All Episodes Talk: Small World, Big Lives

[funky-rat]

16 hours ago, UsernameFatigue said:

I like Chris, and always have. I don't think it is a big hairy deal that he left the table, and like that Amy brought it up to him and that he apologized to her. We have no idea what was happening at the time - I am sure there were scenes filmed that were cut from the episode. Maybe Chris got tired of having cameras follow them. Maybe he and Amy were eating alone because his friends did not want to be on camera. I give him credit not only for pursuing a relationship with Amy, but for being on film during parts of it.  Amy is used to be pick apart by viewers, Chris isn't. I give him credit for putting himself out there for Amy. I loved the brief glimpse of Levenworth - love that place. 

Agreed.  I see him as a laid-back, fairly easy going guy who doesn't have many hang-ups, as he readily jumped in to dating a little person and treats her well.

10 hours ago, SabineElisabeth said:

I've always gotten a creepy vibe from both Caryn and Chris, and the last few episodes do nothing but reinforce that.  Caryn treats/talks to Matt the same way my niece's babysitter does to my niece (she's 6).  Chris' disappearing act during the bike trip helped pinpoint a little bit what it is about him that I think bothers me....and it's that I get the feeling there is more going on with him than we know (and probably than Amy knows).  Not getting the "I'm an open book" feeling from him at all. 

My opinion of what happened during the bike trip is that Chris was sneaking off to do something.  No idea what but I'm pretty sure there is no human being who was raised in civilized society who would honestly think it acceptable to get up from the table in the middle of a meal at a restaurant and walk off for 20 mins without a word to his dinner companion about where he was going.  Not buying for a second that Chris was oblivious to that not being okay, and not buying the excuse that was presented on the show, either.  

Caryn does creep me out.  To me, she's the one who is smiling when she puts the knife in your back, and when you ask her to take it out, she'll complain about you being difficult, or similar.  I didn't like her when she first started working at the farm, because she really wanted to take things over and IIRC, was rather difficult to work with.  I don't get that vibe with Chris.  He may have bad manners, but if he's used to being alone all this time, he's not used to having to look at his watch, etc.  My husband is horrible about that kind of thing.  We'll be in a store, and he turns a corner and I don't see him for 15 minutes - he wandered off to look at something that pops in his head and he forgets to tell me, and then doesn't realize how long he's been gone.  Or he'll get up to use the restroom and see something along the way he wants to look at, and again, it's 10+ minutes later and I'm wondering where he went.  He wasn't raised with the best example in his mom and step-dad, and by now, it's not going to change, so I just try to impress on him that I would appreciate if he doesn't disappear on me without telling me where he's going, and he tries, but old habits die hard.  Maybe Chris thinks having to check-in with Amy every 5 minutes is patronizing to her.  But now that they have everything out in the open, hopefully they can come to a good place where each understands, and tries to deal.

[Whyyouneedaname]

1 hour ago, Phoebe70 said:

Yes, 100%.  Good lord, the man is in his mid-50s and thinks it's ok to just walk up from the table with absolutely no explanation for 20+ minutes?  He's not very bright, is he?  Of course, Amy's not too bright either because after she confronted him about it she was fine with it.  Those two deserve each other.

exactly, the whole talking head with her "no this is not working for me" and then "yep he explained, all is good in the neighborhood again" yada yada yada, she will take whatever excuse he gives her & she knows she can't get "angry" he's done made that clear. 

[Mindthinkr]

24 minutes ago, Whyyouneedaname said:

exactly, the whole talking head with her "no this is not working for me" and then "yep he explained, all is good in the neighborhood again" yada yada yada, she will take whatever excuse he gives her & she knows she can't get "angry" he's done made that clear. 

That’s just sad. I want a lot more for Amy than just accepting crap because it’s “good enough”. Everyone gets mad sometimes. It doesn’t need to be a screaming match but it isn’t healthy to stifle anger. He needs to find a good outlet to vent. Either a good friend’s ear or a physical activity. 

[Honey]

I really have to reply to the person who think Amy is still in love with Matt.  It makes me laugh every time I read that, because Amy was not even "in love" with Matt when they were still married.  In fact it really seemed to me that most of the time she couldn't stand him.  I can't say that I blame her.

I don't really think that Amy is taking crap from Chris, It's more that she was really proud of herself for saying something instead of just stewing about it, so the fact that she actually said something made her feel better, no matter what his explanation was.  Lordy, in their Th together, did she ever look at him like he was a huge bowl of ice cream she couldn't wait to dig into or what?

Edited May 7, 2018 by Honey

[spankydoll]

If Matt thought that a new wedding storyline would perk up the ratings he would be proposing. He and Caryn wrangling over a prenup would be something I would watch. 

The baby storylines are such a yawn that I am tapping out. Unless you folks mention something that is worth retrieving an episode from On Demand. 

[UsernameFatigue]

3 hours ago, funky-rat said:

Agreed.  I see him as a laid-back, fairly easy going guy who doesn't have many hang-ups, as he readily jumped in to dating a little person and treats her well.

Caryn does creep me out.  To me, she's the one who is smiling when she puts the knife in your back, and when you ask her to take it out, she'll complain about you being difficult, or similar.  I didn't like her when she first started working at the farm, because she really wanted to take things over and IIRC, was rather difficult to work with.  I don't get that vibe with Chris.  He may have bad manners, but if he's used to being alone all this time, he's not used to having to look at his watch, etc.  My husband is horrible about that kind of thing.  We'll be in a store, and he turns a corner and I don't see him for 15 minutes - he wandered off to look at something that pops in his head and he forgets to tell me, and then doesn't realize how long he's been gone.  Or he'll get up to use the restroom and see something along the way he wants to look at, and again, it's 10+ minutes later and I'm wondering where he went.  He wasn't raised with the best example in his mom and step-dad, and by now, it's not going to change, so I just try to impress on him that I would appreciate if he doesn't disappear on me without telling me where he's going, and he tries, but old habits die hard.  Maybe Chris thinks having to check-in with Amy every 5 minutes is patronizing to her.  But now that they have everything out in the open, hopefully they can come to a good place where each understands, and tries to deal.

How nice of you to join me in the uncivilized world - lol. For all we know it could have been producer manipulation that kept Chris away for 20 minutes (OMG!!). Amy could have easily asked him when he stood up where he was going, but she didn't. She likely will next time, and/or he will tell her. Hubby and I wander away from each other all the time. It would drive me nuts if I thought I had to check in with him every minute that we were together, in case we were suddenly out of one another's eye site, unaccounted for. Lol. And if I ever thought he was out of my eye site because he was sending a text to a side piece, I would go to counselling for my lack of self esteem. 

I have a friend who was married for over 30 years. She and her hubby texted each other/called each other numerous times a day. (That would also drive me nuts). They always ended every call with "I love you". He did this right up until the day he told her he was leaving her, and he left her for a woman he had been having an affair with for the previous year. But he sure was nice and considerate of her up until the day he left. Letting her know where he was at all times, and all. 

Edited May 7, 2018 by UsernameFatigue

[Rap541]

I think if the worst thing production can find is Chris being rude occasionally... there's probably not a secret body field full of Chris's prior victims. 

[ginger90]

[Literata]

On 5/2/2018 at 9:34 PM, woodscommaelle said:

For one, they are so very lacking in self awareness. They're a walking 'hipster' cliche if that makes any sense.

I dislike them because of so much that doesn't appear on the show, but can easily be found online. Audrey, especially, is insufferable, narcissistic, and horribly narrow-minded, and seems unwilling to accept that others' opposing views aren't necessarily wrong.

[Literata]

On 4/25/2018 at 12:58 PM, woodscommaelle said:

My first thought was Chris was going to take a few hits off a joint.  But, I would need to just get away from Amy for a few minutes, too. Joint or no joint.

And as someone else mentioned upthread, I don't trust him. Something about him gives me the creeps. 

I imagine that when she confronted him about it, she found out exactly where he's been going, but he didn't want it shared with us. I wondered if he has IBS, maybe, or another bowel/bladder issue. You'd think she'd be aware, but some people are weird around bodily functions. 

[AZChristian]

1 minute ago, Literata said:

I imagine that when she confronted him about it, she found out exactly where he's been going, but he didn't want it shared with us. I wondered if he has IBS, maybe, or another bowel/bladder issue. You'd think she'd be aware, but some people are weird around bodily functions. 

But after the better part of a week with her clutching onto his back on a motorcycle (not to mention his front in their hotel rooms), he hadn't told HER yet?

[Literata]

1 minute ago, AZChristian said:

But after the better part of a week with her clutching onto his back on a motorcycle (not to mention his front in their hotel rooms), he hadn't told HER yet?

Hey, I'm grasping at straws here. :) Maybe he really IS texting his side piece or taking a few hits off a joint. My point is: Wherever he's going, she knows, but they've decided not to share that with us.

[Rap541]

Honestly, there are so many things it could be like "I needed to call my elderly parent and check on them and didn't want the cameras to pick up that Mom/Dad has problem x, y or z". 

Maybe he just needed a break from Amy - I have some lovely friends that I go on a trip with every year and invariably I need to take a step back and get some away time from them at some point during the trip. He should have been more polite but I honestly am not seeing the fire here. 

[AZChristian]

19 minutes ago, Rap541 said:

He should have been more polite but I honestly am not seeing the fire here. 

When I traveled with some friends, we discussed up-front that we didn't all have to do everything together (it was a cruise).  But if I opted out of something, I'd say . . . "I think I'll pass on that."  I didn't just walk away without a word, leaving people to wonder where I was and if I was okay.  

Maybe it's because I'm old and hang out with people of a similar age, but it's important for people to know where you are if you just wander off.  We might need to contact the authorities for a "Silver Alert"!  Not to mention, he was her only mode of transportation.  

I think "the fire" erupted because of how many times Amy mentioned it . . . SHE kept the fire going on Chris' behavior.  

[Rap541]

Yeah but honestly, it's also the only part of the rather boring scenery fest that wasn't "Amy and Chris having fun". This show is no where near as cut throat as say, a Real Housewives show in participants needing to maintain interesting storylines in their lives or else they are off but... the Amy and Chris storyline does suffer from "We're always happy" syndrome

[athousandclowns]

I think he went to check on his friends who he has done this ride with for years . They are filming Amy and him only which takes hours of takes so maybe they weren't spending any time together.   Would Amy spill that his friends weren't being filmed so he wanted to touch base with them... No  

 I see him very affectionate something she never had with Matt or any other man most likely it's a good feeling. 

[sixlets]

Chris is a realtor, right?  Perhaps he received a call/text from a potential client.  I could see him leaving the table to keep the privacy of said client.  Since he's easily found online (along with any listings), it wouldn't be hard to find out who he sold a house to if property records are public information.  Granted, he could have said he had a phone call that he needed to take and excused himself from the table.  Plausible?  Too much time on my hands...absolutely.  

[ginger90]

[Libby]

Chris may have walked away for a very irrelevant or innocent reason. However, I don't think so. When a grown man in his 50s gets up and leaves for an extended period without saying anything to his partner, it signals something creepy and sneaky to me. By the time a person is Chris's age, I would think that they know to let their partner know that they are leaving and why. If Chris didn't want the TLC folks to know where he was going, he could have pulled Amy aside and told her what was up. I still say creepy...

Edited May 8, 2018 by Libby

[woodscommaelle]

Oh my god poor little Ember Jean.

[bichonblitz]

3 hours ago, Libby said:

Chris may have walked away for a very irrelevant or innocent reason. However, I don't think so. When a grown man in his 50s gets up and leaves for an extended period without saying anything to his partner, it signals something creepy and sneaky to me. By the time a person is Chris's age, I would think that they know to let their partner know that they are leaving and why. If Chris didn't want the TLC folks to know where he was going, he could have pulled Amy aside and told her what was up. I still say creepy...

Yes! Some people here (a lot, actually) aren't getting that it doesn't matter why he got up and left. People are making up all kinds of theories of why he did it. It doesn't matter why!  It's the fact that he got up, walked away without saying a word and didn't appear again for 20 minutes. After Amy got up from the table and walked out of the restaurant still wondering where he was. All he had to say was "hey, I'll be back in a few, do you want to wait for me outside? Or stay here? I'm sure she would have been perfectly fine if he just said something. That has nothing to do with feeling like you have a ball and chain you have to  "check in" with. 

[Ekatslovesrocknrol]

The man is probably a smoker ? geez louise can we all settle down ?

[bichonblitz]

2 minutes ago, Ekatslovesrocknrol said:

The man is probably a smoker ? geez louise can we all settle down ?

Then tell the woman you're going out for a cig. End of story. 

[leighroda]

My only possible scenario to tablegate that I’d kinda understand is getting up thinking he was going to answer his phone quickly and it turned more complicated or something, not that it makes it “ok”, it’s still rude, but I could u deestand it happening. But beyond all of our theories he said he just went to talk to friends... which is rude and odd to just get up with no explanation.

Does anyone notice how bored Jeremy always sounds when talking to his parents? It was especially bad when he called to wish Amy happy birthday, but even when he brought the books for Matt, he was saying it was cool, but sounded like he was counting ceiling tiles in his mind.

[Absolom]

For me it's the leaving a person sitting at the table in a restaurant.  If I were sitting on the beach reading a book and my partner walked away for 20 minutes that's an entirely different thing.  It's just not the "done thing" to leave someone sitting at a restaurant table without comment and yes, the reason why is basically immaterial to the rudeness of just ducking out.  It's only one step below turning your back on your partner who is talking and walking away.

[bichonblitz]

I love Tori's new highlights. Her hair is shiny, healthy and beautiful. She is beautiful inside and out. It was nice how she and Zach appreciated the "sound track" or dvd or what ever you call it Matt made for Jackson. It warmed my heart seeing Matt out on the farm by himself having a blast recording the farm noises and Zach saying he grew up with those sounds. Say what you will about Matt, there's no denying he sure loves his grandchildren.  It's funny how some people can be crappy parents but wonderful grandparents!

I can't stand hipster Jer but I actually thought he was really sweet with baby Ember. Auj was a whiny sourpuss as usual. I wonder if she's having trouble bonding with the baby and maybe suffering from post partum depression. Who would have thought Jer would be better at parenting than Auj!

Edited May 9, 2018 by bichonblitz

[Hpmec]

I hope Chris is sincere for Amy's sake, but I can't help but think the tv exposure is a big factor for him in maintaining the relationship. Walking away from the table without a word was downright rude. If he did need to excuse himself for a few minutes, he should have offered a brief explanation before getting up. And if they were traveling with others, this was clearly not the cozy trip for 2 being portrayed. I get the feeling Chris just seems to be along for the ride.

[ginger90]

11 hours ago, ginger90 said:

What was the surprise?

[dugie]

The relationship inbetween Amy and Chris seem so forced and uncomfortable. The party seemed producer driven and staged. It was weird that none of the kids went to the party (they go to Matt's gatherings). Even though Amy can't stand Matt, I think she misses her old life with the family. Now she seems like the outsider. Matt seems more involved with the grandchildren than her.

[CalicoskiesNC]

I thought the farm sounds recording for Jackson was incredibly sweet and inventive!  

[BusyOctober]

So now that baby Ember has arrived, the Jerk & Odd storyline will be about how difficult it is to live with a newborn... until she starts teething...or walking....  All of their conversations about preparing for the baby that were set on a permanent loop of "are you ready?  are we ready? I don't feel ready!  We are getting ready!  How do you feel, Babe?  Babe, I feel tired!, Hey Babe, do you feel ready?"  have now been replaced with "Ugh, I'm so tired from breastfeeding! Babe, breastfeeding is hard!  Ember can't latch!  Babe, did she latch? Has she latched?  Did you pump?  Nope, she didn't latch."  And what the Hell is with these 2 idiots asking each other if they think Ember's surgery was successful or if she's gaining weight?  I don't think Jerk or Odd can operate a calculator but they are qualified to assess neonatal heath?  Don't they have a pediatrician?  I guess Odd & Jerk thought that since they procreated in Jesus' name and delivered naturally! No drugs!! that their baby would be born without any of those issues that affect non-Jesus lovers.  Things like difficulty with feeding & sleep deprivation land on EVERY parents' doorstep as soon as the baby comes home!  How did they not anticipate any of this?  And, sadly for some poor little babies, surgeries to correct or help with a congenital anomaly is a possibility for hipster doofuses' babies as it is for non- blogging man bun & faux Mother Earth types.

Actually, ALL the people on this show repeat themselves incessantly.  Amy's repetition is about Chris and how she feels.  Matt's is about the damn "Big House" & pumpkin season prepartation.  I know this constant rehashing or rephrasing of the exact conversation we just heard is driven by the editing.  But if the producers need to prompt these people to keep restating what has been said eleventy-million times in the space of 42 min, then maybe it's time to cut this show to 1/2 hour instead of a 1 hour show.  It's obvious none of these Roloffs have enough charisma, or exciting lives if we have to hear "Chris is more awesome than Matt!" or "Amy is mean to me!" over & over & over.

The party was nice whether it was all Chris' idea or not.  But aside from Amy's friends Lisa & Deb, why do I feel like the rest of the "Guests" were TLC employees & interns?  I think it was nice that Matt helped Chris with some party logistics, but I wonder if Matt was invited to the party?  In the real world, I'd never expect one ex to invite the other ex (and his new GF) to come to a bday party.  But TLC likes to keep pushing Amy & Matt into contentious  situations, so they missed an opportunity to make everyone uncomfortable.

Edited May 9, 2018 by BusyOctober

[SunnyBeBe]

Those are some great photos upthread of Amy and Amy with Chris.  She sure looks happy and in deep thought. In front of the church, I wonder what decisions she debating on.  Last night she said she was happy with her life and not because she had someone in her life.  Hmmmm....okay, but, that's not how it seemed before she met Chris.  Recall how she wasn't that happy and really wanted to meet someone? So, I do think this happiness is due to Chris. She's so into the guy, I shudder to think how she'd react if it ended. 

Amy and Chris sure did seem happy at the birthday party...all the cuddles, hugs, kisses, etc.  I thought his words were sincere. I think it's hard to fake choking up like that, unless you are a sociopath. lol

It's so nice that Matt is happy for Amy and Chris too.  And, that Chris and Deb made it a point to tell Amy how helpful Matt was with the parking. It's like they are encouraging Amy to let it go, stop the resentment.  

Did you see all those liquor bottles on the table on the deck at the birthday party?  I suspect the kids saw this as an adult, partying, party and just left it to her mom and her friends.  I think they were actually Amy's friends though.  Would TLC have that many people available to fill in? 

I did feel for Jer and Auj. Having your baby in pain and having to cause that pain by doing those exercises, must have been brutal on him mentally.  I can't imagine it. Auj seemed so sad and overwhelmed.  I wish she had discussed what was going on with a professional, who could have given her more options. 

Matt doing those sounds of the farm for Jackson was awesome! What a great idea.  

[msrachelj]

13 hours ago, Libby said:

Chris may have walked away for a very irrelevant or innocent reason. However, I don't think so. When a grown man in his 50s gets up and leaves for an extended period without saying anything to his partner, it signals something creepy and sneaky to me. By the time a person is Chris's age, I would think that they know to let their partner know that they are leaving and why. If Chris didn't want the TLC folks to know where he was going, he could have pulled Amy aside and told her what was up. I still say creepy...

totally agree. of course, he can absolutely get up and take a break, but....you don't just get up and not tell your mate where you are going. at any age. what the hell. this is pretty inconceivable to me. if my husband did it i would be livid and very suspicious.  i agree that she knows the real reason and the show is not letting us know. because what he gave her was a bull shit non-excuse.  creepy, yes.

6 hours ago, Hpmec said:

I hope Chris is sincere for Amy's sake, but I can't help but think the tv exposure is a big factor for him in maintaining the relationship. Walking away from the table without a word was downright rude. If he did need to excuse himself for a few minutes, he should have offered a brief explanation before getting up. And if they were traveling with others, this was clearly not the cozy trip for 2 being portrayed. I get the feeling Chris just seems to be along for the ride.

feels to me like he is in it for exposure also. i can not get over the leaving without an explanation or his subsequent reasoning. i call bullshit. something is fishy.

[Lesia]

"All of their conversations about preparing for the baby that were set on a permanent loop of "are you ready?  are we ready? I don't feel ready!  We are getting ready!  How do you feel, Babe?  Babe, I feel tired!, Hey Babe, do you feel ready?"  have now been replaced with "Ugh, I'm so tired from breastfeeding! Baba, breastfeeding is hard!  Ember can't latch!  Babe, did she latch? Has she latched?  Did you pump?  Nope, she didn't latch." 

Don't know how to do the quote, but that is hilarious.  I said close to the same thing a while ago, about the incessant repetition.  can't. stand. it.

[Adiba]

In my opinion, the jury is still out on Chris. For me, I'm giving Chris some slack for his rudeness--because while I do think it was rude to not communicate to Amy, she seems so happy otherwise. I think she did suffer from low self-esteem (part of the reason she married Matt so quickly)--and now that she has someone who seemingly wants to be with her and do adventurous activities that she and Matt didn't do together, she is willing to forgive this flaw (for now at least). She's having fun-- I hope she just takes the relationship as it comes and for what it is.

I personally would not be ok with my partner leaving and not saying anything--but while there would be a "discussion" about it, it wouldn't necessarily be a deal breaker if I were happy otherwise. Jeez, people stay in toxic abusive relationships and forgive partners for worse than that (not saying that its right, just that it is so).

I agree, Matt does seem to love his grandbabies. So does Amy. She was over Zach and Tori's in a previous episode playing with Jackson on the floor, etc. I think they are both over the moon about the grandchildren. 

[Rap541]

Quote

Did you see all those liquor bottles on the table on the deck at the birthday party?  I suspect the kids saw this as an adult, partying, party and just left it to her mom and her friends.

Hmmm.

So all the "kids" are legal now for alcohol. So is Amy. So are most of their friends. Yes, I saw the alcohol. Adults at parties drink sometimes. Amy is not, in my opinion, committing some sort of moral horror in having a party with alcohol being served. Quite honestly, every member of this family has been seen drinking alcohol. If we're gonna roll our eyes and tut tut in horror over Amy's drinking, ok, but we better roll our eyes and tut tut over Matt's multiple DUI arrests. We also better tut tut in horror over Jeremy's Instagram photos of his car with empty beer cans in it. These people are not teetotalers and alcohol can be consumed responsibly.

Molly lives in a different state. Jacob doesn't want to be on camera.

Jeremy and Auj have NOT changed their opinion that Amy is a fornicating whore (Daddy Matt spreading Caryn's legs for an old fashioned Christian fuck is fine) They also have a newborn.

Zach and Tory while somewhat ok with the Chris situation also have a very young baby. 

Speaking as someone with a parent who has parties - sometimes parties with the parents are dull and awkward because I don't know their friends very well so it amounts to me sitting off in the corner watching a group of people I don't know very well have fun. When we add in the fact that one couple of "kids" has made it very clear that they don't approve of Mom's boyfriend, and the other couple of "kids" clearly tries very hard to not take sides... I get why the young married couples didn't attend. 

[bichonblitz]

Amy's two girlfriends bug me. They are terrible actresses. 

I can't stand Amy gushing over everything Chris does. I just can. not. She sure was pouty when she thought he didn't do anything else special for her birthday. I guess he has to be full of surprises and adventures all the time so she can compare him to how awful Matt was. Let's not forget Chris and Amy are at a stage in life where there are no kids to take care of, no car pools, no discipline, no having to get the kids up for school, do homework, have dinner on the table every night for a family of 6, be their taxi service, etc, etc... It's not fair to compare. Amy and Chris are free to have all the time in the world to "have fun" so stop gushing, Amy. If she still had school age kids living at home I'm sure single for his whole life carefree Chris wouldn't have even considered the first date. 

[Mindthinkr]

15 minutes ago, bichonblitz said:

If she still had school age kids living at home I'm sure single for his whole life carefree Chris wouldn't have even considered the first date.

I agree that this might have been a deal breaker to Chris. 

[riverblue22]

I don't think it's strange that the kids weren't at her party.  Chris and Amy seem to have a group of friends they hang with, and they came to her party.  Maybe the kids will throw her a different party--wouldn't the producers like two birthday parties to drag all this out?--so maybe that will be another episode.

ETA: Ha!  I wrote this before I actually saw the show.  Now that I have watched it I have a different take on it.  When I was in college I went out one New Years Eve, and came home to my parents' party still in full swing.  Now these were people I had known all of my life.  They were welcoming, wanted me to join the party and dance with them.  I was so uncomfortable!  I couldn't wait to get out of there.  I was very used to these people but not after an evening's worth of martinis. So I can understand Zach and Jeremy passing on this party.

I am glad Amy has friends.  Does Matt socialize too or mostly hang with farm employees?

Edited May 9, 2018 by riverblue22

[MegD]

3 hours ago, BusyOctober said:

So now that baby Ember has arrived, the Jerk & Odd storyline will be about how difficult it is to live with a newborn... until she starts teething...or walking....  All of their conversations about preparing for the baby that were set on a permanent loop of "are you ready?  are we ready? I don't feel ready!  We are getting ready!  How do you feel, Babe?  Babe, I feel tired!, Hey Babe, do you feel ready?"  have now been replaced with "Ugh, I'm so tired from breastfeeding! Baba, breastfeeding is hard!  Ember can't latch!  Babe, did she latch? Has she latched?  Did you pump?  Nope, she didn't latch."  And what the Hell is with these 2 idiots asking each other if they think Ember's surgery was successful or if she's gaining weight?

What I don't get is the whole "I'm such a failure, I have to use donor milk because she can't breastfeed" while Jerk's going on and on about how full Odd is because Ember's not breastfeeding. Here's a thought, go pump. Yes, using bottles wasn't your plan and the tiny baby Jebus clearly was confused that you were one of the sinning multitude. It just didn't make sense. But from her Instagram griping, apparently she's continued to be the most suffering mommy ever.

 

Matt's sounds tape was really cute except he kept talking over it. Had he edited out all of his commentary and just left the sounds in, I think it would be something that a lot of people would be interested in. But with Matt talking, especially so loudly as he was right by the microphone, it's going to startle a baby out of a doze and wake them up. Maybe Tori & Zack can recut it so Matt's voice is left out for the sleepy time sounds.

[BusyOctober]

35 minutes ago, MegD said:

What I don't get is the whole "I'm such a failure, I have to use donor milk because she can't breastfeed" while Jerk's going on and on about how full Odd is because Ember's not breastfeeding. Here's a thought, go pump. Yes, using bottles wasn't your plan and the tiny baby Jebus clearly was confused that you were one of the sinning multitude. It just didn't make sense. But from her Instagram griping, apparently she's continued to be the most suffering mommy ever.

I forgot to mention this exact thing in my earlier rant.  She went on and on in the "Woe As MEEEE!" 2-hour special about how "engorged" her breasts were, and how fast her milk came in, how no one could believe what an amazing "producer" she was, and the horrors of mastitis.  Then last night when she was recounting her various sacrificial suffering cycle of no sleep, pumping, extended breastfeeding attempts and making bottles, I thought "Well, at least she is producing enough milk."  I figured she'd be pumping/freezing milk to relieve her pain and be able to give Ember bottles of breast milk and/or the breast once the baby's suckling issues were addressed.  Now she needs donor milk???  What prevented her from pumping and saving whatever amount she could? Was it that she was trying to ONLY do breastfeeding, no bottles?  But she explicitly mentioned making bottles.  I admit, I have never breastfed, so I am ignorant of breast milk shelf life.  Does it not keep past a day or two? Is it possible after all her frustrations and Ember's inability to get the hang of it, Odd's milk production decreased that drastically?  I know some "breast is best" advocates are hard core about no formula or bottles, but if a baby is losing weight and not thriving, I would hope the mother would seek out another form of nutrition over letting the baby's health decline!

[Whyyouneedaname]

I think Auj was just so set in how things were gonna go & she controlled everything up to Ember being born, then lo & behold reality set in. The reality that all babies can/will nurse like you see on the movies doesn't happen,  there was an issue preventing her from nursing I'm just surprised ember wasn't crying her head off from hunger. Why not pump, if your engorged, to feed her until all the other issues were taken care of. I felt bad for baby ember having to do the mouth excersises, sounded painful :/

[Whyyouneedaname]

And one more thing that really just irritated me, Jer rubbing his darned ole stubby chin across her head & face. That is not a loving jesture, that crap hurts! I keep expecting to see a big red mark across her forehead from him doing that. 

[Mindthinkr]

37 minutes ago, BusyOctober said:

I forgot to mention this exact thing in my earlier rant.  She went on and on in the "Woe As MEEEE!" 2-hour special about how "engorged" her breasts were, and how fast her milk came in, how no one could believe what an amazing "producer" she was, and the horrors of mastitis.  Then last night when she was recounting her various sacrificial suffering cycle of no sleep, pumping, extended breastfeeding attempts and making bottles, I thought "Well, at least she is producing enough milk."  I figured she'd be pumping/freezing milk to relieve her pain and be able to give Ember bottles of breast milk and/or the breast once the baby's suckling issues were addressed.  Now she needs donor milk???  What prevented her from pumping and saving whatever amount she could? Was it that she was trying to ONLY do breastfeeding, no bottles?  But she explicitly mentioned making bottles.  I admit, I have never breastfed, so I am ignorant of breast milk shelf life.  Does it not keep past a day or two? Is it possible after all her frustrations and Ember's inability to get the hang of it, Odd's milk production decreased that drastically?  I know some "breast is best" advocates are hard core about no formula or bottles, but if a baby is losing weight and not thriving, I would hope the mother would seek out another form of nutrition over letting the baby's health decline!

Breast milk can be frozen. She could pump, transfer to bottle, feed and freeze. It may be that she needed to put her on an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication. You wouldn’t want that to contaminate her milk with drugs. If that’s the case than I can see why she’d need to get donor milk or formula. 

[kicksave]

55 minutes ago, BusyOctober said:

I forgot to mention this exact thing in my earlier rant.  She went on and on in the "Woe As MEEEE!" 2-hour special about how "engorged" her breasts were, and how fast her milk came in, how no one could believe what an amazing "producer" she was, and the horrors of mastitis.  Then last night when she was recounting her various sacrificial suffering cycle of no sleep, pumping, extended breastfeeding attempts and making bottles, I thought "Well, at least she is producing enough milk."  I figured she'd be pumping/freezing milk to relieve her pain and be able to give Ember bottles of breast milk and/or the breast once the baby's suckling issues were addressed.  Now she needs donor milk???  What prevented her from pumping and saving whatever amount she could? Was it that she was trying to ONLY do breastfeeding, no bottles?  But she explicitly mentioned making bottles.  I admit, I have never breastfed, so I am ignorant of breast milk shelf life.  Does it not keep past a day or two? Is it possible after all her frustrations and Ember's inability to get the hang of it, Odd's milk production decreased that drastically?  I know some "breast is best" advocates are hard core about no formula or bottles, but if a baby is losing weight and not thriving, I would hope the mother would seek out another form of nutrition over letting the baby's health decline!

Spot on!!!! That's what I was thinking! My daughter in law and her sister were pregnant at the same time last year and they both breastfed their babies...however...my daughter in law's sister had trouble with the baby latching...basically, he wouldn't latch at all so she decided to express her milk and bottle feed the expressed milk. She did this for 10 months quite successfully. Why couldn't the Auj do this? If this wasn't viable, then by all means give the baby formula! The baby needs nourishment! I think donor milk should be reserved for women who are ill or cannot breastfeed or express due to medical reasons. Auj seemed quite capable of expressing her milk. Even some breastfed babies need a supplemental bottle of formula if they aren't gaining weight. 

While I'm on the topic of the Auj....OMG!!!! The whining, the complaining, the constant "woe is me" about every little ache and pain....she is so self absorbed! And I thought she didn't look all that involved with the baby. More of an onlooker while Jeremy does everything. She seemed to prefer to just watch and then whine about not getting her 8-9 hours of sleep! She should have hired a nanny or baby nurse since she obviously can't handle not having perfect baby....though she finds plenty of time to have her hair and make up done while filming. Jeremy seems catatonic most of the time. He has no expression except dead eyes and a blank face...what is up with him?? And the hair...I never liked the man bun but it's so much worse when he lets his hair down...yikes! Clean up your appearance already...get a decent, grown up haircut, shave, wear something that isn't rumpled and worn out. 

[PugMum]

One of the things I tell couples expecting a baby is:  Don't get caught up in a plan. Expect the unexpected and don't be rigid about your labor and delivery! What. Insufferable. Morons!!!! When I had my first baby I knew she was on the small side and with my generous breeder hips I thought I'd have no problems with her  delivery. After 23 hours of back labor I accepted the fact that the only way I was going to have a baby was via C-Section. She arrived with an infection (probably due to the length of labor) and couldn't/wouldn't nurse. I became engorged and the only relief was through pumping. She stayed in the hospital for 2 weeks and I pumped and froze the milk the entire time. I think these self-absorbed, smug hipsters live their lives for very unspiritual compliments. They don't give awards in the hospital to women just for having a natural birth. The goal is a healthy baby. Period. I would be a raging alcoholic if I had to spend any time with these two.

[TwirlyGirly]

29 minutes ago, PugMum said:

One of the things I tell couples expecting a baby is:  Don't get caught up in a plan. Expect the unexpected and don't be rigid about your labor and delivery! What. Insufferable. Morons!!!! When I had my first baby I knew she was on the small side and with my generous breeder hips I thought I'd have no problems with her  delivery. After 23 hours of back labor I accepted the fact that the only way I was going to have a baby was via C-Section. She arrived with an infection (probably due to the length of labor) and couldn't/wouldn't nurse. I became engorged and the only relief was through pumping. She stayed in the hospital for 2 weeks and I pumped and froze the milk the entire time. I think these self-absorbed, smug hipsters live their lives for very unspiritual compliments. They don't give awards in the hospital to women just for having a natural birth. The goal is a healthy baby. Period. I would be a raging alcoholic if I had to spend any time with these two.

I'm short statured myself, and because of that, when I was pregnant I saw both an OB/GYN and a Maternal-Fetal Specialist (high risk pregnancy). I kinda knew all along I'd be having a C-section, but it wasn't actually mentioned until my 5th or 6th month. I remember the Maternal-Fetal Specialist looking all apologetic and saying "There's something we need to talk about. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you're going to need to have a C-section." I burst our laughing (literally!) and said "Why at you apologizing? I don't care if you pull my daughter out of my left nostril - whatever's safest for both her and me. Her birth is ONE DAY. I'm more concerned with managing the eighteen-plus YEARS that come after it!"

Despite knowing I was having a C-section, my OB/GYN insisted I go to the childbirth classes (they covered C-sections, too). I was so glad I went - I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the other expectant moms/couples. But when the class on C-sections came around, I was totally mystified at how the other moms reacted to the news that some of them most certainly would, for one reason or another, need an emergency C-section. Some of them began crying! I just didn't understand why they were making such a big deal over HOW their child came into the world, instead of how they were going to RAISE their child. It reminded me of people who spend months planning their wedding, but give little thought or planning to how they're going to sustain the marriage that comes afterwards...

[Honey]

There were a couple of times when the redhead looked at Ember liked she absolutely hated her.  It was scary.

[Jeanne222]

Amy watches every single thing she says.  She lost one man with her mouth and I'm sure she doesn't want to lose another!

Surely Chris watched past episodes and knows the real Amy so he's not going to put a ring on it!  The argueing about every single thing.  

Amy knew how important it was to Jer that she be there when the baby was born but Amy decided to go on a motorcycle ride!  She was very lucky baby went over the due date.  Amy takes care of Amy!

Matt made her a millionaire while she bitched and complained and kept that big, custom home like a pig sty.  

I think watching Matt with Jackson shows us the kind of man he is.  Writing and dedicating the book and now a tape with sounds of the farm!  He's so inventive.

I'm not sure about caryn but I'm watching her.  I love tori.  She's the kind of girl every mother wants for a daughter or daughter in law!  Tori makes Zack feel ten feet tall and I love that about her!

[WilliamNelson]

So this whole Amy bike ride brew ha-ha has got me fast forwarding every thing Amy & Chris.  Its all set up & we can verify.  When was Jer's kid born? a few months ago? They showed Leavenworth Wa & the surrounding area, looked like some Columbia River shots in there.  Notice all the smoke ?  Notice NO snow in Leavenworth ?  That's because this "ride" was shot this past fall during the Eagle Creek Fire & all those Canadian fires.  And Leavenworth is buried in snow from December to March, the green patch behind him where Chris says where they are at is the kids snow sled hill, even if this was when it thawed it would be muddy & roped off by the city, but then the hills would be covered too.

So they had to shoot all those "I cant believe Amy is leaving or when is she coming back" scenes knowing full well its all set up.  I know its a show & they gotta set some stuff up, but dang that's really trying to go a little far,  How about just phase out Amy & Matt & just show the twins & their lives ?