Tatum

I hate having to defend Gary, but Kristina did say she was on the pill. Granted, contraception is the responsibility of both parties, but if one is on hormonal birth control and the two are in a monogamous relationship, I can understand not using a condom. My husband I rarely use condoms, and for most of our relationship, we have not been trying to get pregnant. I am part of the 99% that relies on hormonal birth control alone and has had no accidental pregnancies. Now, whether or not Kristina was taking her pill responsibly, if they have been together for a year I'm not going to fault Gary for trusting her to take it as directed. I can fault Gary for his treatment of Amber and Kristina, his habit of oversharing to his 5 year old daughter, his lifestyle, his laziness, his lack of work ethic, etc., but in this one case, I'll cut him some slack. She does! She's attractive in an age appropriate way and never looks sloppy. Plus, she's usually smiling, which I think frequently makes people look more attractive.

They "deserve" to get Carly back, or at least get "visitions"? Wow, I weep for our future. Well, I guess if Tyler wants to hang his hat on the validation he gets from barely literate preteens, we can't take that away from him. Why won't Tyler see that he doesn't have to understand or agree with B&T? It does not matter if he thinks it's unfair that he can't post pictures. It doesn't matter if B&T tell him not to do something and don't tell him why. An open adoption does not mean this is ongoing transaction open to negotiation between the parties, with either party deciding to change the terms at any given time. B&T are not live in nannies that can be fired, or that report to Tyler in any way. I wish Kim and Cate would stop enabling him.

Ha, good one Amber. If I recall, a fair amount of actual celebrities (like Jessica Biel and Claire Danes come to mind) went to a traditional 4 year university at the height of their popularity, so shut up, Amber. I think I read in Seventeen or something similar that Jessica Biel actually lived in the dorms. Her rehab argument makes no sense either. Yeah, I could understand if like, Taylor Swift felt uncomfortable going to regular AA sessions, but people already know ALL of Amber's business as it is. Amber, Cate, and Maci all seem like they just want to get married and stay at home with their kids (with plenty of childcare help for when they need their me-time, which they appear to need much more than the average mom). I've never seen any of them express much interest in any school subject or career. I do think Maci would have eventually graduated from college if she did not get pregnant in high school, but I can see her quitting to be a stay at home wife or mom as soon as she got married. Amber or Cate probably wouldn't have graduated college or had a career (a job maybe, not a career) with or without a baby.

If they choose to continue with an open adoption, I hope it's not because they feel threatened by C&T's rabid fans. I mean, it might be, but I would feel really sorry for them if that is the case. I would imagine Dawn would definitely want to make that a last resort. Very curious to see tonight if Tyler comes stomping in, ranting about his feelings and how they need to be considered by B&T. I expect though that Tyler talks a much bigger game when he's bitching to Cate and his mom than what he would say to B&T's face.

Yeah, I'm actually a little surprised they are even having this meeting. When they have something kind of touchy to discuss with C&T, they tend to just go through Dawn. B&T do seem like really nice, non confrontational people, and I think Teresa has a special affection for Catelynn, and probably doesn't want to feel like she's punishing Cate for Tyler's bad judgment. That said, if Tyler doesn't reign it in, I think B&T will eventually have to pull the plug.

Their whole relationship is weird. But I partially blame Kristina for the adoption mention. She's the one who said, I know neither of us wanted a baby. It's one thing to say, I know neither of us planned on having a baby, it's another to acknowlege that neither parent wants the baby. It's hard to take these conversations at face value given they're likely reenacted, but it seemed like Kristina was trying to play it cool and act like marriage and a baby are the furthest things from her mind (when in actuality she has every intention of keeping the baby and would like to marry Gary-ew) and so it makes sense for Gary to say, well, if neither of us actually wants to have a baby at this point in our lives, why don't we consider different options? As far as how Gary sees Kristina- I think she's convenient. She takes care of Leah, she's willing to provide all the benefits of a partner without insisting on a firm commitment, and she makes Amber jealous, which I think Gary gets off on. I don't think he's over Amber, but I also don't think he's entirely sure he wants to reconcile with her, so his relationship with Kristina allows him to straddle the line while getting regular sex, companionship, and help raising Leah. It's a pretty good deal for Gary actually- I just can't figure out what Kristina is getting out of the deal. On a totally unrelated note- Maci and Ryan's interactions this week were night and day from last week. He was actually polite and almost friendly. Although I am sure I am playing right into editing hands, I can't help but think Ryan treats Maci so much nicer when he and the girlfriend of the season are on the rocks.

I'm so confused by that article. Why does production have to cater to her? Why not just pack up the cameras and tell Farrah they'll come back when she can be professional? MTV does not need any of these girls as badly as the girls need the paychecks.

Well, that seems to be his default line of reasoning- you wouldn't even have Carly if it weren't for me, so you need to just accept whatever I do and just keep reminding yourselves of that. There's just so much wrong with that reasoning and it's unfortunate that no one can make Tyler see that. This is not an ongoing transaction in which Tyler still has input and leverage. While B&T can (and should) continue to be grateful for being chosen by C&T and having their daughter, that does not mean they are obligated to run their decisions by Tyler, or seek his opinion on anything.

I usually read the comments here before watching the show in order to decide if it's worth my time to sit down and watch it- so I finally watched last night. I was expecting a certain level of douchery from Tyler based on the comments, but omg, you guys went easy on him. I could not believe his speech to his mom about how he always puts himself in B&T's shoes, and maybe they need to put themselves in his shoes. Hey Tyler- no one needs to be putting themselves in anyone's shoes with regards to Carly. B&T are not asking for your validation of the choices they've made for themselves and their daughter. You don't need to "understand" why B&T would request that you honor certain wishes- you just need to do it. It doesn't matter if you think it's dumb. Tyler seems to have this idea that B&T are providing some kind of finishing school for Carly, and that Tyler can fire them at will if he is not happy with the decisions they make- and that they are requesting feedback from him. B&T are probably too nice and mild mannered to really lay it on the table for C&T, so hopefully Dawn gets that job.

I don't know that Kim can always be counted on to give Tyler a much needed kick in the ass. While she occasionally has good advice, she seriously enables a lot of his bullshit. And in just the previous episode, Catelynn was explaining to Kim that B&T might be mad about the online postings, and Kim is like, well Tyler doesn't like being told what to do, or something to that effect. Well boo hoo, Kim, Tyler's going to probably have a lot of times where he's told what to do. And she seems to share Tyler's lack of understanding about boundaries regarding Carly and what Tyler's "rights" are. In a previous season, when Cate and Tyler invited B&T to something (was it their high school graduation?) and B&T didn't immediately accept, didn't Kim take it upon herself to call them up and pressure them into coming? I remember Dawn called C&T in for a meeting and basically said, please don't have your batshit crazy relatives calling up B&T on your behalf. Really, I blame Kim for a lot when it comes to Tyler. She seems to have this attitude that he's her precious little baby boy that can do no wrong and anyone that disagrees with him is out of line.

I don't for one second believe Maci's doctor told her she couldn't get pregnant again. He *might* have mentioned that when she's ready to try again, there might be some issues or it might take her some additional time, but that is not really the same thing and I'm sure Maci knew it. As far as how she made it nearly 7 years without getting pregnant again - I would not give either Ryan or Kyle enough credit to bet they insisted on condoms. Boning Ryan was probably sporadic enough where Maci just didn't happen to be ovulating at that time (PCOS can lead to fewer cycles, so instead of ovulating every 28 days Maci may have been more like every 7-12 weeks, significantly reducing her chances of an "unplanned" pregnancy), and I'm guessing Kyle probably grilled her about using birth control. Sure, Maci could have always "forgotten" to take her pills, but that's a little more devious than telling your boyfriend that your Dr. said you likely would have trouble getting pregnant and forgoing pills with your partner's knowledge. In Kristina's case, I don't believe for one second her birth control failed her. Sure, it's not 100%, and for some women, they will use it as directed, and still wind up pregnant. I don't believe Kristina is one of those women. I'm really shaking my head over someone being so desperate to keep Gary around that they would purposely get pregnant. To me, sleeping with Gary would be mortifying enough, but to be pregnant with his baby would have to be something I would file in my "Pretty much the worse thing that could ever happen to me, barring death of a family member" folder.

According to Radar Online, she is 32, and has been dating Gary since early/mid 2013. Her husband filed for divorce Valentines Day 2014, and then filed a restraining order against her in July 2014 that was later dropped. Things are starting to make a lot more sense now... I tried to find a picture of the ex, just to see what could possibly make Gary seem like an upgrade, but am not able to find any pictures. He has a very common name, so unless one of the fan sites kindly publishes it, I doubt I have the sleuthing skills to find one.

You might need all of it for yourself. As I see it, the problem with standing bedside is that gravity is going to make certain...key areas hard to find. Plus if he moved too quickly he might throw his back out. I just don't know. And this is a horrible conversation but I just can't stop.

All you have to do is google "Brandon and Teresa Last Name" and it pops up. Someone on TWOP, even prior to Teen Mom really taking off, said some fan site had posted Brandon's Linked in page.

I am way too invested in this, but I just don't see what Kristina could possibly be thinking. I just want to understand! She seems like someone who has her head on straight, and even if, in a moment of weakness and loneliness, she saw some sort of appeal in Gary, why is she begging this sloth to marry her? I wouldn't want to be a single mom, but there are some cases where that is the lesser of the evils and I think this is one of them. Yet she not only wants to sign on for a lifetime with Gary (his lifetime, not hers, because I suspect one of these is going to much shorter than the other), but also willingly got involved in Amber's trainwreck. Even if Gary had Ryan's looks, Corey's fathering qualities, and the intelligence and personality of... someone other than a Teen Mom dad, that would not be enough to entice me to marry a guy who would forever be tied to Amber. Please, Kristina, explain. ETA I strongly suspect that was Tyler's plan all along. That he would ignore B&T's rules, and, if faced with any consequences, unleash his legion of "fans" to show B&T the error of their ways, and overturn any consequences. In Tyler's warped mind, he really believes his DNA contribution (and subsequent manipulation of his girlfriend to agree to adoption) entitles him to not only a lifetime of gratitude from B&T but also complete autonomy over their parenting decisions.

I can't believe I am even going to speculate about this but I'm that bored at work. For sure she must be on top, and I imagine she must have done most of the cardio. Wow, even more amazing that he's able to perform is that there's a girl willing to hop on. That one is a definite head scratcher. From what I can tell, the girlfriend seems to be totally normal and even if Gary is getting a decent chunk of Teen Mom money and is recognized at the local Buffalo Wild Wings, there has got to be a better option.

When I mentioned water retention, I was more referring to the 3 pound weight gain within one week vs the 20 pounds she already had, which I actually think is likely, even taking into account Catelynn's horrible eating habits and sedentary lifestyle. As you pointed out, using Myfitnesspal math, Cate would have to have eaten around 1500 additional calories every day for a week to put on three pounds of fat- that's like TWO big macs on top of the three meals and various snacks and coffees she would have tossed back if she was not pregnant. That said, I agree Cate is not eating healthily and should make some adjustments. I just think if Tyler is really concerned (whether it's about Cate or baby's health, or just his dread in hearing Cate bitch about her weight down the road) he should go about it in a better way. If Cate already eats her feelings, having Tyler make her feel bad about herself will likely backfire and cause her to eat more. I do think there's a difference between Cate and Gary. For all seasons of the show, Cate has been kind of a yo-yo dieter. She'll blow up, then she'll lose some weight, then she'll gain it again. While it's obvious she needs to find a long term plan that works for her, at least she seems aware of her size and has made some attempts to change it. Gary seems happy to sit in his recliner and eat and appears to just be getting bigger. ETA: Sadly enough, Tyler pressuring her may carry more weight than the doctor's lectures. Cate seems to live and breathe to please this guy.

In all fairness, sometimes a significant weight gain in a short period of time is related to water retention, especially in pregnancies. But yeah, in Cate's case, I would bet she's eating even worse than usual which is not ideal. A pregnant woman shouldn't be starving herself in order to stay thin, but she should be focused on making sure she's getting plenty of protein, iron, calcium, vitamins, etc, and staying hydrated. And I agree it is troubling that Cate thinks of happiness in terms of what she's allowed to eat. That said, I doubt Tyler's lecturing is going to be helpful to her.

Yeah, if I recall, Catelynn has never been a healthy eater and has had problems with her weight for most of the duration of the show (by problems, I mean clearly some insecurity issues and body image problems) but even prior to pregnancy, had a poor diet and was not very active. Maybe instead of lecturing her, Tyler could start stocking the house with healthier choices and invite her to go on walks with him or other activities. Pregnant women do need to be careful about how they eat and a little moderate exercise never hurt anyone. But Tyler is so that guy who loves to lecture about how everyone else is doing it wrong while doing nothing productive to improve the situation.

Agree so much with this. I was infuriated when Amber was bitching to the producer about how Gary was saying she was a bad mom, when she was in fact, an "amazing" mom. First off, Gary never said she was a bad mom. He might have implied that Amber was unprepared to take Leah overnight and get her to school with everything she needed, but that is not the same as being a "bad" mom. Second, in no circumstances should anyone declare herself (or himself) an amazing parent. I know a lot of amazing moms (and dads) and none of them would have referred to themselves that way. It just irks me. Second, what makes you so "amazing", Amber? The fact that Leah loves to see you? Well, as pointed out above, you pick her up (when it's convenient for you, so you're never tired, stressed, sick, busy trying to work from home/study/make dinner/clean house on Leah's time), you buy her ice cream, you take her to the park, buy her toys, have no real set of rules- of course she loves being with you. You do about 5% of the total parenting, and it's the fun 5%. We would all be awesome parents if we only had to do it a couple hours a few times a week and had no other commitments to juggle.

True enough. And plenty of people will hit up their parents for gas money even if they are gainfully employed and have cash in their wallets. Even if Ryan had thousands of dollars just sitting in a checking account somewhere, he seems like the type to still try and squeeze money out of mom.

Eh, I'd rather they just completely table any kind of romance for Lip and Fiona in all of season 6. Even if Lip gets his heart broken, that won't be worth it for me. I liked Karen and Lip in S1 and early S2. I have no idea why they completed assasinated Karen's character in the second half of S2. They took a complex, interesting character, and turned her into a complete one note bitch. Anyways, when Karen broke Lip's heart it seemed like he just took it out on the next girl, so I think he should just be without a love interest for awhile.

That is just maddening. I've seen it in my personal life as well- a girl watches her main squeeze belittle and disrespect his ex (frequently a long time partner and mother of his child/ren) and it seems like all she takes from it is "Tee-hee, he doesn't like her at all. He's all mine!" It's even worse in a case where the girlfriend knows he's not paying child support and doesn't consider this a character flaw. Well, it'll be Shelby's turn soon enough. By the end of his relationship with Dalis, he was as dismissive of her as is towards Maci. I forgot another really annoying thing about the latest episode- when Amber did a voiceover talking about how "annoying" it was that she had to clear it with Gary if she wanted to see Leah. You mean, the guy that is raising your child full time while you were/are in and out of jail and rehab and book tours? And you have to consider Leah's regular schedule and her basic needs (including a good night's sleep) instead of just blowing in and out of her life whenever it fits your schedule? Yeah, how inconvenient. Amber may care about Leah, but she never seems to make Leah's well-being her first priority.

Yeah, that's what I was getting at- he acts like he hates her now. But when he wants something from her (like, when he's between relationships, or in the Being Maci when he was dating Dalis but she was getting clingy and needy and Ryan started looking to get out of it) he's pretty nice to her. And of course later Maci was sitting on her throne with her flunkies, dissecting his every word and smugly denying her friend's assertion that there was her "proof" that Ryan was still in love with her. I am obviously not in the Maci/Ryan inner circle, but I'd lay good odds on the two of them having had drunken hookups numerous times throughout the last 5 years- particularly when they aren't filming. I finally watched the epsiode last night, and either Ryan is a way bigger asshole that I originally thought, or the editing team is working overtime to make him seem that way. Even before the drop off incident was baffling. Maci calls Ryan and asks where he'd like her to bring Bentley. Ryan says the gas station. Maci says okay. Ryan asks what time, and Maci gives a time. Ryan says okay. Then Ryan turns to Shelby and says, why is she so difficult? WTF? Um, she called to ask you what would be the most convienent way to hand off Bentley. Ryan tells her what he prefers, Maci says okay and tells him what time to meet her. I can't think of anything Maci could have said that would have made her more agreeable than she was on the phone. Also, I am really not liking Ryan's girlfriend smirking every time Ryan goes off on Maci. Hey Shelby, your boyfriend treating his ex and the mother of his child with such disrespect is not a good thing, but you'll figure it out when you're on the receiving end, which you eventually will be.

That is hilarious that Farrah nixed a school based on the fact they had construction going on. God, these girls are idiots. I wish there could be a Teen Mom remix, where they pick girls from various seasons of 16 and pregnant and just film them for one year, and then go back and profile another four girls. There are a few (very few) girls who, on the update specials, appear to have somewhat gotten their lives together and are responsible, contributing members of society. Why can't we see them (assuming they'd sign on for this show)?