It’s the ninety minute finale of 16 and Pregnant, and of course, MTV saved the worst for last. Tragic. This episode follows Allie Mendoza, a sixteen year old senior in Pasadena, Texas, who is having a baby boy with her boyfriend Joey Aranzeta. Joey is two years younger, and is the one person who makes Texas bearable for Allie. She moved to Texas with her dad from New Jersey, and she very much misses her mom. Shocker! She found out she was pregnant after just two to three months of dating (I feel like I was in high school in the Stone Ages…do teens now just start having sex the minute they start dating?), and Double Shocker! She’s, “um, on the Pill” but missed a couple of days.
Allie reveals that she had to move out of her dad’s house when she got pregnant, so of course, she moves right in with her boyfriend’s parents. Joey’s mom Yolanda admits that she met Allie once, and the next time she saw her son’s girlfriend, she was pregnant. Allie is uncomfortable staying there, and that is compounded by the fact that Yolanda struggles with drug abuse. The couple wishes they could live with Joey’s grandmother Belen, but space is an issue. Of course, the grandmother even states that Yolanda doesn’t know how to be a mom, and there are more revelations about what life is like in the House of Yolanda. Late night visitors, screaming matches, and a basically unsafe (according to Yolanda’s son Joey) environment. Yoland’a mother Belen hosts a family meeting which basically becomes a round table for bashing Allie’s father for kicking her out for getting pregnant.
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Allie gets support from her mother Lauren who lives in New Jersey. Her mom is planning on coming to the birth…or maybe soon after. Allie wants to continue getting good grades to please her mom and to stay on track to graduate. The couple is going to their first dance together, with Allie opining that it will also be the first time her beau sees her in a dress. I will refrain from inappropriate jokes insinuating he has certainly seen her out of one. Oops. They seem to have a good time at Homecoming, but the real world sets in as the pair takes a bus to their doctor’s appointment, since neither one of them can drive. After the appointment, the couple heads to lunch and discusses how they want to parent. Allie recognizes that often people parent the way they were raised, and she sincerely hopes that won’t happen as Allie and Joey’s parents aren’t winning any awards. Both Allie and Joey have fears that they won’t be good parents.
Yolanda wants the house to herself, so the couple plans to spend the night with Joey’s grandmother. Yolanda requests a banana from Allie who tosses said banana to Joey’s younger brother to pass to his mother. Yolanda loses it, yelling about how much she hates Allie and wants her out and even though Yolanda’s a “drug fiend” she know what’s up–Allie’s parents don’t even do drugs and they don’t want their daughter around. Allie passively talks disrespectfully back to Yolanda…she’s not being aggressive, but she isn’t trying to placate matters. Yolanda appears to charge at Allie, and Joey steps in and pushes his mother away before things get physical. Yolanda continues to verbally assault Allie, saying the baby deserved to be aborted, and then turns on her son saying that he is dead to her. Wow. And wow. I honestly don’t know which is more tragic…this exchange, or the way Joey’s younger brother just sits there calmly as if he sees this kind of stuff all of the time. Both Allie and Joey are left in tears.
Allie’s mom wants her to come home to New Jersey, but Allie is determined to stay with Joey and make things work. After the recent drama, Joey’s grandmother invites the pair to move in with her. After giving Yolanda a few days to calm down, the pair heads back to her house to get their stuff. Allie and Joey are flanked by Joey’s family members, and Allie is left out on the porch as Yolanda won’t allow her in the house. Yolanda continues to yell about how Allie’s own parents don’t want her, and even though she’s a pill popper, Yolanda realizes that Allie is trying to turn her son and her mother against her. Honestly, I want to change the channel right now, but I still have an hour left of the show. Thanks, MTV.
The couple has settled in at Belen’s house, and Joey gets some props for reading baby books in preparation for the birth of his son. Allie practices her diaper changing skills on the family cat, and I feel bad for the poor animal even though I am the farthest thing from a cat person there is. Joey and Allie go to a Halloween party but head home early because Allie, at eight months pregnant, is so tired. Yolanda begins calling Joey after several weeks of no contact. The couple goes to meet with Yolanda who reveals she is heading to rehab for her ten years of opiate addiction. Everyone in Joey’s family seems cautiously optimistic, but they have clearly been in this situation before.
Allie and Joey prepare for the birth of their son, and at 39 weeks, Allie’s doctor plans to induce her. Allie calls her mom to let her know when she’s having the baby, but surprise, surprise, her mom has to work, but will be out to visit and meet her grandson as soon as she can. Yolanda is back from detox, and Allie feels that she is really going to have to rely on Joey’s family during the birth. Allie is even looking forward to Yolanda’s presence in the delivery room.
It’s time to be induced, and Allie finds a little comfort by texting with her mom. After eight hours of labor, Allie is in a lot of pain, and Joey, Yolanda, and Belen just look at her and talk to each other about what pain she’s in as if she isn’t in the room with them. Joey won’t hold her hand because he’s worried he’ll make her mad. Once she’s had the epidural, Allie is doing better, and Joey offers to hold her hand (as opposed to holding her leg) while the baby is delivered. Aydenn Anthony is finally born, and Allie’s mother texts her congratulations…”OMG, get him circumcised.” Again, seriously MTV??
Allie and Joey are trying to learn as much as possible about how to care for their son while still in the hospital. Allie’s friends come to visit and Yolanda is actually a calming force. Once back at home, Allie finds herself doing most of the work. Joey heads back to school and Belen goes to work, so Allie has the baby all day. Joey is “too tired” after school to contribute and Allie is becoming more and more frustrated. Sidebar, Allie has already gotten a tattoo of Aydenn’s name on her wrist. Yolanda takes Allie to the airport to pick up her mother Lauren. It’s been over a year since the two have seen one another and it’s a tearful reunion. Yolanda gets points for being extra cordial, and Lauren meets her daughter’s boyfriend for the first time. She has 20 questions for Joey. He says his career aspirations change weekly…one week he wants to be a lawyer, the next a nurse, and this week he’d settle for fast food.
Lauren takes her daughter out to eat and asks the tough questions. Allie admits that she would probably not still be with Joey if they hadn’t had a baby. Lauren flat out says, that while she thinks Joey and his family are “sweet,” the relationship won’t last. After her weekend visit, Lauren heads back to New Jersey but reminds her daughter that the invitation is always open to come back to New Jersey. At six weeks old, the couple squabbles about Joey’s (lack of) contributions. Allie is worried what will happen when she heads back to school. Allie finds returning to school to be an adjustment. Allie goes to Belen who doles out the tough love. She reminds Allie that the couple barely knew one another when they got pregnant so she can understand everyone’s frustrations.
Taking Belen’s advice, Allie tries to talk to Joey. He blames laziness and forgetfulness on his fatherhood faux pas. I honestly don’t think Joey he wants to be a deadbeat…he’s slightly better than most of the “dads” this season, but he’s a child. Joey is upset that Allie nags him, and he starts sleeping on the sofa. Their relationship is imploding. Allie feels that Joey has no time for the baby, while Joey believes that Allie has no time for him. Allie tries to break up with Joey who calls her ungrateful between his angry tears. He tried to put a roof over her head…um, I think that was your grandmother, Joey. The pair is clearly broken and broken-hearted and Allie leaves as Joey sobs on the sofa. Seriously…I am so glad this is the finale as I don’t know how much more of this tragedy I can take. Allie moves in with a friend, and decides not to go to New Jersey until after she graduates, so as not to lose a year of schooling.
On MTV’s Aftershow, Allie opens up about telling her parents about her pregnancy and how Joey resents her for leaving him. Apparently that resentment keeps him from seeing his child. Allie believes that Joey only wants to see Aydenn when it suits him, and he doesn’t want any involvement with Allie. She says that while she has no regrets about having Aydenn, she deeply regrets having sex with Joey. Allie also expresses sadness about knowing that she hurt Belen after Belen had done so many positive things for her. Next week, Dr. Drew is on hand to catch up with this season’s new moms.
TELL US – THOUGHTS ON THE EPISODE & RECAP? WAS THIS THE MOST EMOTIONAL EPISODE YET?
