So many have written and asked about this today, both in private Email and in the comments section that I need to address it. Here's the photo. It was posted below, but I am reposting it here, as a screen shot. You can see both the "Prom 08" reference as well as the caption.
There appear to have been three proms in the Mat-Su Valley in April, 2008. Palmer High School Prom on April 5th, Colony High School Prom on April 12th, and Wasilla High School Prom on April 19th.
I do not know which prom this would be. Levi Johnston attended Wasilla High School so it is reasonable to assume that his sister did as well, since in general you go to a school in a specific district. But that does not mean Levi's sister might not have attended another school's prom, if her boyfriend or date went to that school. Clearly, Mercedes is attending the prom; the other young woman is not, unless fashion is really being put on hold.
I believe that the dark-haired young woman is Bristol Palin. It looks like her and the "sister-in-law" identification would fit.
(However, one caveat to consider: If it's Wasilla's Prom, however, why is Bristol not attending? She's dating a "hot" senior, and I can't believe that young people in this community that, by all reports doesn't offer teens that much to do, would skip prom. So, if Mercedes is going to Wasilla's prom on April 19th, why is Bristol not going with her?)
So, what is to be made of this? Clearly, it would seem that this photo could well be proof that Bristol Palin could not be Trig Palin's mother. If the date of this photo is April 5th or 12th, there's no way this young woman is about to have a baby. If the photo is the 19th, the day after Trig's birth, it's hard (though not completely impossible) to formulate a scenario where Bristol would be photographed. Sometime during the day on the 19th, Trig and mother were released from Mat-Su. I supposed it is just vaguely possible that Mercedes, on her way to prom, would stop by to see her friend, and this photo could be somewhere in the Palin home (it looks like a basement "teen" space to me), but this is a huge stretch and I know it. It's also possible that Mercedes somehow was invited to a prom in another town (Anchorage perhaps) and this was several weeks later... then the idea that Bristol would be photographed next to Mercedes in her dress, is not so much of a stretch, and then the photo is meaningless.
But we just don't know.
If this photo was taken April 5th, April 12th, or April 19th, why remove it from the website after "babygate" broke? This would be the closest thing to REAL proof that Bristol did not give birth to Trig. "Look," Mercedes could say, "here's a picture of me and Bristol as I got ready to go to prom on... " The McCain campaign could also have released it, (and been very snotty about it.) End of story. Game over. But no one said that. No one did anything with this photo... other than see it was scrubbed from the Internet by mid afternoon on 9/1, and tell us the same day that Bristol is five months pregnant.
I can't believe that the people that did that ARE the dumbest people on the planet. They would have had to looked for a better way. The only reason that they announced Bristol's pregnancy on September 1 is because they did NOT have a better way. They had no other choice. They had no doctor who was willing to give a statement, no medical records they could release. Nothing but a five month pregnant teen.
I don't have answers at this point.
And while I've said all along that just because Bristol did not have Trig does NOT prove that Gov. Palin DID, we know the reality: Bristol was always by far the most plausible "other mother," for a large number of reasons. Take Bristol out of the equation, and while some will always have other suspicions, the story goes from very tough to impossible pretty damn quick.
As I have said often before on this website: you decide.
53 comments:
If the date of this photo is April 5th or 12th, there's no way this young woman is about to have a baby.
But what if this young woman already had the baby?
audrey,
have you seen this segment of the TODAY SHOW? Matt Lauer interviews Piper.
something very odd in it,
I heard Sarah calling Piper 'sister'?
is this a common Alaskan thing?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD3iNdGCkfo&eurl=http://www.eandppub.com/2008/11/alaskas-worst-f.html
well, I wish we could see the entire Myspace page! Often highschools have two proms--junior and senior, at least around here. The senior one is closer to graduation. Bristol does not look pregnant nor particularly post-partum. She does seem to wear sweatshirts a lot. I feel like I've seen this before. I will have to search a bit. The plot thickens... I think this is a promising thread, however.Mercedes has really been silenced. I can't get out of my head a scene from the film, Chinatown, where the character played by Cybil Shepard is asked about the young child she has been with: "She's my sister; my daughter; my sister; my daughter; my sister AND my daughter!"--not to suggest incest in the case of Bristol, but certainly the horror and difficulty of maintaining this plot-line. Mary G.
PS I can't help thinking Mercedes is wearing a bathing suit, not a gown... could this be from the summer?
As hard as I'm finding it to believe that I can't put my inner investigator to rest on such details, there evidently were abundant proms going on in the area last spring. Just one example: ADN has oodles of reader-submitted prom photos, including an April 26, 2008 South High Prom, and much more.
Why would she put up only a picture of her prom preparation with a friend? I would expect a picture with her date. When we did prom pictures back in the olden days, it was important to do full length shots to show the whole outfit.
Why does Sarah have an Arizona sweat shirt? I thought the later ones were from the campaign.
sandra in oregon
If you go to the Matsu Valley hospital website and look at all babies delivered in March and April (I checked most of them), you will notice that NONE of them are delivered by Kathy Baldwin-Johnson. I find that intersting. Johnson is not a baby doctor, so why did SHE and not one of the OB-GYN's on staff deliver a special needs, high-risk baby?
http://www.matsuregional.com/nursery/nursery_calendar.php?month=05&year=2008
If Bristol just turned 18, and Trig was supposedly born in April 2008, he would have been conceived in August or July in 2007. If Bristol was born in the autumn of 1990, she would have been not yet 17 at conception (assuming she gave birth to Trig). Does anyone know about the age of consent/ statutory rape laws in Alaska? Maybe Sarah pretended to give birth to Trig to protect the biological father from criminal prosecution for statutory rape? Given the number of teens giving birth, I think these prosecutions probably aren't that common, especially if the dad is about the girl's age, but what do you other readers think? Additional motivation for the cover-up? Would the doctor who attended to Bristol during the pregnancy have to report this possible crime? I think many people have been assuming that Levi is Trig's dad if Bristol is the mom, but could she have had a different boyfriend (perhaps an older man) back then? High school romances are often brief.
Random thoughts:
Cathy Baldwin-Johnson stated that Trig "had some minor problems with jaundice that required phototherapy in the hospital and at home for several days."
Perhaps Trig was born at home to Bristol just prior to SP's Texas trip and while she was in Texas, Trig needed hospitalization for jaundice. Sarah had to rush back to Alaska to be seen at the hospital during the baby's jaundice treatment.
Re-reading Cathy Baldwin-Johnson's statement:
"Routine prenatal testing early in the second trimester showed evidence of Trisomy 21, which was confirmed by perinatology consultation and amniocentesis."
I don't think any doctor would risk their reputation and medical license by lying for the governor. Still, I am with Andrew Sullivan:SARAH PALIN, RELEASE YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS
I don't understand why the story goes to impossible pretty quick. That is a pretty certain conclusion with very little backup. Why is it not just as plausible that someone else Palin is close to gave birth to Trig? Someone old enough to actually be at risk for having a child with Down Syndrome?
Perplexing... My first thought was that this pic might not have been taken on the day of the prom. Maybe Mercedes was just trying on the dress to show Bristol (but her hair is fixed up and she does appear to be prom-ready in the picture). Was there no picture of Mercedes and her date? If the picture was taken on prom night, surely she would have posted one with her date, no?
The clock is ticking. Bristol is expected to produce a new baby before this year ends. Like many, I'm guessing this won't happen. I bet there will be some announcement about a breakup between Levi and her and the "baby" is being given up for adoption... (That would surely score some points with Sarah's -misguided- followers.)
Time will tell.
Truthseeker
Well, there's no telling when the photo was taken for sure, but it doesn't do anything to help the idea that Trig is Bristol's child. However, this brings up another question.
If Sarah Palin and the reports about Trig's birth are all true, then what the hell is wrong with Sarah's brains that she'd be walking around and flying around and driving around for 24 hours before finally getting medical attention for a complicated pregnancy, and not even great medical care? If Trig's really her's, then, really, how stupid is Sarah? Apparently, very stupid! Makes you wonder if Trig isn't the only retard in the family, even if his mother doesn't appear to have DS.
OMG Lori - that is exactly what I was doing this afternoon. Over the course of a year, CBJ was listed on only 3 deliveries - 8/12, 10/3, and this year 2/7. It found it very odd, too...
To wayofpeace,
I have seen alot of questions on other blogs about Sarah's referring to Piper as "Sister" in the Matt Lauer interview. I have two little ones, a girl and boy. (I also have two teens.) I often refer to my daughter as "Sissy" when talking with the two of them. She was 2 when my son was born and she was the "big sister." I don't think too much can be made of her calling Piper sister. I think it's probably just a pet name since she is no longer the baby in the house but the big sister to Trig.
Does that make sense?
To wayofpeace,
I have seen alot of questions on other blogs about Sarah's referring to Piper as "Sister" in the Matt Lauer interview. I have two little ones, a girl and boy. (I also have two teens.) I often refer to my daughter as "Sissy" when talking with the two of them. She was 2 when my son was born and she was the "big sister." I don't think too much can be made of her calling Piper sister. I think it's probably just a pet name since she is no longer the baby in the house but the big sister to Trig.
Does that make sense?
that last response to wayofpeace was from
Truthseeker ;)
Lori mentioned that Cathy Baldwin-Johnson is not an obstetrician, which is true. However, I checked throught the Mat-Su baby listings and found that Dr. B-J did deliver a baby boy there on February 7th. She also was listed as the doctor for a mother and her baby born at Mat-Su on January 27th (though Dr. Baldwin-Johnson did not deliver that one). So it looks like Dr. Baldwin-Johnson was not unfamiliar with pre/postnatal care and obstetrics.
I disagree with some of the posters that bristol doens't look postpartum in the picture. I think she looks pale and a little tired. And teens tend to lose baby weight quite readily.
Regarding the prom photo -- i so wish i had of captured the whole myspace when i had the chance -- anyways... i remember clearly that MJ's front page said that she went to Colony High School in Palmer, AK.
Colony High School had their prom on 4/12 -- I know this because one of SP's friends, a real estate agent, named Kristan Cole has a blog on her real estate site -- and talks about it and posts the pics of her own kids/friends going -- on 4/15 and says that her and i assume her husband (Brad) were chaperones at their son's prom.
There are no pics of MJ with their group though.
The other fascinating thing about Ms. Cole, is that her office thru a baby shower for Trig (after he was born) around May 5th -- that is the date that pics were posted to Ms. Cole's blog.
I found these awhile ago and then when i went back, Ms. Cole had 'removed' access to the pics with this message: Invalid category or insufficient privileges: TrigPalinBabyShower
However, Ms. Cole is not as clever as she think she is, because if you search: Trig in the search box, you get the pics...
http://alaska.realestateexpertblog.com/blog?cmd=search&keywords=trig
Trig would have only been 18 days before they were out and about letting a bunch of people handle him...
I also wanna know -- what kind of hospital let's a 1-month pre-mature DS baby out of the hospital less than 1 day after it's born??
Ok, on to the date of the prom pic -- it is most likely that MJ was attending her own HS prom, that being Colony High on 4/12/08 -- remember, only most likely, and clearly Bristol -- if that's her, doesn't look like she's 6 days from giving birth -- so what was SP doing on 4/12...
SP was finishing wrapping up the season's legislative session which finished on 4/13 (Sunday) -- and these are the pics and only pics of her "looking" pregnant.
Then she was off to Tx WITH Todd (whose watching those damn kids?) and arrived in Tx on Tuesday, April 15th...
I just found a new video that shows SP on 4/17 at the very convention standing there while her water had broke hours before...
i've taken screen shots -- they also have video of SP/TP with newborn Trig at the hospital -- will have more on that a bit later...
i got more stuff for you audrey!
truthseeker:
thanks for clearing that up.
it made me curious due to MERCEDES baffling names for TRIG and Sarah and Bristol. .
...
in the MATT LAUER interview, PIPER comes as the only truth-teller of the PALIN clan.
you can tell that she is not happy with having to make up her 60-day school absence.
Audrey forget these prom photos.
All the evidence you need is this birth announcement from Anchorage Regional.
http://www.newbabynews.net/hospitals/akr22/public/akrbirthannouncement.pl?babyID=h22-3127
It is so obviously Trig. Just compare it to this new photo, or any of the other early photo's of Trig.
http://alaska.realestateexpertblog.com/blog/_archives/2008/5/5/3676621.html
Tina Brown hits it out of the park about Sarah Palin in this article:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2008-11-11/what-sarah-palin-didnt-say/
Interesting to note that those pics of Trig on 5/5 at the baby shower - he is already being bottlefed. Pass that poor sack of potatoes and slug down the formula! Better download those pictures Audrey!!
To Jen,
I have tried myself to find pictures of the conference she was attending and only shots of her from behind or Palin behind the podium. I can't understand why there weren't any news sources that took pics. they must of been scubbed. I can not wait to see what you have on that front.
DMS
Sadie Johnston's current boyfriend appears to be a Corey Cottrell (though Corey's profile does say he's married).
(http://www.myspace.com/bbbastard )
Corey is from Anchorage.
As there are pictures of the two of them in Santa Claus get-up, I suppose they've been going together for some time. Well, some time in teenage terms.
If anyone can find dates of Anchorage proms, that might leave an opening. Bristol wouldn't have been attending since Levi was from Wasilla and she wasn't going to high school in Anchorage.
black mothers often refer to their daughters as "sister"...its a black thing
sarah palin is a wigger.
and that is a prom photo? where is the corsage
i thought that was a photo of hillbilly sis in law getting ready to work the her normal wasilla corner
bare midriff and side boobage for a prom dress? puleeze
gotta love a good christian slut
oh, and if this post is sexist...i apologize (not really, but i hate being attacked)
Quote Audrey However, one caveat to consider: If it's Wasilla's Prom, however, why is Bristol not attending? She's dating a "hot" senior, and I can't believe that young people in this community that, by all reports doesn't offer teens that much to do, would skip prom. So, if Mercedes is going to Wasilla's prom on April 19th, why is Bristol not going with her?)
Bristol may not be attending because she no longer goes to the school and Levi dropped out? – highly unlikely but a possibility because I think he dropped out of school later on. Maybe the prom was for a different school grade to Bristols (i.e. the one Mercede is in) [I’m from the UK so I don’t know how proms work], so I may be totally wrong on that point.
The photo could also be an older photo from the prom the year before and had the date changed?
My thoughts would indicate that IF the photo were taken of this years prom then Trig may have been born earlier (as I’ve suggested all along) and that Bristol if the mam could have had a “couple” of weeks to recover. Or that she simply didn’t go because she A) didn’t want to or B) didn’t attend that school anymore, as did she not do distance learning or switch to another school, and C) she’d just had a baby and a bump would have been visible under her dress or D) no baby sitter for Trig. – If Bristol had went to that specific prom then it would have been the perfect “Clearly Bristol cannot be Trig’s mam” scenario
Quote Anonymous (Sandra in Oregon) at 4.22pm
Why would she put up only a picture of her prom preparation with a friend? I would expect a picture with her date. When we did prom pictures back in the olden days, it was important to do full length shots to show the whole outfit.
I agree, a full length photo would definitely go on her myspace.
Quote Ocean at 4.29pm
Random thoughts:
Cathy Baldwin-Johnson stated that Trig "had some minor problems with jaundice that required phototherapy in the hospital and at home for several days."
Perhaps Trig was born at home to Bristol just prior to SP's Texas trip and while she was in Texas, Trig needed hospitalization for jaundice. Sarah had to rush back to Alaska to be seen at the hospital during the baby's jaundice treatment.
Very good theory!!!
Dipsydoodlenoodle
Hello,
Tonight, I saw this picture(Levi's sister holding Trig) again at this site:
http://whitenoiseinsanity.com/2008/10/11/why-does-levi-johnstons-sister-refer-to-sarah-palin-as-the-mother-in-law-in-this-picture/
I can't help to think that perhaps Levi's sister(Mercedes) is the mother of Trig.
To me, her body language tells it all!
Could the father be Sarah Palin's son Track(who is now in Iraq)?
It's possible, isn't it?
Because Mercedes calls Sarah Palin as her mother or mommy-in-law and Bristol as her sister-in-law. Why would anyone call someone as mother-in-law unless it's really the case?. She wouldn't call Sarah Palin as her mother-in-law even if then Levi and Bristol were engaged to get married soon. It just doesn't make any sense to me.
She calls Sarah Palin as her mother-in-law because that's the case which is only possible if she is going to marry or she is already married to Track Palin.
Again, on this photo, Mercedes is holding Trig as if he is her baby. Sarah Palin next to her, does not look at all as someone who just recently gave birth.
Since Bristol and Mercedes are very very close friends and Bristol's boyfriend is Mercedes' brother Levi, this perhaps explains the photos from the RNC Convention where both Bristol and Levi showing a lot of affection to Trig(one can almost think they are the parents of Trig).
If Track Palin is the father of Trig, why would Sarah and Todd Palin "adopt" Trig?
Was this a political decision?
Did Sarah Palin already know then that she was one of the possible VP candidates so having a special needs child, could increase her popularity?
Who knows? After watching Sarah Palin's interviews lately, I can believe in anything really.
I just find it very odd that they sent him(Track Palin) away to Iraq unless Sarah Palin thought having her son in Iraq would help her political agenda. A special needs child and a son serving in Iraq! Not bad at all:-)
No matter what and whose child Trig is, I feel sorry for the child especially the way Sarah and Todd Palin were holding the poor kid(like a sac of potatoes). I also feel very sorry for Piper Palin. Isn't the little girl too young to have such a big responsibility as to look after Trig(who seems to be a big baby)?
Just some thoughts from these tracts:-)
OVERSEASLADY
Not about the prom photo, but three thoughts:
1) I agree with the poster who said SP HAD to say seven months preg, because 8 would have been too unbelievable.
2) To the poster who said they thought SP lost weight because of stress: To me it doesn't seem like she's stressed. Looks to me like she THRIVES on all this attention and her ego is way overblown right now. She is eating up all the attention and wants to look good to live up to her "MILF" rep.
3) I've seen a video where SP is asked about the naming of Trig where she kind of laughs off the "Van Palin" part. Seems to me only a TEENAGE BOY would come up with a name like that.
That's all.
Back to Appalled
Scott,
I don't think that baby looks anything like Trig. Trig has lots more brown hair. Babies often lose hair after birth, but they don't grow it very fast. And the ears are different. Trig's are lower-set (common in DS babies) and look a little misshapen. The mouth isn't right either.
"Sadie Johnston's current boyfriend appears to be a Corey Cottrell (though Corey's profile does say he's married).
(http://www.myspace.com/bbbastard )
Corey is from Anchorage.
As there are pictures of the two of them in Santa Claus get-up, I suppose they've been going together for some time. Well, some time in teenage terms.
If anyone can find dates of Anchorage proms, that might leave an opening. Bristol wouldn't have been attending since Levi was from Wasilla and she wasn't going to high school in Anchorage."
And if you'll read through some of the comments on his page and friends of his and Sadie's, it's all drugs, drinking, hanging out, smoking pot, more drinking. Classy.
Annie
**Sorry if this appears as a duplicate post...I posted last night on this entry and to the entry below, and I am only seeing the one from below...
I think one of the main reasons that the campaign did NOT use the Mercedes/Bristol prom picture (which was part of a series of pictures entitled Prom 08 on the account before it went private) is because of the already-known caption "my sister IN LAW", etc...that would have raised more issues than it explained, I think.
Although my kids are not teenagers yet, I have some knowledge of how teenage girls operate, especially on networking sites. The more expressive the language, the better--lots of love, missing you, best friends, and so on, even if you just had school with the friend that same day. Often, as has been noted here, kids will even call each other "sister", think of friends' parents as surrogate moms and dads, all that stuff.
What they DON'T do--at least I have never seen it--is call each other sister-IN-LAW. That would just be very odd. Because, if you think about it, a sister-in-law is not as closely bonded to you as a true sister would be, and isn't that what teenage girls are all about? Unless, of course, there is a legal or soon-to-be-legal relationship (that you are proud to proclaim to the world).
And even if you happen to be friends with the daughter of the governor of your state, it seems presumptuous to label a picture as "Mommy inlaw" unless there is a really, really good reason to do so.
Other stuff--I also don't think that other baby from Anchorage Hospital looks like Trig, and as I recall if you follow the comments left on this baby's guestbook page, you can find a grandfather who is actually a real person who doesn't seem to belong to this little mystery. Didn't delve into it too far, but that appeared to be the case.
And NICE FIND to Jen for those pictures of the baby shower! And to Audrey for ID'ing the kitchen as the place for the pictures, too. Wow!
MC
Could be that the prom picture was taken in Anchorage. If Bristol was living there, maybe Mercedes came to go to Cottrell's prom and stayed with her.
Wonder if they let her in the door in that dress. Wasn't much room for a corsage.
Maybe the prom was in May.
sandra in oregon
simple answer: Bristol and Levi did not attend the prom because they are both high school dropouts.
The is a photo of Mercedes showing Bristol her dress. The photo is not dated and there is no need to assume it was taken the day of the prom.
It could have been taken any time BEFORE or AFTER the prom that Bristol did not attend.
At my niece's school, the seniors stay out all night after the prom, held on a Thursday, and then go to school the next day. That way, the teachers and juniors, etc., can see them in their (now-wrinkled) finery. Very cool tradition.
Regarding any speculation that Trig was born significantly earlier than April 18 (and, hence, making the projected date of the subject Sadie/Bristol photo more consistent with Bristol being Trig's mother), you will then have to explain SP's dash back from Texas to Alaska to claim the child.
To wit, if SP knew the child was already born for a week or more, why would she go to Texas then scamper back to Alaska under an implausible cover story?
The answer is: she won't. Hence, Trig Palin was born on or about April 18.
Therefore, I think any reasonable date for the Prom photo indicates that Bristol is NOT pregnant and did not give birth to Trig.
So, why attempt to scrub these pictures on Sept. 1? Clearly, there is something about these pictures they don't want people to see. All speculation I've read on Audrey's blog doesn't hold water, but they are too voluminous to contradict here with confirmable facts or consistent reasoning. But to answer just a couple:
1) Spec: Trig is Sadie's child -- Why would SP cover for Sadie, even if Sadie and, say, Track were involved? It makes no sense, particularly since the Palins have custody of Trig.
2) Spec: The picture is from April 19 and Bristol just gave birth -- This doesn't seem likely on many levels, as Bristol hardly looks like she just had a child, and would probably not be posing for this type of photo the day after giving birth. The picture is probably from April 8 -- the most obvious date for the Prom per Audrey's research -- and Bristol is not pregnant.
OK. So SP doesn't seem to be Trig's mother although she could prove it easily if she were, but hasn't and seems to be covering up. And Bristol doesn't seem to be the mother based on eyewitness accounts and these photos with Sadie. Who is left?
I continue to contend that SP would not have faked a pregnancy for Bristol. It would simply be too risky a thing for exposure, particularly since she declared so late in the term. And a 16-year-old getting pregnant is a scandal with a small s.
SP and family and friends and doctor WOULD do all of this to cover for Willow.
Someone prove this theory wrong because, except for one listing of Willow on honor roll in middle school, I've seen no evidence for her whereabouts during the time-frame indicated.
If nobody will take up the challenge, as Audrey says if Bristol is not the mother then most people will simply accept SP's cover-up, despite her horrendous judgment in becoming a national figure with this deception ready to be discovered.
Dangerous
Re: the prom picture - it appeared in the middle of a series of pictures that was taken of a group on their way to prom. Potentially it could have been taken on a different day, but Mercede looks exactly as she does in the other pics--hair & makeup & all.
Re: Trig's birth on or about 4/18...I posted on Audrey's last entry why I don't think an earlier birth is an impossibility. I'm not going to repost it; you can read it below if you'd like.
It involves reframing the need for the odd birth story--in that the "wild ride" wasn't wild at all; that here was actually no immediately pressing need to rush home, even though the story is made to seem that way. We assume that she was really rushing in a panic to get back only BECAUSE SHE SAID SHE WAS. Not only did the flight attendants not notice she was pregnant, but I believe they didn't notice anything at all out of order. I would think a woman who HAD to get back home b/c her daughter is about to give birth would be a little edgy.
Rather, SP might have made up the story in order to explain how and why she made it back to Wasilla to "give birth" without any real witnesses. Not a wild ride at all, but told as such to the media so we all understood that of course THAT was why she had to rush home under cover of darkness.
But if the baby had been born earlier (maybe staying with SP's sister's family?), then SP would still have needed to "go into labor" and everything that follows. And when you're the gov, how the heck will you undertake that process without lots of (or any) attention? Have the "process" begin in a state thousands of miles away. Just something to think about...
MC
If Bristol was living there, maybe Mercedes came to go to Cottrell's prom and stayed with her.
From his MySpace page, it does not seem that Cottrell and Johnston were an item until much more recently.
MC,
I like your explanation because it accounts for many aspects (both physical & psychological) of this incredibly strange series of events.
Dr. CBJ's letter never gives an actual date for Trig's birth, so he could well have been delivered earlier than April 18, had jaundice, been treated, etc. as she describes.
Only problem I see is the TV crew that took those pics at the hospital (on or about April 18?)with a very newborn looking infant, grandparents, etc.
Also the baby shower pics from May 5, where Trig also looks very young. Who knows... well actually, SEVERAL people must know, and I believe the truth eventually will have to be told!
When I left the hospital after the birth of my second child, I wore my regular clothes home...jeans and a sweatshirt. I barely looked like I'd had a baby. So this picture could easlily be Bristol just days after giving birth.
I think "Ocean" is on to something...perhaps the baby was born at home, before the 18th, and then needed to go to the hospital.
What if the jaundice weren't the issue but the downs syndrome,(or fetal alcohol?) If the condition was discovered at birth, that would make a hospital visit necessary, wouldn't it?
Re: the question of Trig at the hospital with his grandparents and at the baby shower...I do agree that he is very, very young in all of those pictures.
My experience with my own kids and a couple of other recent family ones is that they are pretty scrawny-looking things for at least a few weeks after delivery. All my kids lost a certain amount of weight right after birth (normal to do so, I think?) while still in the hospital--one of them to the point that he was kept a couple of extra days to make sure he was feeding adequately.
So here we have pictures of Trig taken definitely on 4/18, and then in mid-to-late April/early May. But if you have an infant who was born in maybe late March--probably of lower birth weight to begin with due to DS--then who loses a few ounces, and due to jaundice and DS takes a little while to set up a good feeding pattern--I still think you could have an infant who looks exactly as Trig looked in those photos.
OK--I am going to go snarky here (maybe for the first time?)--I am looking at those photos at the baby shower of SP with Trig. Look at the fingernails on that woman! My kids are finally all school age and I am just thinking about MAYBE growing out my nails again!
I know some moms out there with lovely nails will disagree. But holy heck, some of the first things on my own personal learning curve after having my first is that he didn't appreciate my perfume, and he didn't like being scratched and poked by the manicure I was trying to keep up. Does an experienced mom of a newborn really have nails like this? I looked at that picture and was viscerally reminded of my MIL and other older female relatives holding my newborn at his shower.
MC
MC,
After my 4:48AM comment on your earlier post, I was actually thinking about those April 18 photos of Trig myself - and I have to agree with you again! He looks small, but not particularly like a newborn in those pics. In fact, his cheeks look quite full and his skin shows none of the characteristics of a freshly born, preterm Down syndrome infant (such as cutis marmorata, a bluish mottled appearance).
So I'm even more convinced that you're on the right track with your line of reasoning...
Who wears a fancy suit to her own baby shower?? That totally perplexed me.
Although Bristol doesn't look pregnant in the "prom" photo with Mercede, she definitely could be, or she could have recently given birth.
Consider this: IF Bristol was hiding a pregnancy, she (or someone close to her) would want to hide it as carefully as possible, and that would likely mean limiting weight gain. Perhaps Audrey or another medical guru can correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I read somewhere that teen mothers gain less weight than older mothers and they tend to be more likely to have lower weight babies. I could definitely see a situation in which a teenager is trying to hide a pregnancy and tries to gain as little weight as possible.
As for losing weight post-baby, heck, I lost all 30 pounds I gained during pregnancy in the ten days following my child's birth. I still had a "bump" but I was at my pre-pg weight.
Back to the "prom" photo - I didn't see any of the other myspace prom photos, so I'm not sure what else was there, but just looking at this photo on its own, it makes me wonder as others have suggested, if this was just a dry run where Mercede was trying on her dress and deciding on hair and makeup, and perhaps Bristol was either helping her or happened to be there while it was going on.
Annie
"SP and family and friends and doctor WOULD do all of this to cover for Willow."
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But that still doesn't explain Sarah Palin going to her current spokesman/former reporter BEFORE her own "pregnancy" was announced and telling him that the rumors about Bristol being pregnant weren't true. If Willow was actually pregnant, why wouldn't rumors have flown in that regard? In fact, wasn't Willow's boyfriend overheard telling people that BRISTOL was pregnant?
let me clear up the 'prom' photo -- the myspace header on it said Prom 08 -- why call it 'prom 08' pic if it's not your prom night -- and she's not just 'wearing' the dress, she's clearly dressed/styled for the prom -- probably before her date arrived...
sadie goes to/went to Colony High School in Palmer, AK -- this was on the front of her myspace page before it was locked down -- i saw it, i remembered it...
Colony High School had their prom on 4/12 (sat) and Kristan Cole, a real estate agent, and SP's lifelong friend was a chaperone there along with her husband, and their son, who is a senior attended.
Kristan Cole is the lady that threw the baby shower for her on May 5th and then she later tried to hide the photos, but she's not all that bright cuz the photos were easily found by typing in 'trig' in the search box -- similarly, you can type in 'prom' to see the prom pics
There is no evidence that Bristol went to Palmer HS, thusly wouldn't be dressed to attend it with Sadie.
So we have to ask ourselves -- WHY is Sadie refering to Bristol even a week before Trig is "born" as her sister-in-law??
As for the pics of Trig and the Heaths, those pictures were taken in the afternoon of 4/18 -- i find it very difficult to believe that it would be normal for the grandparents to be parading Trig around the hospital just hours after he was born, premature with DS after a harrowing 30 hrs in the womb after the water broke.
discuss...
I think we all agree that the photo of Sadie and Bristol is evidence that Bristol was not then about to give birth; but we don't know the date of the photo and are not positive that the birth happened on 4/18. We also don't know for sure if this was a prom photo, but if so, proms were apparently held in the area on 4/5, 4/12, 4/19 and 4/26. Which one -- who knows? Would prom photos, or lists of those attending, be published in the local papers? How old is Sadie? She is Levi's sister, but seems close to Bristol. Are Levi and Sadie fraternal twins, or is she younger -- maybe a year younger and thus a different prom date? I can't picture her referring to Bristol as her sister-in-law if that were not the case...which indicates Bristol and Levi are married, at least in Sadie's eyes(or Sadie herself is married to Track -- but no other evidence points to the latter case). But Bristol was too young to get a marriage license without consent of both parents. Wonder if anyone has searched Alaska marriage records...? All in all, there is so much that doesn't add up, but we're left with mostly speculation.
It is not unusual for a high schooler to go to prom at a different school in addition to their own prom. One year, my daughter went to three proms at three different schools.
So, when Sadie's own school prom was occurring, Bristol was in the hospital having Trig. The following week, Bristol is available to go to Sadie's house to help her dress for another prom. (Sorry, but I can't remember which prom was held on the 26th).
Since Sadie seems to be good friends with Bristol, it is not beyond belief that she wanted to be in a picture with Bristol. Maybe Bristol went to Sadie's house to help her dress the night of the 26th. (I had two such helpers for my daughter.)
As for the sister-in-law caption, I just see it as speculation on Sadie's part. Trig is Bristol's and Levi's baby. They are discussing getting married, hence, Bristol becomes sis-in-law, even if they're not married yet.
Anonymous said:
"I continue to contend that SP would not have faked a pregnancy for Bristol. It would simply be too risky a thing for exposure, particularly since she declared so late in the term. And a 16-year-old getting pregnant is a scandal with a small s."
I don't think she faked it for Bristol. I think she faked it for Trig. I speculate that Bristol got pregnant and when tests showed that the baby was going to be born with special needs, Sarah and Todd knew Bristol and Levi weren't equipped to raise the child, so they decided to quietly adopt the baby and raise him as their own. Given this scenario, I can see how they'd get others to conspire to go along, believing it was in the best interests of the child (Trig).
I further speculate that Bristol and Levi rebelled against the decision in the only way they could by getting Bristol pregnant again as soon as possible. I read an account a few weeks ago from Levi's mother saying that the way Bristol broke the news to her parents that she was pregnant was to wave a stick from a home pregnancy test in Sarah's face, and that Sarah's first reaction was to laugh, thinking Bristol was kidding her. This seems to me to be an unlikely act from a first-time pregnant teen of a high-profile mother, and an even more unlikely response from the mother.
Just my thoughts. If it all is a lie and cover-up, the story is bound to come out some day when Bristol figures out she can cut her own lucrative book deal.
No self-respecting teen here in LA would be caught dead on MySpace anymore, it's all Facebook.
There are a number of teens who come up when you search "Wasilla" on Facebook.
Mom in LA
Why does Mercedes refer to Bristol as sister-in-law?Because she is. Why does Mercedes refer to Trig as her brother. Because he is. Why does Mercedes refer to Sarah Palin as mommy-in-law? Because in a generic way she is. Why do the 3 teenagers,Bristol, Levi, and Mercedes show the most honest display of affections toward Trig? Because they are all related to him. Conclusion:Track is the father and Levi and Mercedes mom is the mother. What a sad situation.
It's my understanding that when Bristol Palin left Wasilla High School, the mononucleosis excuse wasn't offered as the reason at the time. The reason given the school was that she was transferring to a high school in Anchorage, and that when that was followed up and learned that she hadn't enrolled in Anchorage, that was when the mono story was told.
From what I can gather, it looks to me like Trig wasn't premature but born on time. If that is true and his due date was April 18, 2008, he was conceived around the time that Sarah Palin was in Kuwait, July 24, 2007.
When Mom's away, the children get into all kinds of trouble?
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