I had been looking forward to Henry’s birthday for a while. Playing a teen Sim unlocks a whole new chunk of content from the High School Years expansion pack that I was excited to explore.
I planned a birthday party and invited as many Sims as I could. As soon as the party started and the guests arrived, Chestnut walked into the house, pooped on the kitchen floor one last time, and died.
![sims 4 horse kitchen birthday death](https://i0.wp.com/thesplinesfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/0223-09.png?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1)
You know what ruins the vibe? Horse kitchen birthday party death, that’s what.
Everyone cried, including the other horse.
![sims 4 horse kitchen birthday death](https://i0.wp.com/thesplinesfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/0223-08.png?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1)
Father Winter and the Grim Reaper both attended Henry’s birthday party. They shared a wordless moment as if making a silent connection about the bittersweet duality of existence and how joy and pain are integral to the human experience.
![sims 4 father winter and grim reaper at the birthday party](https://i0.wp.com/thesplinesfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/0223-07.png?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1)
Or maybe I’m reading too much into it. Maybe Father Winter just wanted to show the Grim Reaper what he made with the modeling clay, which seems to be: A lump. Good job.
Burdened by four separate Sad moodlets, Henry ate his birthday cake alone.
![sims 4 sad birthday](https://i0.wp.com/thesplinesfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/0223-06.png?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1)
Based on his random new outfit, it seems Henry will be going through a grunge phase as a teen. To try and make up for his terrible birthday party, I gave his bedroom a significant makeover.
![sims 4 sad birthday](https://i0.wp.com/thesplinesfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/0223-03.png?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1)
I guess he liked it. It’s hard to tell. He’s just so dang sad.
I also adopted a new horse for the family.
![sims 4 paint horse](https://i0.wp.com/thesplinesfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/0223-04.png?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1)
Meet Hush Puppy, a bad-tempered elderly stallion with behavioral problems and unusual markings. It looks like he’s wearing thigh-high riding boots! How ironic.