Narrated by Dawn Whitfield.
Shea and I moved to Brixton a couple of months ago. I would be lying if I said I wasn't terrified at first about living on my own for the first time in my life. Especially since it's not just me. I have to think about Shea's well-being in every decision I make.
She can be a bit challenging now that she's throwing tantrums here and there but so far it's been going really well.
We've come up with a day routine that's good for both of us. The university is very supportive for students with kids so I haven't missed any lectures or anything. I don't use the nanny very often though because I enjoy spending time with Shea and I'm determined to show everyone that I can do this.
Erin has given me some advice and she said I should accept help if someone offers to babysit or tutor me with my studies. "If you insist on doing everything yourself you'll end up exhausting yourself" she says. I know she's right.
Zach's a great help. He comes over quite often especially now that there's some tension between him and one of his dorm mates. Shea adores her uncle Zach and the feeling seems to be mutual.
Zach brings the whole gang - Stephen, his girlfriend Kaitlyn and our step-niece
Eve - over sometimes which means I get to spend some time with grown-ups and talk about grown-up stuff.
Most of the days it's just me and Shea though. She usually takes a nap in the afternoon after my classes.
I try to utilise that time to the max by studying hard. I'm studying Art with a Culinary Arts minor but it's not all practical studies. We still need to write term papers and do assignments like all the other students.
After Shea wakes up from her nap we usually go outside and play. The campus doesn't currently have a playground so we just stay in our own yard. I haven't really bothered buying lawn furniture so there's just the toy for Shea.
If the weather's bad then we stay inside. Peak-a-boo is Shea's new favorite, she could keep playing it for hours.
I usually stay awake studying long after I've put Shea to bed in the evening. Now I understand why
mom and
dad insisted on buying me a coffee machine!
My favorite days are when Finn comes over. He can't visit us very often because he has school and he also works at mom's restaurant in the evenings but he comes over whenever he can.
He was overly cautious with Shea when she was a baby because he was afraid she would break. Now that she's a bit older he's much more confident with her. She's started talking a bit and her favorite word is "dada". She even calls me dada sometimes which I think means that she misses him when he's not around.
He usually pampers me by cooking dinner for us. He says he needs to practise anyway. Mom hasn't let him run the kitchen yet but he's hoping that one day she'll let him cook for the customers.
I know most people thought we wouldn't last especially after I left for college but things are going pretty well. It's hard spending so much time apart but that's just the way things are at the moment. Finn still says he's not going to college - which his parents aren't too happy about - but he wants to move to Brixton next year anyway. I think it'll be a real test for our relationship but I'm ready to take it.
His parents are more supportive than I expected though. His dad sometimes lets Finn borrow his car so that Finn can stay the night and drive to school the next morning. I can't wait for us to live together. It's going to be another major change in our lives but it's one that I'm really looking forward to.
Grades, spring 2022:
- Dawn, art/culinary arts: A+, GPA 4.0
Notes:
- Title reference: Battle without honour by Tomoyasu Hotei
- An update! Finally! I've been extremely busy for the past few weeks but things are starting to cool down and I have more free time now. I'm trying to get into a regular updating schedule with at least one weekly update.
- Dawn's house is one of the new family housing units in the "new" Brixton University. The floorplan is basically from Carla's Azure Court Apartments (used with permission) only slightly smaller so that the house fit on a 2x1 lot.
Dawn is doing so well, thank goodness Erin has been giving her advice and she's been listening. I hope she continues to succeed.
ReplyDeleteI'm proud of Dawn! Keep up the good work. It's super hard to study and parent. And she's doing it on her own! Cameron and Suni both are still at home with their parents, so I'm extra proud of Dawn! And I'm glad that she and Finn are still together working on their relationship as well.
ReplyDeleteWow, Dawn looks so grown up. I'm so used to seeing her with her pigtail! And I especially can't believe Shea is already two either. Where does the time go?
ReplyDeleteYeah, go Dawn! Living on your own for the first time with a kid in tow would not be easy at all but she should be proud of herself that she's working so hard and succeeding at it.
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful that Dawn and Finn are still together and happy. A child, and living apart on top of that, would be such a stress on their relationship. I can't wait to see how they go living together next year. It'll be nice for Finn to see his daughter more often.
Living on your own isn't easy, but she's managing very well even with her daughter with her! It's nice of her brother to help her as much as he can.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see Dawn and Finn are still together, and happy and making it all work, a kid and living apart. It can't be easy on Finn to not see his daughter a lot, but that will all change next year!
Apple Valley, Erin has been a great support for Dawn. I hope that Dawn keeps on doing such a great job with her studies. I forgot to put her grade down but she got an A+!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading. :)
Riverdale Blogs, I'm proud of Dawn too! She's doing great and so far it hasn't even been a big struggle. Actually I'm thinking that maybe it's going too easy but I think she's had enough troubles already.
Thanks for reading. :)
LaurelCrossing, I know! It feels like Shea was born yesterday and she's already two. Even with this extreme slow speed I'm playing it feels like my sims grow up so fast.
Thanks for reading. :)
Carla, Dawn has done really well. I think in a way it's easier for her than Erin because she's got Finn even though he's not living with them yet.
I think it'll be a real test for Dawn and Finn to live together next year. So far they've only been playing house whenever he visits, hopefully they can handle the reality of spending most of their time together.
Thanks for reading. :)
Tanja, Dawn's doing very well. She just needs to learn to rely on other people's help. She can't do everything herself. She and Zach have always been close even though they've had those typical fights like all siblings do.
It's not easy for Finn to be apart from Dawn and Shea but his parents would never forgive him if he moved to Brixton now and didn't finish high school. Hopefully it'll all go well once he moves in with Dawn and Shea.
Thanks for reading. :)
It's great to see how well Dawn and Shea are doing. I hope Finn's plans to forgo college doesn't become a source of discontent between the couple. Here's hoping he'll at least have a decent job after graduation and beyond. Kids can be mighty expensive. I'm glad that Dawn has a cousin who's been in the same shoes to give her advice.
ReplyDeleteChoco, Finn's not interested in going to college so that's the main reason he's skipping it. He has a €500,000 trust fund waiting for him when he turns 25 so I'm sure he'll be fine. Plus his parents will probably give them money for living costs anyway because they're totally loaded ;)
ReplyDeleteHe can always get the degree later if he wants. Right now he just wants to get more work experience in restaurants.
Thanks for reading. :)
I'm so glad Dawn, Shae and Finn are doing so well now. Shae is so cute. That's awesome that Finn is pretty much set when he turns 25. I hope he does well in the culinary industry!
ReplyDeleteDanielle, I'm glad everything's going so well too. Shea is super-cute and I can't wait to see what she looks like when she grows up.
ReplyDeleteFinn is one lucky guy knowing that he gets a huge amount of money in a few years. His parents will make him work for his living until then though so he's not completely spoilt.
Thanks for reading. :)
Aww Shea is darling. I'm so glad the girls are doing well together with this new adjustment. I had wondered how Dawn and Finn would do with the separation. I'm glad they are sticking it out. They'd be adorable to run a restaurant together in a few years. I can't wait to see how they all adjust when Finn moves in with them.
ReplyDeleteMaisie, Shea is a sweetie. I'm glad too that all's well with Dawn and Shea and that Finn participates in their lives as much as possible. It'll be a big change when Finn moves in with them but I'm hoping everything goes well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading. :)
You're back!
ReplyDeleteSeeing that first pic just takes me back to Erin and Iona. I hope that Dawn is as successful as Erin is. I'm glad that so far, her and Finn's relationship has stood the test of time and distance.
Fini, I'm back :) I haven't been able to keep up with my plan to update weekly but I'm getting there (hopefully).
ReplyDeleteDawn and Shea remind me of Erin and Iona too. I hope everything goes well for these two. Erin had her difficulties but she's certainly doing well now.
Thanks for reading. :)