last toddlermania attempt, Take One, which was an absolute disaster. Well, this time around it went much better, mostly due to the fact that I unknowingly used an illegal cheat. Under the assumption that the household mood enhancing cheat 'maxMotives' was legal with the -2 point per use penalty, I sailed through the challenge accomplishing more than I ever thought possible. It wasn't until I sat down to score it did I realize my mistake. So...though this is my second attempt at this challenge, it will not be my final attempt. I plan to give this challenge one more go, this time using only the boolProp method of maxing the adult sims motives rather than all sims in the house. I honestly did NOT know that this cheat was not legal until after I had completed the challenge, and though it is a wash due to this fact I still wanted to blog it for everyones entertainment. Hope that you enjoy Toddlermania: Take Two!

This time I gave my mom a break and decided to torture my friend and coworker Teresa. Let's meet her and the seven toddlers in her care.

Meet Teresa. She is an extremely outgoing and personable sim with a fortune aspiration. I selected fortune for her as I heard the initial construction of the house including the purchase of several neccissary items would boost her aspiration score...no such luck. All she wanted the whole time was to earn money...sorry sister that is SOOO not happening!

Teresa: Okay, what am I doing here? This looks awfully firmilliar...wait a minute! Seven cribs...fourteen training potties...SEVERAL skilling toys for tots...this is toddlermania isn't it? Why on earth would you do this to me?

Shaunna: *whistling innocently* Yup, this is toddlermania, and you are here because you agreed to it.

Teresa: I never agreed to anything! Youv'e got the wrong sim.

Shaunna: Oh, well take that up with the real Teresa...she is the one who got you into this.

Teresa: *grumble* Rest assured, she will be hearing from me!

Shaunna: Let's get on with this, shall we meet the toddlers?

Patrek

Dayne

Myrcella

Petyr

Willem

Lyanna

Janei

And here is the new and improved home. I created seven bedrooms for the toddlers on the left side of the home. In addition to the cribs, each room contained two training potties and a skill object. The rest of the house was an open layout with two doll houses and several more skill objects for the kiddies.

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Our adventure began and our welcome wagon arrived...

And like last time, they were a great help. Especially servo Jeeves Cipriani (he also was a member of the welcome wagon in my first attempt).

Teresa: I really like that Jeeves. He saved us in points as I did not have to call in a nanny on the first day, although he did over do it a bit with the bottles...

Teresa: My first order of business was to get to work potty training the tots. When we got into the house...they ALL needed it.

Shaunna: But it looks like you had things under control...

Teresa: Might be hard to see, but I tried to get all of the kids working on a skill as I went around to do a round of potty training.

Shaunna: Good plan...what was next?

Teresa: Nanny time!

Shaunna: Okay, good thing the nanny was on her way...then what?

Teresa: Well, I somehow managed (over the course of the entire challenge) to teach all of the toddlers to talk.

Shaunna: What? Thats impossible!

Teresa: You made it possible! You typed a cheat in...max something or other...whatever it was it made us all feel great! So, while the others were playing I had time to train the kids to talk each time.

Dayne learns to talk

Willem learns to talk

Janei and Petyr learn to talk

As well as Lyanna, Myrcella, and Patrek.

Shaunna: That's really impresive. I am proud! To think you resisted at first. Whats with your hair? It looks shorter in some of the shots?

Teresa: Yeah, it still wasn't easy! As for my hair...I got bored and decided to update it. Since these pics are from my whole time in the house some were taken before my new do and some after.

Shaunna: Oh, cool. So, what else can you share with us about your experience with the toddlers?

Teresa: Well, in addition to teaching them to talk I also had the chance to teach Patrek to walk.

Shaunna: Nice job. But of all of this skilling...what else did you do while you were in the house?

Teresa: Plenty.

Teresa: The maid came in handy, but seemed put off by the stench of the house. All I could do was laugh and tell her she would get used to it.

Teresa: Bedtime wasn't bad. I got the kids on a schedule where three were up and four were down and vice versa. It really helped having them on seperate schedules.

Shaunna: Well, if you liked that technique, you can thank Ruby. She was the one who suggested we use it. She ended up doing it inadvertantly in her Toddlers, Toddlers Everywhere blog.

Teresa: I let the toddlers play at the doll house every once in a while. I had a hard time giving each of them enough attention, but they managed just fine filling their social need by playing with one another.

Teresa: And our maid became so efficient that the kids were reduced to fighting over the bottles! Poor Willem lost that time.

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Teresa: Before long it was time for the kids to grow up and I had not even had a single warning from the social worker.

Teresa: I even got a few of them to grow up well!

Shaunna: Wait a minute...someone's missing from this shot...where's Lyanna?

Teresa: Oh yeah, could not get her to the living room in time for her transition.

Shaunna: So over all this experience wasn't as bad as you had thought. I am glad to hear it. Unfortunately that max cheat that made you all so happy...wasn't allowed. So, it is no wonder it was such a breeze for you!

Teresa: What? Really? I had no idea anyone could get through without it!

Shaunna: Yeah, they can and they have.

Teresa: Guess that means youv'e gotta do this all over again.

Shaunna: Yup.

Scoring Information

Please remember that this score is not to be compared to others as the challenge is forefit due to use of an illegal cheat. Scoring is for entertainment purposes only.

MaxMotives cheat used: 4 (-8)

Nannies called: 5 (-10)

Toddlers learned to talk: 7 (+21)

Toddlers learned to walk: 1 (+3)

Total # of skills earned by toddlers: 59 (+29.5)

Bottles deleted in buy mode: 11 (-11)

# of Toddlers that grew up well: 6

Total Score: 24.5

Toddlermania: Take One

This is my first attempt at the toddlermainia challenge. The house for this challenge was placed in my prosperity neighborhood Rose Island, so that once the challenge was complete, the children could be added to the adoption pool (so townies and visitors may be firmiliar to those who have been following RI). I will preface this post with the fact that I went in blind. I had not reviewed the rules, or developed any kind of strategy prior to starting the challenge. I based everything I did on blogs that I have read and I found that I really should have planned things out a bit better...next time...there is always next time...

Let's meet the lucky sim and the seven toddlers!

Meet Susan. I lovingly created her as a sim self of my real life mom (also named Susan). Sorry mom, but you really are in for it...

Shaunna: Over the next few days, you will be the sole caretaker for seven toddlers...

Susan: Excuse me? I don't think I signed up for this...wait a minute...Shaunna? Is that you? What have you done to me? I have three yoga classes to teach today, and I have to run to Costco to pick up the lunch meat for the swimteam dinner...they named me nutritional coordinator you know. Oh, and it is your uncle Ed's birthday this weekend, can you make dinner on Saturday?

Shaunna: Whoa mom...shhhh...all in good time. Lets get started by meeting our little ones.

In no particular order...

Ami

Jamie

Chris

Summer

Evan

Veronica

Sonja (pictured here in the middle)

And here is where it will all take place. I have to admit that this shot was taken before I added a small bedroom for Susan as well as a changing table (I was crazy to think I would not need one).

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Susan: This isn't so bad. What cuties they all are! When are you gonna make me a grandma?

Shaunna: I'm working on it mom. And hold off before passing judgement. This moment may seem peacefull, but they haven't even made it through the door yet. At this point I am still optomistic, but regretting the fact that I did not get a copy of the rules first.

Shaunna: Let the potty training begin!

Susan: Ugh...this is gonna be hard.

Shaunna: Your telling me. I am a little worried to be honest. But youv'e managed to get six of the seven kiddos to the pottys before they dirtied their diapers and that ain't too shabby.

Ami is the first diaper casualty. I attempted to keep track of the diapers changed per kiddo. Since I did not check the rules, I wanted to cover the bases on that. And sheesh they started to add up!

Shaunna: You didn't tell me you had visitors today! Look, it's Ruby Cedar *waves to Ruby*.

Susan: Yeah, I wasn't expecting anyone and suddenly three of the nicest sims showed up on my doorstep calling themselves the 'welcome wagon'. This is Ruby...

Shaunna: No need for introductions mom, I know these sims *w*.

Susan: Well, the other two were a really good loking young man named Franz, and a servo named Jeeves. I would say that Jeeves was the most helpful getting bottles for all of the kids, and even cleaning them up when they were done! But even with the help of the kind sims of Rose Island, I thought I could use another pair of hands.

Shaunna: Good idea, call in those reinforcements!

Reinforcements came in the form of nanny Lyndsay Tsang. And like a proper nanny she went right to work...

Shaunna: Okay, wait a minute. What do you think your doing?

Susan: I'm stressed, I needed a cookie. You haven't even taken a look around this place lately...

Susan: It's a disaster. Things are NOT going well. I am not sure what to do with myself...

Shaunna: Well, I have heard that people invite the matchmaker for insta dates and aspiration points.

Susan: Is this really the time for a date? Honestly I am NOT in the mood.

Shaunna: Unfortunately I am not sure what else to do and it is worth a shot, right?

Susan: Okay, whatever...

Susan: I can't believe I am actually doing this...and in my pajamas?

Shaunna: No time to get dressed...no time for anything for that matter.

Susan: This isn't going to work honey, try as you might I have a feeling I am gonna lose these kiddos.

And the date was a disaster and a mistake...Susan got very few aspiration points, and her date just got in the way. then the unthinkable happened.

Shaunna: Noooo! Susan, wake up...oh no...what have we done!!??

Susan: *sobbing* I am so sorry...I had no idea...

Shaunna: It's okay mom. Can't win em all.

Susan: But what about those poor sweet babies?

Shaunna: Don't worry, they are now part of the adoption pool and I am sure they will find good homes here on the island and live full and healthy lives.

Susan: *sniffle* What about me then?

Shaunna: *virtual hugs* I will make you a townie in Rose Island. I promise not to torture you again...and you can do all the yoga your little sim heart desires!

Susan: Really? Okay, I guess...I am just still kinda sad about all this.

Shaunna: I know, me too. But there is nothing more we can do at this point but thank the readers...

Susan: Thanks for reading...sorry to disapoint! See you in Rose Island!

And that is that. I plan to give this challenge another go sometime soon...hopefully my next try will be more successful. Don't worry, I plan to blog for your reading pleasure!

Happy Simming!

Shaunna