Chapter 7: Everybody's Aging on the Weekend

It's Saturday.

The greenery threatens to take over the house, and Shanti learns about martial arts.

"It's for.. *huff*.... my... *pant*.... health!!"

She doesn't like sports, and always hated jocks in school. "This is different," she tells herself. "I have to live a long time to provide for my kids as they're growing up, and if I want longevity I need physical fitness. It's science."

Her husband is her cheerleader.

Also, she ages up.

She grows pensive, her earlier musings about health and mortality suddenly seeming quite serious. She absolutely can't die before her children grow up. She won't allow it.

"Bite me, Grim Reaper!"

Alexander ages up a little later. He's a lot happier about the whole thing than his wife is. He's got everything in the world he ever wanted - a smart, beautiful wife, two lovely little girls, and fairly prolific career. He almost thinks he has too much happiness for his lifetime.

"Aging up isn't so bad; way better than the alternative!"

He's kind of a simple guy, that Alex.

The worst part of motherhood.

Rain loves her dollhouse, but not as much as she loves playing with her Dad. She's a total Daddy's girl.

A serious moment after some serious playtime.

Rain pouts when Dad decides it's time for bed. Alex feels bad.

Don't forget baby Ida!

On a house call, Shanti runs into a teenaged Sandi French, who is happy to see her role model again.

They spend some time catching up, and Shanti invites the teen over.

They play chess, and Shanti learns that while Sandi is perceptive, she's not very logical. She beats her soundly twice before Sandi has to run off to her part-time job at the spa.

Alexander's nectar is getting quite good, and sales at the consignment store are contributing not inconsiderably to their income these days. Now that he knows what he's doing, he decides to finally build that nectar cellar he's always dreamed of but never allowed himself to really consider. 

He places a spiral staircase in the garden room and constructs a cozy nectar-making and -storing space. The bird painting goes down there too, to give him the feel of the outdoors even when he's in a cellar.

It's really very small, but there's something about the ambiance of it all that makes it so much more satisfying than the old setup. The drawback is he doesn't get to hang out outdoors, but he still does a great deal of painting out there and it's enough.

Alex's squishing is interrupted by Ida's birthday!

She seems to have inherited her father's lips and... some of her mother's face shape? It's hard to tell at this point.

The sisters look a lot a like at this stage in their lives.

Ida isn't a baby anymore, and bravely attempts her first steps with the help of Dad.

Walking is fun!

Mom helps, too.

When she's not learning how to walk and talk with Mom and Dad, Ida learns other skills with her toys. 

Her sister teaches her how to play with dolls.

"Like this?"

And her peg set teaches her that while blocks are fun, and shapes are not.

The latter toy is Shanti's insistence, after having a moment of panic when thinking of her children falling behind. The fact that they can barely talk is a moot point to her.

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Notes: 

I'm a little embarrassed about how shabby the nectar cellar is; building is really not my strong point. Hopefully it'll grow as the legacy does.

Bonus pic of Rain with Alexander!

Look how she adores him :')