Josiah and Lauren: He Has To Marry Somebody

[BitterApple]

Bella is really cute. 

[BigBingerBro]

[sigmaforce86]

On 9/9/2020 at 1:16 PM, QuinnInND said:

 

 Nothing against Josiah specifically but if freaks me out when parents carry their kids like this.  It seems common and mostly safe but all I see is the kid tipping over backwards and either hanging down Dad's back as he tries to get them upright or Dad loses his grip and they drop.  Can't help it......gives me the shivers every time.

That said it is a cute candid picture of them and I'll excuse the head bow because I love that she's wearing jeans and not a dress.

[madpsych78]

24 minutes ago, BigBingerBro said:

Josiah does not appear to be wearing his ring in the candid shot, but he is in the IG post. And Lauren is wearing hers on her left hand.

[GeeGolly]

9 minutes ago, sigmaforce86 said:

 Nothing against Josiah specifically but if freaks me out when parents carry their kids like this.  It seems common and mostly safe but all I see is the kid tipping over backwards and either hanging down Dad's back as he tries to get them upright or Dad loses his grip and they drop.  Can't help it......gives me the shivers every time.

That said it is a cute candid picture of them and I'll excuse the head bow because I love that she's wearing jeans and not a dress.

I agree, she's too young for a should ride. She doesn't have the muscle control or instinct yet, to right herself if she started to flip back.

2 minutes ago, madpsych78 said:

Josiah does not appear to be wearing his ring in the candid shot, but he is in the IG post. And Lauren is wearing hers on her left hand.

Old photo? Pre-marriage?

[BigBingerBro]

3 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

I agree, she's too young for a should ride. She doesn't have the muscle control or instinct yet, to right herself if she started to flip back.

That shot was most likely staged.  There is probably Lauren or someone else just inches away to support her if she leans back.  All for the 'gram!!

[madpsych78]

3 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

I agree, she's too young for a should ride. She doesn't have the muscle control or instinct yet, to right herself if she started to flip back.

Old photo? Pre-marriage?

That could be, I didn't think about that. 

[ouinason]

why would wearing a ring on the left hand be odd?  Do you mean she has one and he doesn't?  Because the left hand is where the ring is supposed to be.

[absnow54]

1 hour ago, ouinason said:

why would wearing a ring on the left hand be odd?  Do you mean she has one and he doesn't?  Because the left hand is where the ring is supposed to be.

Yes. Most likely this was taken while they were engaged, before he started wearing a ring too. Duggar engagements are so short, it’s easy to forget about them. 

[ouinason]

I know it's mean, but Lauren looks like she's bitching her poor fiance out in that pic.  Obviously there is no way to know what action it captured, but that's the impression her face gives me.  Either that or complaining about something.

[Zella]

12 minutes ago, ouinason said:

I know it's mean, but Lauren looks like she's bitching her poor fiance out in that pic.  Obviously there is no way to know what action it captured, but that's the impression her face gives me.  Either that or complaining about something.

There are very few pics of her I've seen where she doesn't appear to be pouting or snarling. Even when she's smiling, it often comes across as in the middle of a snit. 

[xwordfanatik]

I imagine Lauren to be as exhausting to deal with as RFP seems to be.  I just get the feeling that those two think they married beneath them.  

[BitterApple]

53 minutes ago, xwordfanatik said:

I imagine Lauren to be as exhausting to deal with as RFP seems to be.  I just get the feeling that those two think they married beneath them.  

There's definitely an air of superiority to both of them.

[MargeGunderson]

I think Lauren has resting bitch face syndrome. I think her face in its natural state looks cranky. I also have it, which I’m sure is the only thing I have in common with her. 

[Zella]

4 minutes ago, MargeGunderson said:

I think Lauren has resting bitch face syndrome. I think her face in its natural state looks cranky. I also have it, which I’m sure is the only thing I have in common with her. 

Yeah to be fair, I also have RBF. Actually maybe more like resting serial killer face. One time someone asked me to retake a photo ID picture because I looked so very . . . intense. LOL

[MargeGunderson]

49 minutes ago, Zella said:

Yeah to be fair, I also have RBF. Actually maybe more like resting serial killer face. One time someone asked me to retake a photo ID picture because I looked so very . . . intense. LOL

Ha ha! My husband has remarked on more than one occasion that I look like a serial killer on my driver’s license. He is not wrong. 
 

I think Lauren is rather passive aggressive, which I suppose is about as aggressive as a girl can get in her upbringing. I wonder how she and Jessa get along. My money is on Jessa in a fight. 

[BigBingerBro]

Many people think they have Resting Bitch Face and they really don't.  They just tend to be pissy all the time.  I truly think Lauren is the perfect example of resting bitch face.  If she's not smiling, she looks very unhappy.

[Zella]

2 hours ago, BigBingerBro said:

Many people think they have Resting Bitch Face and they really don't.  They just tend to be pissy all the time.  I truly think Lauren is the perfect example of resting bitch face.  If she's not smiling, she looks very unhappy.

My read is that Lauren is actually just pissy all the time. 

Edited September 25, 2020 by Zella

[emmawoodhouse]

1 minute ago, Zella said:

My read is that Lauren is actually just pissy all the time. 

She comes off to me as spoiled and entitled.

[Zella]

Just now, emmawoodhouse said:

She comes off to me as spoiled and entitled.

Yes, she seems like a really deeply unpleasant person with a lot of emotional issues. Even in moments when she's not actively scowling, she's usually being passive-aggressive. Let's just say if I got trapped on Duggar Island, she'd be one of the first I'd vote off because I'm not sure I could handle being around her for very long. 

[emmawoodhouse]

I can't imagine how unpleasant Duggar Island would be to inhabit as an outsider. 😑

[Zella]

3 minutes ago, emmawoodhouse said:

I can't imagine how unpleasant Duggar Island would be to inhabit as an outsider. 😑

My first move would actually be to skip the election and try to make a raft to float away. 😂

Or maybe annoy them all enough to make them vote me off the island? Hmm. . . .

[GeeGolly]

I think Lauren's 'resting personality' is woe is me, and her face reflects that. I'm guessing she finds fault is every aspect of her life, with the exception of Bella, who I'm sure Lauren thinks is more developmentally advanced than her similar in ages cousins.

 

[Albanyguy]

8 hours ago, Zella said:

Yes, she seems like a really deeply unpleasant person with a lot of emotional issues. Even in moments when she's not actively scowling, she's usually being passive-aggressive. Let's just say if I got trapped on Duggar Island, she'd be one of the first I'd vote off because I'm not sure I could handle being around her for very long. 

I think she’s very disappointed that her marriage to a Duggar did not bring her the rewards she was expecting. Nobody made much of a fuss over her and even the fans don’t seem to care about her beyond her ability to push out babies. She and Josiah will never be a “breakout couple” on the show. Josiah has never been one of his parents’ favorites. She must have been shocked to realize how low her position on the Duggar pecking order really is.

[lascuba]

8 hours ago, Zella said:

Yes, she seems like a really deeply unpleasant person with a lot of emotional issues. Even in moments when she's not actively scowling, she's usually being passive-aggressive. Let's just say if I got trapped on Duggar Island, she'd be one of the first I'd vote off because I'm not sure I could handle being around her for very long. 

I don't know, I think the way she routinely insults Josiah and her in-laws would make me want to keep her on the island for the first few rounds. 😄

[Zella]

2 hours ago, lascuba said:

I don't know, I think the way she routinely insults Josiah and her in-laws would make me want to keep her on the island for the first few rounds. 😄

It's funny when not directed at me, but I think she would be absolutely intolerable in person. To be fair to her, though, I think she just has one of those personalities that really rub me the wrong way. I can't stand whiners and I can't stand professional martyrs, and I think she's both. There are other equally awful personality types that I can deal with better. 

I will note that I do have some residual sympathy for Lauren. I think @Albanyguy's assessment of what she expected and what she got is dead-on. But I'd still have to quell the urge to throat-punch her if I was on the receiving end of her attitude. 

[lascuba]

39 minutes ago, Zella said:

It's funny when not directed at me, but I think she would be absolutely intolerable in person. To be fair to her, though, I think she just has one of those personalities that really rub me the wrong way. I can't stand whiners and I can't stand professional martyrs, and I think she's both. There are other equally awful personality types that I can deal with better. 

I will note that I do have some residual sympathy for Lauren. I think @Albanyguy's assessment of what she expected and what she got is dead-on. But I'd still have to quell the urge to throat-punch her if I was on the receiving end of her attitude. 

Oh absolutely. From what I've seen of her, I dislike her immensely and would have no patience with her bullshit if I had to deal with her. In the context of the Duggar universe, however, she's the most entertaining to me. Her snarky comments to Josiah and his family when they do/say something ridiculous; her refusal to play along for the cameras when Josiah annoys her; her not giving a single fuck at how awkward and uncomfortable her in laws feel when she throws a tantrum. In a small way, I kind of feel about her behavior the way so many felt about teen Jinger's eye rolls. I'm not a whiner, but if I were dealing with the Duggars and the nonsense TLC wanted me to do, I know my face and my attitude would tell quite the story.

It's a bit "the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Edited September 25, 2020 by lascuba

[Zella]

2 minutes ago, lascuba said:

Oh absolutely. From what I've seen of her, I dislike her immensely and would have no patience with her bullshit if I had to deal with her. In the context of the Duggar universe, however, she's the most entertaining to me. Her snarky comments to Josiah and his family when they do/say something ridiculous; her refusal to play along for the cameras when Josiah annoys her; her not giving a single fuck at how awkward and uncomfortable her in laws feel when she throws a tantrum. In a small way, I kind of feel about her behavior the way so many felt about teen Jinger's eye rolls. I'm not a whiner, but if I were dealing with the Duggars and the nonsense TLC wanted me to do, I know my face and my attitude would tell quite the story.

It's a bit "the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Ah yes I can understand that. I've only ever watched 2 episodes, and one of them was the marriage counseling one in which she loudly proclaimed she was not feeling well, admitted she was fine but pissed at Josiah, and proceeded to languish on a couch with her back to everyone. 

I was so appalled that a grown woman would act like that. Like, I couldn't even find at funny at a certain point because it was so childish. I can't remember if when that aired if she had already had her daughter or not, but I just felt bad for that kid and that's all I could think about, how awful it would be growing up with a parent who was that self-centered and histrionic. 

I think I'd have more respect for her if she just said what she thought--"Fuck you, Duggars!"--rather than the passive-aggressive bullshit. She will never do that, though, because I think Lauren would like very much to be famous and would have no objection to anyone in the family if she got her way.

[farmgal4]

31 minutes ago, Zella said:

Ah yes I can understand that. I've only ever watched 2 episodes, and one of them was the marriage counseling one in which she loudly proclaimed she was not feeling well, admitted she was fine but pissed at Josiah, and proceeded to languish on a couch with her back to everyone. 

I was so appalled that a grown woman would act like that. Like, I couldn't even find at funny at a certain point because it was so childish. I can't remember if when that aired if she had already had her daughter or not, but I just felt bad for that kid and that's all I could think about, how awful it would be growing up with a parent who was that self-centered and histrionic. 

I think I'd have more respect for her if she just said what she thought--"Fuck you, Duggars!"--rather than the passive-aggressive bullshit. She will never do that, though, because I think Lauren would like very much to be famous and would have no objection to anyone in the family if she got her way.

I’ve always liked Josiah, which may be why I feel so awful for him.  I couldn’t imagine having to live with that bitch for the rest of my life.  He has to be miserable.  

[GeeGolly]

I don't think Lauren's attitude is because of the Duggars. I think she'd pull that with anyone. Lauren looks for reasons to feel slighted or hurt. I think the only thing disappointing to her about the Duggars is they don't pay enough attention to her. She's just another DIL/SIL that gave birth to another baby. Duggarland does not pay attention to special diets, aches and pains or whatever else Lauren uses to aim the spotlight on her.

Lauren would only be happy if she married a singleton son and became the new "daughter". And even that happiness wouldn't last long. 

[Chicklet]

Lauren can't compete with her sister-in-law Little Mary Sunshine (Kendra). She's pleasant and smiles a lot, and laughs at everyone's jokes, even if they aren't funny. She's everything Lauren isn't and the stark contrast is well...stark. Lauren's face just chases people away and people naturally gravitate to Kendra. She'll never be the favorite and she's not married to the favorite Duggar child. She could put forth some effort to be different but I think the discontent is bone deep.

[Ohiopirate02]

20 minutes ago, Chicklet said:

Lauren can't compete with her sister-in-law Little Mary Sunshine (Kendra). She's pleasant and smiles a lot, and laughs at everyone's jokes, even if they aren't funny. She's everything Lauren isn't and the stark contrast is well...stark. Lauren's face just chases people away and people naturally gravitate to Kendra. She'll never be the favorite and she's not married to the favorite Duggar child. She could put forth some effort to be different but I think the discontent is bone deep.

I would rather have to deal with a Lauren than an Kendra though.  Kendra is going to bottle up everything and pretend she is fine when she really isn't, so you really will never know where you stand with her.  Deep down she may hate your guts, but on the surface she will be all rainbows and butterflies.  Lauren and I can come to an understanding where I call out her passive aggressive bullshit and she can openly loathe or like me, her decision.  

[Chicklet]

I'm just talking about her family and in-law interactions. I don't think I'd like either one though Kendra might cause less of a ruckus in the family or out in public (a la Lauren lying on the sofa ignoring everyone at the retreat). You know the family talked about that one.

And Kendra's really internalized the "keep sweet" mantra. Girls's got it down pat.

Edited September 25, 2020 by Chicklet

[Temperance]

In terms of finding favor with the in-laws, Kendra is more fertile which makes her a favorite with JB and Michelle. 

[Scarlett45]

On 9/25/2020 at 3:50 PM, Ohiopirate02 said:

I would rather have to deal with a Lauren than an Kendra though.  Kendra is going to bottle up everything and pretend she is fine when she really isn't, so you really will never know where you stand with her.  Deep down she may hate your guts, but on the surface she will be all rainbows and butterflies.  Lauren and I can come to an understanding where I call out her passive aggressive bullshit and she can openly loathe or like me, her decision.  

I’d rather deal with a Kendra than a Lauren because I would trust Kendra to have social graces, respect social rules and have a pleasant attitude. Now that doesn’t mean I don’t think Lauren would be a genuine friend to someone she actually liked, but on an acquaintance level I prefer Kendra. 
 

Also I’m more like Kendra temperament wise. I’m generally a happy, upbeat individual, and Negative Nancys always scream “attention whore” to me. 

[Tikichick]

On 9/25/2020 at 4:50 PM, Ohiopirate02 said:

I would rather have to deal with a Lauren than an Kendra though.  Kendra is going to bottle up everything and pretend she is fine when she really isn't, so you really will never know where you stand with her.  Deep down she may hate your guts, but on the surface she will be all rainbows and butterflies.  Lauren and I can come to an understanding where I call out her passive aggressive bullshit and she can openly loathe or like me, her decision.  

I can see where Kendra could breakdown at the pace she's headed down the road she's on.   Lord knows I would have long ago in her shoes.  (Living a stone's throw from the TTH, about to be the mother of 3 at 16 years old, and having standards of cleanliness and hygiene with Duggars invading her space and being obligated to enter the TTH!   I think I have PTSD just typing the thoughts!)

I do think Kendra's kindness, good humor and pleasant politeness genuinely are innately part of who she is and aren't simply a facade she presents to the world.   The Kool Aid she was raised on is steeped clear through to her bones and I think she's content and happy in the lifestyle.  I don't think she's likely to engage in much thought deeper than the depth of a teaspoon or spend much time, if any, mixing outside of the overlapping circles of the Caldwell and Duggar clans on the Venn diagram and is not extremely likely to interact enough with outsiders to reach a level of annoyance with anyone, let alone hatred.   

Lauren is simply a perpetual malcontent IMO.

Edited October 16, 2020 by Tikichick

[BigBingerBro]

[BigBingerBro]

[Chicklet]

Still one of the cutest babies in the family. Hope she has more of a life than the older girls.

[ouinason]

she looks like a little baby doll.

[BitterApple]

Bella is a doll. If the Duggar Puberty Curse skips the granddaughters, she's gonna be a gorgeous girl. 

[Ljohnson1987]

Hope Bella has a nice birthday. I hope she's an only child for  a while. 

[emmawoodhouse]

More Bella birthday pics.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHVcodEJReC/?igshid=1769d7aroakdx

[Chicklet]

Ok that last picture- why in hell would you take a picture sitting in the overgrown weeds in what looks like the grounds of a haunted house? 

Oh Halloween pictures, that must be it, lol.

[Westiepeach]

And the hat... ODG, the hat...

[andromeda331]

Bella is really cute.

[QuinnInND]

Bella is 1. Should announce a new pregnancy any day now. She's a cute baby. 

[doodlebug]

3 hours ago, Chicklet said:

Ok that last picture- why in hell would you take a picture sitting in the overgrown weeds in what looks like the grounds of a haunted house? 

Oh Halloween pictures, that must be it, lol.

All the Duggars have their formal photos posed in the middle of a patch of weeds; it's become a tradition.  Lauren really needs to ditch the hat; it doesn't suit her and the more I see it, the less I like it.

[Ohiopirate02]

I see Lauren is going for the Instagram cottagecore look.  But, she is a Duggar, and does it a little bit different. 

[DangerousMinds]

3 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

I see Lauren is going for the Instagram cottagecore look.  But, she is a Duggar, and does it a little bit different. 

I guess she doesn’t realize that’s a majority lesbian thing 🤣.