Party Like It's Your Birthday! Because this chapter has a lot of birthdays.

Aaaaaand we're back! Again! When we last left our intrepid heroine-
Emma: Why do you keep calling me "our intrepid heroine"?
Me: Because you are. You are THE founder of this super awesome legacy. You're the author of four (I think it's four) science fiction books, A Sciency Science Fiction Novel, Invasion of the Alien Bowling Shirts, and you've begun a series of books, the It's Super Obvious Science Fiction series: Mutant Bunnies are Mutant and Starships are Starshippy. AND you survived a harrowing possibly game ending glitch, which thanks to the internets and sim forums, I FIXED (because I'm awesome). And you just said that so I would talk about how awesome you are.
Emma: Hehe....I AM THE ONE THAT IS AWESOME!
Me: Really? I don't think so

Yeah, everyone just "loves" Emma

Emma: Bebe Hart is a hater. I mean look at her hair. And that outfit.
Me: True.
Emma: And everyone and everything else loves me. See?

Emma: Nature loves me!

And Stiles McGraw loves me!
Me: Really, he does?
Emma: Yes, just look!

Yep. This is TOTALLY the look of a man in love.

Emma: He was extremely happy with the painting he comissioned!
Me: And I was happy with the 1200 simoleons you got for the painting. So Emma's ego has been stroked and we got money for the family.

And then the glitches began. It started with this. And I didn't get pictures of the other one, so I'll just tell you about it when the time comes.

Why, why can't SOMEONE go in the door?

Apparently, I'm not the most observant overlord. It took me a few days to realize that Bloom and Jo hadn't been able to go to school. And then I spent FOREVER resetting all of these sims so Jo and Bloom could get into to school. Thank goodness for Twallan's Careers mod. All the teenagers go to special schools now. In their formals! It's like prom every day! And that solved the problem. I think. Until the next glitch (which I will get too shortly)

And one fine day, Jo gets the opportunity to go over to Marla Bunch-French's house after school. And then I got a look at Marla.

This is a SERIOUSLY unfortunate outfit.

Emma: Change it. CHANGE IT NOW!
Me: Marla isn't even your kid!
Emma: I don't want to look at children in ugly clothes. Do you?
Me: Not really. But in real life, I'm not allowed to make over people's children. Nor would I want to.
Emma: This isn't real life is it?
Me: Nope! Thank goodness. Real life is filled with my dissertation.

Much better!

Jo butters up tries to befriend little Marla.

Jo: Your house is sweet!
Marla: Look at my hands!

And then Marla develops magic powers and develops the ability to place her hand through her homework.
Emma: Oooh really?

Marla: Bow to my terribly useful and practical magical powers!

And at home, super extra exciting things are happening.

Bloom washes the dishes. His yellow plumbob just illustrates how incredibly thrilled he is that I made him clean up after himself.

Bloom: Oh yeah. I really "love" washing the dishes.

 Emma works on Mutant Bunnies are Mutant.

Chatting online totally = working hard on one's novel

 And Zhan attempts to impress his lady with his physical prowess.

Zhan: I am BUFF baby!
Emma: The person plus is a sign of how turned on I am right now.

And Zhan's attempts to woo Emma are successful. Later that night, he gets lucky. Will there be a new little Book on the way?

Emma: Oh Zhan, you ARE buff!

And though Emma has rolled the wish to have another child with Zhan, I think two little Books are enough. Besides, Jo will age up soon.
Emma: But I want another baby!
But I have made a deal with Emma. She and Zhan can risky woohoo all they want, which they do a lot. Autonomously. If another baby results, then so be it. And then she can wear some of the awesome new maternity cc I found yesterday.
Emma: Baby, baby, baby!

But before Jo does age up, Emma tries to spend some quality time with her.
Emma: Because I am totally a great mother!

Jo: Okay mommy, I'll explain it one more time...

Emma: I was helping her! Not the other way around!
Me: Just keep telling yourself that. Maybe one day it will suddenly be true. Jo is super smart and extra awesome.
Emma: Hmph! Not as awesome as me. Just move on.

And then one night, Jo gets a tingly feeling, which gives her an uncontrollable urge to whirl around whatever that thing is in the picture .

She is clearly excited.

And she ages up into a female version of Zhan.

I think she looks shifty here.

Because of her indifferent study habits, which was totally not her fault because Jo is awesome, she gains the perfectionist trait. But I can work with that.

Jo: You're a little too late Mom.

The next night Zhan ages into an adult. Which was the first time I realized that he is quite a bit younger than Emma.

Emma: No, that's not true. He's older. I am younger!

Me: Stop trying to deny how old you are. You should be proud. My mom always says she's earned every one of her 61 years. 

Emma: Nope. I'm not getting old. I will be young and beautiful forever! Forever I tell you!

Anyway, Zhan ages up.

Zhan: Hmm...sparkles

And I think he looks different. But he doesn't have wrinkles or lines on his face. His cheekbones look higher. It's not just me right? He looks different.

Zhan: Yep. I'm older.

And aging must agree with Zhan, because he has attracted the notice of the papparazzi, who he blithely ignores.

Zhan: I'm skillin' like a villian

But even though the Books are getting older and the children are developing their own interests, they still attempt to come together as a family. But they just can't seem to get their timing right.

Jo: Emchic is right. I AM awesome!

Emma: We're trying! That's what's important. 

Me: And you all look so enthusiastic about spending time together. Dead behind the eyes is more like it.

Emma: You're just jealous of my super fantastic extra awesome family.

Me: Just keep telling yourself that.

And it was shortly after that the other glitch happened. Gus Hart and Fiona Mc-Irish Peoples happen to die in front of the grocery store. And there they floated as ghosts for hours and hours. And then no one could die. The options for my save file looked grim.

Emma: Oh no! Our legacy can't be cut short! It's too awesome not to go on!

Me: I agree. So I trolled the internet forums and I decided that moving the Books to a new version of Sunset Valley was the way to go.

Emma: It's trippy! It's like we traveled back in time! Hank Goddard and Pauline Wan were young and back together, Fiona McIrish-Peoples was just Fiona Mc-Irish.

Zhan: This new house is fantastic!

Emma: It's exactly the same as our old house. In absolutely every single way.

Zhan: But it's fantastic!

Jo is absolutely thrilled about this move.

Jo: I am so "excited" right now. Isn't it obvious?

I sent Jo off the the science academy. 

Emma: My baby is so smart.

Me: Yes, she is. And they wear their formal clothes to school! And Jo looks so pretty!  But Jo, who breezed through school (once she was able to go) is finding the work rather challenging.

Jo: I should get Bloom to do my homework.

And Jo appears to have other things on her mind. She comes home one day with a wish to find out Ethan  Bunch's sign. Is their love and romance on the horizon for our little Jo?

Jo: Oh, Ethan....you're so dreamy

Emma: I'm not going to let any filthy boys date my precious Jo! They only have one thing on their minds!

Me: So the legacy will die with you then?

Emma: But--<sighes> We'll just have to see about this Bunch boy. Why do my babies have to get older? Why do I have to get older? <begins to cry>

But, unfortunately for Emma (and as a further sign of Emma's aging) Bloom celebrates his birthday.

Emma: No, no it's not possible. My little boy is growing up. I'm getting soooo old! <weeps profusely>

Bloom: It's my birthday! Holla!

Emma: <weeps> I'm getting so old! <sobs>

And then Bloom ages up into a mutant.

Emma: What? No! They told us that the toxic waste spill wasn't going to effect us!

Bloom: This hurts.

Emma is such fun to mess with. Don't worry, Emma. Bloom looks completely normal after his birthday. However, because of his indifferent study habits(i.e. Bloom was unable to walk into the school's door) Bloom gains the mean-spirited trait.

Emma: Bloom is my sweet baby boy! He would never be mean!

Me: Is this the face of an angel?

Bloom: Mess with me. I dare you.

Emma: Of course it's the face of an angel! He's my baby boy! He would never do anything mean!

Me: Only time will tell.

Emma: Time will prove me right! And it will prove that I will be young, beautiful and sexy forever and ever!

Me: We'll see, Emms.