#udc1340

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Back at Baxter farm, both Theresa (daughter of Gabriel and Reina Baxter, the second-generation heirs) and Marcella (daughter of the late Luke and Sarah Baxter) had their birthdays. They grew up into adorable and well-tempered infants--Theresa blonde and calm like her father, and Marcella ginger and sunny like her late mother.

Theresa also aged up with an...interesting eye color. Thank god for cas.fulleditmode!

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Reina's advancing condition, the many little ones under their care, and the rigors of farm life all conspired to keep her as well as Gabriel in what seemed a state of perpetual exhaustion. When they could, they folded themselves into a corner of the house's main room and napped while the Baxters, senior, attempted to ease their burden.

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UDC Intro, Part 4 - Smythe Family

(L-R: Celestina (74) holding David (2), Catherina (12) holding Anthony (4), Bernadette (33) holding redhaired Nicholas (2) and Mary-Joan (2), Jacob (36), Thomas (7) and Christopher (6).)

Here we have the final introductory post! If you'll recall from the first part, founder John's younger sister, Sibyl, only bore one child that made it to adulthood: Berndatte Kitchener (b. 1315). Bernadette married blacksmith Jacob Smythe (b. 1312) in 1335, and subsequently joined him and his mother, Celestina (b. 1274), at Smythe Farm. The Smythes rolled a staggering ten pregnancies, so in the years since their marriage, they've been busy. They're at 12 children thus far thanks to two surprise sets of multiples. For ease, I'll do bullet points:

Catherina (b. 1336)

Celeste (1337-1338)

Theodora (1338-1339)

Sabine (1339-1342)

John (1340-1343)

Thomas (b. 1341)

Christopher (b. 1342)

twins Madalinde (1343-1344) and Anthony (b. 1343)

triplets David, Nicholas and Mary-Joan (b. 1346)

As you can see, they've had some pretty bad luck when it comes to infant and toddler death rolls. They have one pregnancy left--hopefully all goes well!

All Intro Posts | Family Tree (spoilers!) | Note on Historical Accuracy

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Soon enough, Reina was sure she was pregnant. She had suspected it for months, but finally the evidence was undeniable. As the caretaker of four children under the age of six, she couldn't pretend that the possibility of a new addition wasn't a daunting one--but nevertheless she found herself growing excited at the thought of another baby in the home. Perhaps a son, like the one she and Gabriel had lost only a few years ago?

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Gabriel's grief notwithstanding, Reina was still able to persuade him into having a little fun one sunny afternoon.

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Gabriel's grief over his brother persisted as weeks turned into months and the sickness receded from their little island. Yet he could not afford to slow down. It was harvest-time, and he was in charge.

With a little help from his father, his wife, and his young nephew, he managed to collect all the year's crops. It was a bountiful harvest. At least he had that for which he could be thankful.

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In the last of the 1349 birthdays, young Gisela Baxter turned 3. She had been calm as an infant, but as she grew, she became increasingly clingy, following her father into the fields and her mother around the house. Despite this increased intrusion upon their time and space, her parents continued to adore her and provide her with the loving guidance she needed.

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The care of the newborns, Aaron and Bernadetta, fell mostly to young Catherina, for Jacob could hardly look at them most days. They had taken his wife, hadn't they?

For her part, Catherina took the work in stride. From the neighbors she bought goat's milk to feed her siblings. Each morning after waking, she would rush to where they slept, beaming with pride as they became heavier and heavier each day. She loved them, though sometimes it frightened her the way they'd squall and squall if anyone else touched them. She was only their sister.