Mary:"I don't know how it happened"(being pregnant

[kathygrady]

Then you are either too young to be married or you are dumber than I thought. ;D

[Mr. Schmoe]

Or too dumb to be having sex.

Actually, it is code for "We were using BC - so what went wrong?"

RH has always danced around the issue of BC - they never mention it explicitly, but it is (supposed to be) clear that everyone involved knows about it - and uses it (if not well).

[bethp0201]

Don't I remember Jill using the term birth control, in regards to also not knowing how she got pregnant? But of course she's not a Ryan!

[raggedycheryl512]

Jul 4, 2011 5:25:42 GMT -8 Mr. Schmoe said:

Or too dumb to be having sex.

Actually, it is code for "We were using BC - so what went wrong?"

RH has always danced around the issue of BC - they never mention it explicitly, but it is (supposed to be) clear that everyone involved knows about it - and uses it (if not well).

Maeve nearly had a fit when Mary started using birth control last year. Of course she made her patented pruney-face to show her disapproval.

It's in the recaps for July or August 1975.

[scarlettudor]

"I don't know how I got pregnant" sounds like the punch line to a joke.

There was one about the farmer who was holding the lantern for the old doctor, who was delivery twins..triplets..for the man's wife. He suddenly took the lantern away. "Wha..the heck?" the doctor expostulated. "It's the light that's attractin' them, Doc."

Sue Ellen

[forte]

That's a good one. If only it were that simple sometimes.

[fantine]

I thought it was a very sweet scene with Mary and Johnny today, when they were talking about babies alone in the Ryan living room. He's often a big old pain in the butt, but in scenes like that Johnny can get to me. I'm a softy when it comes to loving father/daughter scenes, and I was thinking how lucky Mary (and the baby to be) were to have such a devoted and adoring dad and granddad.

[forte]

I did like the idea of the scene. It's very sweet that Mary and her father have this relationship. It was more that I didn't like the way Johnny made it clear that his other grandchildren weren't as special as the child Mary was carrying. That disparity of love, and the fact that it was communicated to Mary, was what ruined the scene for me.

[raggedycheryl512]

Jul 4, 2011 8:01:00 GMT -8 forte said:

I did like the idea of the scene. It's very sweet that Mary and her father have this relationship. It was more that I didn't like the way Johnny made it clear that his other grandchildren weren't as special as the child Mary was carrying. That disparity of love, and the fact that it was communicated to Mary, was what ruined the scene for me.

I wrote a long post about this before and then my computer crashed! Kathleen's children are older than LJ. But Johnny has often expressed that LJ, the son of his oldest (and favorite) son was his favorite grandchild, more "special" than the 2 girls in Pittsburgh. Now this baby [boy, Johnny assumes] will be his favorite. Because he's Mary's son.

I guess we're supposed to ignore than 800 pound tricycle that's still in the room?

[raggedycheryl512]

Here it is direct from Joe Schmoe's site (Ep. 92)

Mary wishes Maeve had the same confidence in her decision making as she did yesterday. Maeve cries and says they'll talk about it later. Mary says she won't change her mind about loving Jack. As she walks away, Maeve asks her if she is planning to have his baby too. Mary walks back and says no. Maeve asks how she is planning to avoid it. Mary will see the doctor. Maeve yells that Mary would save herself a lot of misery if she stayed out of Jack's bed.

[destclev]

Jul 4, 2011 10:48:02 GMT -8 raggedycheryl512 said:

Jul 4, 2011 8:01:00 GMT -8 forte said:

I did like the idea of the scene. It's very sweet that Mary and her father have this relationship. It was more that I didn't like the way Johnny made it clear that his other grandchildren weren't as special as the child Mary was carrying. That disparity of love, and the fact that it was communicated to Mary, was what ruined the scene for me.

I wrote a long post about this before and then my computer crashed! Kathleen's children are older than LJ. But Johnny has often expressed that LJ, the son of his oldest (and favorite) son was his favorite grandchild, more "special" than the 2 girls in Pittsburgh. Now this baby [boy, Johnny assumes] will be his favorite. Because he's Mary's son.

I had the same thought, CL. Johnny told Frank that LJ was the "real" first grandchild, then told Mary that her (male, as you astutely pointed out) baby will be the first "real" grandchild. Since we find out later that Siobhan is the true apple of his eye, does anyone who saw the later years happen to remember if

spoiler

he told Siobhan, when she got pregnant with Sean, that her son (of course) would be the first "real" grandchild?

[destclev]

My favorite part was Jack's response, which came in the form of a question: "How pregnant are you?"

I'd have given a lot to hear her say, "Fully."

[kathygrady]

[/quote]

I wrote a long post about this before and then my computer crashed! Kathleen's children are older than LJ. But Johnny has often expressed that LJ, the son of his oldest (and favorite) son was his favorite grandchild, more "special" than the 2 girls in Pittsburgh. Now this baby [boy, Johnny assumes] will be his favorite. Because he's Mary's son.

I guess we're supposed to ignore than 800 pound tricycle that's still in the room? [/quote]

I can kind of understand that though-he would understandably feel closer to the ones who lived nearby. I am so glad all of my grands live near me so I don't find myself wrapped up in the lives of some and not the others. I see all of them regularly and attend ball games,school functions and of course baby sit all of them a lot.But if one of my kids was to move away and especially if they had lived far away when the baby was born and I wasn't a big part of their lies I could see feeling closer to the ones who lived closer.

[destclev]

Jul 5, 2011 4:20:04 GMT -8 kathygrady said:

if one of my kids was to move away and especially if they had lived far away when the baby was born and I wasn't a big part of their lies I could see feeling closer to the ones who lived closer.

That's understandable, but if you did end up feeling that way about one of your children's kids, would you tell that child about it? That, to me, was the treasonable part of what Johnny did. Okay, feel that way if you want, but for heaven's sake have the good grace not to advertise it.

What happens if Kathleen finds out what Johnny told Frank? Or, for that matter, if Frank finds out what Johnny told Mary?

[bethp0201]

Jul 5, 2011 4:31:36 GMT -8 @destclev said:

Jul 5, 2011 4:20:04 GMT -8 kathygrady said:

if one of my kids was to move away and especially if they had lived far away when the baby was born and I wasn't a big part of their lies I could see feeling closer to the ones who lived closer.

That's understandable, but if you did end up feeling that way about one of your children's kids, would you tell that child about it? That, to me, was the treasonable part of what Johnny did. Okay, feel that way if you want, but for heaven's sake have the good grace not to advertise it.

What happens if Kathleen finds out what Johnny told Frank? Or, for that matter, if Frank finds out what Johnny told Mary?

This is exactly like a parent telling each child they are their favorite child. Each feels extra special without knowing the others do too!

[destclev]

Jul 5, 2011 5:06:41 GMT -8 bethp0201 said:

Jul 5, 2011 4:31:36 GMT -8 @destclev said:

That's understandable, but if you did end up feeling that way about one of your children's kids, would you tell that child about it? That, to me, was the treasonable part of what Johnny did. Okay, feel that way if you want, but for heaven's sake have the good grace not to advertise it.

What happens if Kathleen finds out what Johnny told Frank? Or, for that matter, if Frank finds out what Johnny told Mary?

This is exactly like a parent telling each child they are their favorite child. Each feels extra special without knowing the others do too!

Kids talk to each other. They find out. And then nobody feels special, and everybody's trust in that parent is just a little eroded.

[raggedycheryl512]

My parents did treat me differently -- unfortunately for my brother, I was an easy baby and child; I didn't get in trouble in school like my brother did; and I know that my brother at 65 still smarts from this. [Not my fault that I wasn't naughty!!!] I can certainly imagine parents telling each child, "you're my favorite" but as Debbie says, siblings talk, and that just leads to more bad feelings. In terms of grandchildren, there would be such a sense of superiority -- give one an extra cookie, and he wouldn't resist telling his cousins that "it's because I'm Grandma's favorite."

[destclev]

Jul 5, 2011 13:29:53 GMT -8 raggedycheryl512 said:

My parents did treat me differently -- unfortunately for my brother, I was an easy baby and child; I didn't get in trouble in school like my brother did; and I know that my brother at 65 still smarts from this. [Not my fault that I wasn't naughty!!!] I can certainly imagine parents telling each child, "you're my favorite" but as Debbie says, siblings talk, and that just leads to more bad feelings. In terms of grandchildren, there would be such a sense of superiority -- give one an extra cookie, and he wouldn't resist telling his cousins that "it's because I'm Grandma's favorite."

Or worse yet, "You don't count! Grandpa said I was really the first one!"

[scarlettudor]

Well, with my kids, the oldest was the favorite because of that, the youngest was the favorite because of that, and the boy in the middle was the favorite because he was the only boy.

They were all the 'favorites.'

Of course they were!

Sue Ellen

[destclev]

Jul 5, 2011 21:20:32 GMT -8 scarlettudor said:

Well, with my kids, the oldest was the favorite because of that, the youngest was the favorite because of that, and the boy in the middle was the favorite because he was the only boy.

They were all the 'favorites.'

Of course they were!

Sue Ellen

Ah, but that's different! You found a way to make each one feel uniquely special, and in doing so avoided comparisons. In fact, the way you set it up, comparisons were out of the question. I'd say that was pretty darn savvy! (and very loving to your kids)