Earlier this month, we reported that Amber Portwood had won joint custody of daughter Leah after a long and occasionally ugly legal battle with ex Gary Shirley.
Amber had been fighting for a 50-50 custody split ever since she was released from prison in November of 2013, and she finally got her wish after years of drama that often played out in front of Teen Mom cameras.
Now, Amber is speaking out for the first time about her truce with Gary and her joy at having her little one back in her life on a more regular basis.
“I’m very happy that Gary and I are going to share joint custody of Leah,” Amber said in a recent interview with OK! magazine. “This is something I’ve been waiting for. The time is perfect.”
“We talked for 30 minutes and I said, ‘This is not healthy for any of us, this is not healthy for Leah, let’s just be adults and do this.’”
A recent preview for the new season of Teen Mom: OG showed Amber and Gary fighting over Leah in a way that had fans concerned for the young girl’s welfare.
“Things were being said over there,” Portwood later said.
“We have a great relationship, and then all of a sudden she didn’t want to come over. She had never said that before. I said something to Gary, and she hasn’t been that way since. We’re back to normal.”
Hopefully, Amber is aware that a custody deal doesn’t necessarily mean smooth sailing with her ex from here on out.
Watch Teen Mom online to relive the craziest moments in Amber and Gary’s sometimes violently insane relationship.