Sister Wives

[Turn the Page]

Meri was full on supportive of polygamy. If I'm not mistaken she chose at least one of the other wives. It's the path she chose.

Infertility is brutal for anyone. And it doesn't care if you're monogamous or in a plural marriage. Kody offered to pursue IVF with her in the first or second season and she turned him down. You have to at least be willing to give nature a helping hand if having another baby is important to you.

I really don't feel like Meri has been faced with much more than many people deal with in the course of their lives. I do think some of it was made worse by polygamy (infertility with sister wives popping out babies and empty nesting with a husband with lots of other kids) but there she is in episode after episode extolling the virtues of polygamy. If she would let down her guard just a bit, she'd have a lot of support from her sister wives. But she seems to push them away more than anything.

I do think she's probably dealing with some depression and I'm surprised that hasn't come up in any of her counseling sessions.

I absolutely agree with this. I want to smack both of them upside the head! Kody has always been very self centered. And I think Mariah is a spoiled brat. I also think the girlfriend is softening her a bit, which hopefully will help some. Meri might feel shortchanged by having only one child, but I think Mariah benefited by being an only child in a large plural family. She had lots of interaction with siblings but got the benefits of being an only.

Well sure. You can be supportive of something and make the choice to live in a particular lifestyle and still struggle with the reality of it. I do recall when Kody offered IVF in the first season and she turned him down which I found odd. But she seemed more on board with it when Robyn offered to be a surrogate and by then he didn't want to do it. That has to be rough.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

This is it more than anything. It drives me crazy how she bats the help away. I also struggled with infertility and have no idea how hard it would be to deal with it in a setting like she did. But why on earth did she turn down the offer of IVF? Back then she was younger and it was far more likely to work. I'd have a lot more sympathy if she tried and it just didn't work.

I think to Kody a woman's worth is closely tied to her ability to give him children. I wonder if once she turned him down on IVF he sort of checked out with her.

I still have mixed thoughts on the divorce. Part of me thinks it was a really selfless act on Meri's part. The other part of me thinks she was crazy like a fox and wanted to be ready to walk away when the mood struck.

I imagine with the show coming back Meri will stay connected with the family. But I bet she spends more and more time at the B&B.

I think she turned it down because they were already older and Mariah was already out of the house. Why didn't they think about this when Mariah was a young child? I think Kody offered it because he knew she would turn it down anyway. Why didn't he offer this when Mariah was 5 or 6? Oh because he was too busy popping out kids left and right with his other wives. He didn't care what Meri was going through. He was still spreading his seed.

 

[mom2rtk]

I think she turned it down because they were already older and Mariah was already out of the house. Why didn't they think about this when Mariah was a young child? I think Kody offered it because he knew she would turn it down anyway. Why didn't he offer this when Mariah was 5 or 6? Oh because he was too busy popping out kids left and right with his other wives. He didn't care what Meri was going through. He was still spreading his seed.

They discussed IVF twice in the show. The time she turned it down was in the first season. So yeah, Mariah was older, maybe 14 or 15? But not out of the house yet. I agree they should have considered it sooner. And I agree that Kody never pushed the issue because he didn't need to and didn't care what impact it had on Meri. But honestly, she if she wanted another child she should have pushed for it sooner. Maybe they didn't have money for IVF until the show started?

 

[mi*vida*loca]

They discussed IVF twice in the show. The time she turned it down was in the first season. So yeah, Mariah was older, maybe 14 or 15? But not out of the house yet. I agree they should have considered it sooner. And I agree that Kody never pushed the issue because he didn't need to and didn't care what impact it had on Meri. But honestly, she if she wanted another child she should have pushed for it sooner. Maybe they didn't have money for IVF until the show started?

Very true. I forget how about IVF can cost!! I also wonder if IVF doesn't go with their religion? Just my curiosity because I'm not familiar.

 

[Kellykins1218]

I thought she turned down the IVF because she was so scarred emotionally from the miscarriage she had & was afraid to go through it again. I think that's why she wanted to go the surrogate route.

 

[mom2rtk]

I thought she turned down the IVF because she was so scarred emotionally from the miscarriage she had & was afraid to go through it again. I think that's why she wanted to go the surrogate route.

I don't recall if she said that. But lots of women have miscarriages. I had one after lengthy infertility. It was incredibly traumatic, but honestly, there reaches a point where you have to go pursue what you want.

Did she ever say she "wanted" to go the surrogate route? I know Robyn offered, but ultimately Meri turned her down. Did Kody nix that? I don't remember why that didn't happen.

 

[mom2rtk]

Very true. I forget how about IVF can cost!! I also wonder if IVF doesn't go with their religion? Just my curiosity because I'm not familiar.

It's very pricey and many insurance plans don't cover it. I don't recall any of their conversations focusing on cost, but it's usually a huge consideration.

I don't recall any discussion about the religious part of it either.

 

[Turn the Page]

I don't recall if she said that. But lots of women have miscarriages. I had one after lengthy infertility. It was incredibly traumatic, but honestly, there reaches a point where you have to go pursue what you want.

Did she ever say she "wanted" to go the surrogate route? I know Robyn offered, but ultimately Meri turned her down. Did Kody nix that? I don't remember why that didn't happen.

Yes, Kody shot that down. He said he didn't have a burning desire to do it. I think she was really disappointed by that. Of course, if Robyn was their surrogate it would mean she wasn't available to have any more of her own for a while. Maybe that's why he didn't want it.

 

[mom2rtk]

Yes, Kody shot that down. He said he didn't have a burning desire to do it. I think she was really disappointed by that. Of course, if Robyn was their surrogate it would mean she wasn't available to have any more of her own for a while. Maybe that's why he didn't want it.

Yeah, I could see that. But I guess when your husband has more than one wife, that's the sort of thing that happens. He's just not at the same place in life as you are.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Is Robyn having anymore kids? She's 38?? I can see her having one more. Round it out to 6.

 

[barkley]

I think Christine was being a mean girl to Meri.

I agree.

Christine has changed allot over the years the show has been on. she initially seemed the most light hearted, happy and genuinely kind of the wives but something has changed. all of them have repeatedly said that they've raised their children to make their own choices regarding polygamy yet when the subject of attending the event in Utah was discussed she was bullying in her efforts to get her older kids to attend despite their expressed desires not to. with the meri situation her behavior in the recent episode really smacked of high school mean girl mentality-in the therapy session she says publicly that she's fine and has nothing to add to the conversation on the birth but then gets meri alone and rips into her. I think she's taking her cues from kody-and she wants to emulate his behavior towards meri as a means to strengthen her own relationship with him.

she ripped meri for not talking at the luncheon but they never showed her say a word to Janelle who sat there through the whole thing scowling with her arms crossed, not uttering a word. Christine has figured out who to pick her battles with in increasing her dominance within the family-she knows that she has to keep in alpha wife robyn's 'bestie zone' (I almost gagged when she went over the moon over robyn's newest necklace at the 'luncheon'), and she knows Janelle will rip her a new one to the moon and back so she walks a fine line-meri is broken and vulnerable and currently serves as kody's target for any/all frustrations and failures so Christine mimics kody's behavior and stays in his good graces (she talks of how they worked through their 'hard patch'-b.s. he treated her like dirt that time they went away together and were supposed to be focusing just on the two of them so the only work that was done was her plastering a fake smile on her face and biding her time until he fell out with one of the other wives giving her an opportunity to bond with him over it).

i hope the birth of axel serves as a cautionary warning to every other kid in that family to not inform any of their parents when they/spouses/significant others go into labor. wait until the child has been born, the parents have had a chance to hold their own child (couldn't believe they were passing that baby around before it's own father first held it) and the dust has settled. makes me understand the decision of friends years ago to not tell either side of their family that a new grand had been born until they had been released from the hospital and had been home a couple of days already.

 

[Kae]

Christine is the #1 wife right now, It has been noticeable this whole season. She sits closer to him on the couch and she is in alpha mode because he will back her. They said that none of the other wives were with the other during delivery but now they all have to be there for the births of the grand babies...right. I keep waiting for one of them to crack up during all this, and go "gotcha!"

I hope Mady got a big ole paycheck for letting them tape all that crap.

 

[dreamin_disney]

OMG!Who the hell does Cristine think she is?!?! I don't like that she pulled Meri in for a talk. She makes no sense. She should have brought up her issues with Meri in the therapy session.

 

[mom2rtk]

I get why everyone is upset at what Christine did. It did look like she was being pulled into the principal's office. But I also thought it felt like she sees them losing Meri and trying to have some sort of intervention before she just leaves.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I finally watched the whole episode.

I do feel bad for Meri. And I don't think they are getting why Meri is upset about the birth. Meri was cool with no being there because Maddie specifically said she wanted no one there once she hit transition. Meri was the ONLY one who respected her wishes. When she came and left it's because she figured it was getting closer and she shouldn't be there. She didn't know Robyn and Christine were in there and refusing to leave. I think Janelle was a bit much with kind of insinuating that Meri should've stayed. NOOOOO! Your DD didn't want anyone there. Meri did the right thing. Instead of staking out a spot and refusing to leave. And I would've felt bad too if I knew everyone else was allowed there but no one even called me. If I were in Meri's shoes I would've felt like it was a vendetta against me too. Just because of the place she's in with the family.

Meri needs to run for the hills already. I don't know how she stands it. It's bad enough to be in a rocky relationship with your husband but then to have 3 women coming at you too. Three women who are sleeping with your husband....the same husband who won't touch you. Who knows if they have ulterior motives to get you out of the picture or if they really want you around. I would lose my mind.

 

[Kellydelly]

The scene with Christine and Meri was painful to watch. Like squirmy. What the heck was Christine doing? She kept saying the same thing over and over. She wanted Meri to have safety. What does that mean? I felt so bad for Meri. She looked like a cornered dog. She really needs a makeover too. Someone please show her how to do her hair. It would change her appearance so much. The whole catfish thing needs to be put to rest. It is cringey and weird and nobody really wants them to keep harping on her for it, and she should keep the relationship with the other victim private.

I thought it was inappropriate for Meri to bring Mariah's girlfriend over to Janelle's during the birth. Mariah yes, but not the new girlfriend. That just looked wrong. I was sorry that Meri missed the birth but seriously, the girl was not in labor for 4 days, that was a load of crap. Who knew when it was really going to get serious.

Kody is so gross. So gross. He needs a makeover too. And a job. Why doesn't he have anything to do?

 

[mickeystoontown]

I definitely agree that the scene was hard to watch. Having said that, I need to go back and watch it again because for some reason, I thought that Christine said they all didn't feel "safe" when around Meri. Like it wasn't safe for them to be around her because she may cause problems/issues when they all get together. Given what we see in the episodes, I'm not seeing the sister wives repeatedly reaching out to Meri like they all think that they are doing. Or maybe they aren't as welcoming as they believe they are being. It's obvious that Meri doesn't think so. We won't know because we see the edited version.

I thought that Meri, even though obviously shocked at the aggressive tone Christine was using, handled the situation well. I would have blown up at her and told her to kiss my behind as soon as Christine said that she wouldn't have had Meri at the birth. That was harsh. Or at least her delivery was harsh (and I'm not talking about the baby delivery). You could tell that Meri was grasping for the right term to use and couldn't think of anything besides saying "guarded" (I believe that was the word that she used...a lot...). It wasn't until Meri kind of snapped back at Christine that Christine kinda sorta looked like she thought "maybe I shouldn't have said it like that".

And that voice that Christine uses drives me nuts. That "let me talk to you like a little child" tone. Ugh!

Every time that you see Kody and Meri talking one on one, he comes in with an attitude. He doesn't seem to even try to get along with her. It's almost as if he is trying to make her leave so that it won't be his fault/choice.

You know what? Meri did screw up, but in this day and age with the prominent use of social media, her situation, sadly, isn't an unusual one. Heck, they have television shows that focus on catfishing (I hesitated in even typing the word because I'm sick of hearing it.) I have heard many stories like her's and not just on reality television but in "real life" also.

I can't remember Kody ever admitting in front of the other wives that he and Meri were having issues for many years before this...hate to say it again but I have to...catfishing scandal. I know that the viewers see him saying it but has he said it in front of the others? Although I am sure that they've seen it on the show and know it now, maybe he should have told them all so that they wouldn't hold it all against Meri. Maybe then they would have some sympathy for her. And Meri has said that she was being emotionally abused by this person. That he/she/it was threatening her family and she couldn't get away from them. That she was pulling away so that she could protect her family. Have they forgotten that or do they choose to focus solely on what could have happened? They all say that this is the life that they want so they need to resolve themselves to the fact that they need to forgive and move on. What other choice do they have if this is what they want? Do they really not love Meri enough to do that?

In the therapy sessions, it seems that the sister wives and Kody blame Meri for all their problems. That one situation caused them all to have such animosity for her? And, if so, for this long? I agree that they need to get over it already. Forgive. Move on. Maybe they need to get another therapist because Nancy doesn't seem to be getting the job done.

 

[OhMari]

I definitely agree that the scene was hard to watch. Having said that, I need to go back and watch it again because for some reason, I thought that Christine said they all didn't feel "safe" when around Meri. Like it wasn't safe for them to be around her because she may cause problems/issues when they all get together. Given what we see in the episodes, I'm not seeing the sister wives repeatedly reaching out to Meri like they all think that they are doing. Or maybe the aren't as welcoming as they believe they are being. It's obvious that Meri doesn't think so. We won't know because we see the edited version.

I thought that Meri, even though obviously shocked at the aggressive tone Christine was using, handled the situation well. I would have blown up at her and told her to kiss my behind as soon as Christine said that she wouldn't have had Meri at the birth. That was harsh. Or at least her delivery was harsh (and I'm not talking about the baby delivery). You could tell that Meri was grasping for the right term to use and couldn't think of anything besides saying "guarded" (I believe that was the word that she used...a lot...). It wasn't until Meri kind of snapped back at Christine that Christine kinda sorta looked like she thought "maybe I shouldn't have said it like that".

And that voice that Christine uses drives me nuts. That "let me talk to you like a little child" tone. Ugh!

Every time that you see Kody and Meri talking one on one, he comes in with an attitude. He doesn't seem to even try to get along with her. It's almost as if he is trying to make her leave so that it won't be his fault/choice.

You know what? Meri did screw up, but in this day and age with the prominent use of social media, her situation, sadly, isn't an unusual one. Heck, they have television shows that focus on catfishing (I hesitated in even typing the word because I'm sick of hearing it.) I have heard many stories like her's and not just on reality television but in "real life" also.

I can't remember Kody ever admitting in front of the other wives that he and Meri were having issues for many years before this...hate to say it again but I have to...catfishing scandal. I know that the viewers see him saying it but has he said it in front of the others? Although I am sure that they've seen it on the show and know it now, maybe he should have told them all so that they wouldn't hold it all against Meri. Maybe then they would have some sympathy for her. And Meri has said that she was being emotionally abused by this person. That he/she/it was threatening her family and she couldn't get away from them. That she was pulling away so that she could protect her family. Have they forgotten that or do they choose to focus solely on what could have happened? They all say that this is the life that they want so they need to resolve themselves to the fact that they need to forgive and move on. What other choice do they have if this is what they want? Do they really not love Meri enough to do that?

In the therapy sessions, it seems that the sister wives and Kody blame Meri for all their problems. That one situation caused them all to have such animosity for her? And, if so, for this long? I agree that they need to get over it already. Forgive. Move on. Maybe they need to get another therapist because Nancy doesn't seem to be getting the job done.

Nancy the therapist acts more like she working for a tabloid magazine with her bad questions.

 

[KakiGori]

Then why would he pull all the hair (he has left) in a tight ponytail in the back which shows all his receding hairline!!!

I remember Janelle saying that she prefers Kody's hair pulled back into the ponytail. Any time I see him with the ponytail, I assume it was Janelle's night with him.

 

[Kellykins1218]

I remember Janelle saying that she prefers Kody's hair pulled back into the ponytail. Any time I see him with the ponytail, I assume it was Janelle's night with him.

How could ANYONE prefer that?