Katydid

She's just posted a few more photos of baby Charcoal on Instagram. She added a comment after the post saying that they took a 3 week "social media fast" before posting photos. Uh-huh. Sure. It had nothing at all to do with waiting for the magazine debut, right?

Her latest Instastory is a photo of 2 books someone gave Ember. One is 'She Persisted' (author: Chelsea Clinton). Hmmm... I have a feeling she wouldn't have bought that on her own.

I seem to remember Audrey being on the show at the family's New Year's party? That's the first time I remember seeing her at least. Not sure what year it was, though.

So I guess it wasn't TLC after all that was preventing them from sharing photos, but rather they were holding out for a magazine spread. Interesting, because I feel like Auj's endorsement of multiple comments criticizing TLC for not allowing them to share photos definitely gave that impression. I suppose Ember should be grateful that they went to the campfire for symbolic name inspiration rather than some of the other things that are special to their super special relationship. The ever-present typewriter, for example. Although with them wanting 3 more kids, they might be saving that one.

I'm not too surprised that she's bringing the theatrics over motherhood considering how to Auj it seems everything is a chore. Since she's been married, she's presented their relationship as though "beating 50" is some sort of torturous full-time job. Everything to her is hard, hard, hard. I agree that much of it comes across as fishing for compliments, which of course she receives by the truckload every time she posts on social media. I predict that as soon as the new(born) wears off, she will be one of those parents that constantly howls that their baby is "growing up tooo fasssssttt!" and posting photos with cheesy captions such a "I blinked and now she's grooowwwnnn!" In short, it will always be something with Auj.

I can't speak for her situation in terms of ability to dance, but at least in my experience with paralysis, I can feel pressure even where I don't sense pain or temperature. My spinal defect is in the lumber region of my spine at a level where I can feel the tops of and between my legs down to my knees but not the back of my legs and below my knees. But I can still feel pressure from sitting or when I have my feet on the floor to transfer out of my chair. Of course my condition and her situation are very different and I'm not in DWTS, so who knows. She has movement where she apparently doesn't have sensation, so I dunno. As for swimming without using your legs, I've been doing it since i was 3 (though not competitively). I do have the ability to use my stomach and thigh muscles, but I can't kick the way many people do. My legs just float and my arms propel me.

No doubt one of the poses for the photo shoot will be the popular one where the baby is folded over in half with its chin resting in its hands. It seems like everyone I've known who has had a kid in the past 5 years manipulates it into that pose for its newborn photo shoot. So I've been snooping around her Instagram likes again. This one popped up this morning: "Why can't you post pictures of her? Is it because of the show? If that's the reason that's pretty dumb considering it's your baby and not theirs." To my knowledge, Oddj hasn't made any statement that she cannot post pics of Ember- she just hasn't posted any since that first one. But I think it's interesting that once again she is liking a comment where someone was being critical of TLC. So that seems to imply that TLC is asking them to not post additional photos. If so, how pathetic that they are allowing a reality tv show to dictate how they share info about their child! Seriously, if they don't like it maybe they should go out and get REAL JOBS so they aren't under TLC's control ? Tori and Zach don't seem to have any problems posting photos of Jackson, but then again I guess he has already been revealed on the show.

Yep. I'd assumed we would be treated to some sort of presentation regarding her breastfeeding, whether it be her having difficulty (apparently the case given that post), or her being the best breastfeeder there ever was complete with daily photos.

2 side hugs per day and in special occasions. And the moral dilemma of whether she should grab his arm to keep from falling. Just...wow. Joy and Austin wanting to renovate that house in a month? HA! But the Austin added they would focus on the kitchen and master bedroom first. Priorities, right? Maybe they should have started with the nursery.

On the Instagram app you can see when someone you're following likes another post. You click on the heart icon at the bottom of your feed and it's under "following".

So now she has liked another post on the same topic. Someone wrote a lengthy comment on TLC's post with the photo saying how awful it was for them to share the picture and not waiting for the Jer and Odd to do it. Umm...where does this person think they got the picture?! It's not like they were hiding in the trees outside her hospital room paparazzi style! And Auj gave this rant against her employer (TLC) a like.

Someone on Instagram commented today on one of Auj's older posts expressing anger that people were sharing her news online, saying she was waiting to hear it from Auj herself. Auj gave the post a like. I'm assuming it was meant as a dig against Amy's spilling of the beans because surely she didn't expect silence after sending photos and comments to Us Weekly. Auj herself has still not posted since the delivery, but she's given a couple of posts likes.

Annndddd of course she had to prove me wrong and release a photo 30 seconds after I posted that I bet she wouldn't. LOL Ember Jean? I can't wait to hear the story behind that.

I can see her waiting for a magazine exclusive to reveal Daisy Braids in her full (better be red-headed!) glory. But I can't imagine her resisting showing her adoring public a photo of a hand or foot, along with a Bible verse of course, before then.

No sign of her on Instagram yet today, but in the past week every time I notice she's gone, she reappears.

I don't have any ill feelings towards Victoria for her personal story, and agree she had quite a remarkable recovery. And I'm one that always wishes for more representation of the disability community in entertainment (though I guess she's not really part of the community at this point). However, I don't look forward to the way her journey will surely be portrayed on the show (yes, especially Carrie Ann's boo-hooing every week). From reading her story, it seems that no matter how much of a recovery she made, she wasn't happy until she was out of the wheelchair. As a wheelchair user myself, I absorb those negative stereotypes and attitudes people have towards my life every day. The sweeping assumptions about my abilities and quality of life based entirely on the fact that I move around in a way that is different from most people, when in fact I am very independent, capable, and happy. We desperately need more representation from people who are living and thriving WITH disabilities. So, my initial gut feeling after hearing that DWTS was having another contestant who "overcame" paralysis (among many other complications of course, but "they!said!she!would!never!walk!again!!! will undoubtedly be the focus) was disappointment that they were continuing the damaging narrative that disability is something that has to be "fixed" in order to have a decent life. I've also heard from people I know who have acquired paralysis (mine is congenital) that stories like this are difficult for them because it gives some non-disabled people the idea that "if you just try hard enough you can get rid of paralysis too", which is not true. But then, I do realize they've also had contestants with current disabilities/differences (Amy, Nyle, Marlee, etc.), so I'm trying to be more open minded about those with stories like Victoria's. It's frustrating though to know that there will not be another side to the paralysis storyline presented. Of course I don't expect them to have a current wheelchair user as a contestant because they couldn't be judged by the same criteria, but I would love to see wheelchair dancers as a featured dance at some point. Wheelchair ballroom dancing is actually a thing and is quite impressive to watch, plus there are other wheelchair dance troupes out there that do other types of dance. Of course Carrie Ann would still cry. haha

I have a feeling we're in for many "too much info!!!" moments with Auj after little Peculiar Dynamic Ruby arrives. Yesterday she posted an Insta story of a bunch of sanitary pads she has treated with oils and aloe and is storing in the freezer to use after delivery. She also posted a video Jer took of her opening a box of her new onesies designs, and he was obviously failing at his attempt to provide enthusiastic commentary about it.

I expect Bethany will be a good competitor, as it's been quite a long time since she lost her arm and she's adapted in the years since. She has to have excellent control of her body to surf, I assume. And a few days ago she posted a video of her and her husband doing their workouts, and she's very fit and used to modifying things as needed. That's what happens with most of us who have disabilities/bodies that are different from the norm in some way. Of course this is DWTS and they will go the "It's so inspirational that you even got out of bed this morning, let alone danced!" route. Anyway, I've been following her Instagram and no obvious signs yet that she's in, but I agree it's probably her based on the hints.

Maybe we should start a birth pool for Peculiar Dynamic. In addition to birth date, also hair color/type. I'm going with 9/4 and dark blonde hair (*evil laughter*). Also, a reminder that she's running THREE businesses, AND starting filming LPBW, AND moving into a new house AND having a baby. It's hard times for Auj, y'all. She strikes me as the type that always has to create some kind of hardship in her life, inviting her fans to compliment her and give her attention.

It never ceases to amaze me how self-absorbed those two are. Her latest post, accompanied with another rubbing belly pic of course, is about how she feels like such an "underdog" going into child birth and motherhood, yadda, yadda, God something, yadda, yadda. Um, after what happened in this country yesterday she is still only focused on herself, her belly, her feelings, and of course her trip to freakin' IKEA?

Her latest Instagram post shares that she hopes for an "unmedicated, natural birth." Of course. No mention of whether the blessed event will take place in a treehouse or field of daisies, though.

My heart breaks for how this all went down. I understand the need to be represented and to feel respected. As a member of a different minority community that is also underrepresented in entertainment (and often grossly misrepresented the rare times we are included), it's a sensitive and important topic for me as well. But, I also realize that many times the things that trigger anger and hurt for me are truly not understood as offensive from those outside my community who don't live with my reality every day, and I think that's what happened with the situation this weekend. And for those times when the offense is unintentional, I think it's best to call it out with respect and a focus on educating people rather than the extreme lashing out that has been going on the past couple of days. I imagine that Jeremy, Melissa, and the others didn't fully understand the deeply personal meaning that particular fanbase attached to their ship before this happened. They knew they were passionate about it, sure, but maybe not aware of the complexity of why it was so important to them. I feel so bad for Jeremy especially. I've mentioned here before that I've been a fan of his for many years. I've met him a couple of times, and while obviously I don't know him on a personal level, I've seen and experienced the generosity and kindness he extends to his fans and have nothing but respect for him. He's the kind of guy that will stand outside a theatre and greet fans for as long as it takes to make sure he's gotten a chance to speak to everyone, take pics, sign autographs, etc. I've also seen him share very personal things about himself and his own challenges in life in the hope that he might be an encouragement to others, particularly his younger fans who may be struggling with various things in life. Given all this, it's easy to believe that he is probably truly very hurt and sad about what happened this weekend. He's apologized numerous times and explained that he has learned something from this that he will carry with him, and I don't doubt his sincerity. While I can now understand more about the initial anger and betrayal some felt about the situation, at this point and after him reaching out to them and apologizing, it's almost pathological and bordering on scary the way some are continuing to attack. Any thoughts as to whether this will have any effect on what happens on the show? In particular, might it change the way they handle scenes with Kara and Lena? I'm not sure. The reaction has just been so extreme that I wonder if they night be discussing how to best proceed.

Do they consider the Beating 50 thing and the Navigator's Council book to be Jer's "work"? I don't see him contributing in any other way. As annoying as I find Auj, I assume she's generating at least some income selling her Always More crap, essential oils, and until recently the Barre classes she taught. I guess Jer's biggest contribution is being part of a reality show family, though.

The pursuing Jesus over a career was my favorite part as well. Jer is pursuing eternal unemployment, apparently.

I get that many parents are sad to see their kids go off to college, but Mom was just SO over the top with it. I guess I thought that with one child already in college, it shouldn't have been quite so traumatic for her. Plus, she's obviously not an empty nester yet because Jazz has a few more years of high school. It's lovely that they are such a close family, but that was a bit much IMO. I think more than anything, Mom has some depression over getting older herself, and more kids in college represent her getting older. I was not at all impressed with the surgeon they saw. I thought the comment he made to Jazz's father after he examined her was very nice, but seemed out of place considering that the rest of the time he was such a sourpuss. I understand being frank and realistic about her chances of getting the outcome she's hoping for, but he was just so abrupt with the family from the time they sat down in his office.