On being a parent: "I like being a mom, I love it. It is very challenging but so rewarding."
What was it like telling Mom and Dad? It was "harder than labor."
Mom and Dad's reaction: they were scared "cuz I had to grow up fast.They wanted us to sit down and make a game plan."
Do you wish you had waited? "I wish this would happen in, like, ten years rather than right now."
What do you hope will happen by speaking out? "I hope people will learn from my story and prevent teen pregnancy, I guess."
How did you make a game plan? "I knew I had to focus on finishing high school and getting an education."
Regarding tabloid gossip: "My family is strong and it doesn't matter what tabloids say, and stuff like that. Some people are just evil and said things when they didn't know what was going on. It was my choice to have the baby. It doesn't matter what my mom's views on it are, it was my decision. I wish people would realize that."
Levi "is a really hands-on dad. Eventually we'd like to get married but we are focused on getting an education now."
"I take care of [Tripp] all the time unless I'm at school. I am so blessed to have my family because they help out more than I could have imagined."
Did you have any idea how to raise a child? "Yah, I've been babysitting my whole life, but the hard part is not really about taking care of the baby, it's living for another human being instead of for myself. There have been times I've thought it's too much work, but he's healthy and happy."
What's tough about parenting? "You're up all night and it's not glamorous at all. Everyone should just wait ten years. It's so much easier if you're married and have a house and a career. It's not something to strive for. I'm not the first it's happened to and I'm not going to be the last. I want to be an advocate for teen pregnancy."
Does anyone boss you around? "Just the baby."
Does Levi feel the same way you do about teen pregnancy? "Yes, kids should just wait. I don't know. It's not glamorous at all."
About contraception: "Everyone should be abstinent but it's not realistic at all. It's more and more accepted. But it would just be so much easier to wait ten years. I'm blessed to have a huge family that helps out. It's the main thing I have."
[Governor Palin walks in with Tripp and comments]: "I'm proud of her taking on an advocacy role. It's not an ideal situation but you make the most of it. Bristol is an amazing mom and this little one is very lucky to have her as a mom.We have 5 generations helping out right now. Maybe Bristol is an anomaly because she has it easier right now than a lot of young mothers, but Bristol and Levi will be great parents. "
Did you give her hell when you found out about her pregnancy? "Yah, I kinda did. IT can happen to anybody. Bristol is a great student, had great aspirations for her future. She can handle it, perhaps, better than some of her friends could have handled it, but still it was a shock."
Family's role: Family is for circling the wagon and helping out. We're very thankful to be in the situation we are with so much help. I don't know how others do it if families expect young parents to handle it themselves or they expect government to handle it for them. It's better when young people don't get pregnant, but when life happens, you deal with it. Bristol is dealing with it brilliantly."
Todd and Sarah's initial reaction to the pregnancy: "What an unpredictable life we and everyone else lives."
Back to Bristol-->
Why the name Tripp? "I love T names. We both love the nameTripp."
What are your plans? "I graduate in May with my class. I will raise my child and just go to college and stuff. Yah, I definitely felt panic at first, but I'm just glad he's healthy and happy."
What's Tripp gonna be when he grows up? Hopefully he'll play hockey and just be happy and healthy.
Earlier interview with The Gov:
Campaign clothes: The Governor would have worn her own clothes if she'd known what a controversy it would start. She gave them all back after the campaign.
What would you like to address?: It was frustrating that so many accusations were made by, I don't know, some blogger in their pajamas, sitting in their parents basement, when all it would have taken was a little investigation to disprove them.
Regarding the accusation that Trigg is Bristol's baby, not hers: "It was reported in mainstream media and it took so long to get corrected. You've got the big target on your back and it's a big free-for-all. You'd better be ready for it or you have no right running for office. It didn't really get under my skin, but what bothered me was when I had facts to counter allegations and the media wasn't willing to correct mistakes that had been printed. That was frustrating."
On Campaigning: "All the things we were campaigning on were on the right road and we had to be willing to take all the shots to do the right thing. It was not our time and our message of change was not the message voters wanted at that time. That's over and we need to progress under a new administration. My family's pretty tough and I've been in local and state offices since 1992. The kids are kind of used to seeing things said and written about their mom that they know hasn't always been true, but it's the nature of the beast of politics. I felt bad when Willow saw t-shirts at a rally--vulgar t-shirts--she said Mom, they don't even know you, how can they say things like that abut you? It makes me feel bad that she is in the position where she can't defend her mom, but it's brutal sometimes, but my kids are strong, kind-hearted kids and know the truth."
There were those who accused, but there were also huge crowds to meet you along the trail. What's it like when crowds were cheering you with big signs recognizing your kids, etc? "It makes me feel good that they recognize our family that has a lot of love that binds us together, despite the circumstancs. Working with Todd together was great. I know it's not cheering for me, personally, but for the representation of a woman on the ticket, a mom, of someone who loves her country so much and for policies that will lead our country in the right direction--that is what it was all about."
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