Maci Bookout can see Ryan Edwards' growth as a dad.
The Teen Mom star—who shares son Bentley, 16, with her ex—complimented her former partner months after the birth of his baby daughter Presley, who he welcomed with fiancée Amanda Conner in February.
"I definitely see a different Ryan today than when his other kids were born," Maci said about Ryan—who also shares kids Jagger, 10, and Stella, 5, with ex MacKenzie Standife—in a confessional on the May 8 episode of Teen Mom: The Next Chapter. "When Bentley was born, we were kids. And we were terrified."
The 33-year-old, who was 17 when she gave birth to Bentley and filmed his arrival for Teen Mom predecessor 16 & Pregnant, said Ryan was "kind of taking in the moments and he obviously is just way more present. It took a lot to get here."
Maci also expressed hope that Bentley will be able to spend time with all of his siblings. "I can't wait for the days when all the kids can hang out," she said. "And I’m really looking forward to all the experiences and memories that they are going to make together."
Maci and Ryan have come a long way with their coparenting. "All of us involved have done a whole lot of work," the Teen Mom star—who also shares kids Jayde, 9, and Maverick, 8, with husband Taylor McKinney—told E! News exclusively in 2024. "We have just honestly worked on ourselves. So, naturally, it's all coming together."
Instagram / Maci Bookout McKinney
And it’s not only Ryan’s relationships with others that have improved. As Maci noted, her ex’s relationship "with himself" has also gotten better.
"I feel like he's done the work, is still doing the work," she said. "And it's really cool to see."
