More Photos of Everly

It has hardly been two days since little Everly's arrival, and she has already been held and loved on by many family members. Gil and Kelly Bates are now the proud grandparents of eight little ones, ages three and under.

 Kelly Bates and Everly Hope Paine

 Carson Paine and little sister Everly Hope Paine

Bradley Bates, Carson Paine, Everly Paine, Kaci Bates

 Ellie Bates and Everly Paine

Kaci Lynn Bates, Everly Paine

 Kaci Bates, Everly Paine

Photos courtesy of thebatesfamily.com, Zach and Whitney Bates

Zoey and Everly

In case you haven't heard the news, Zoey Joy Webster arrived on March 28th, and Everly Hope Paine made her grand entrance on March 30th. We have already shared a few photos, but below are a few more.

 Allie Jane Webster and Zoey Joy Webster

 Alyssa and John Webster, Zoey Joy Webster

 Michael Keilen and Everly Hope Paine

Photos courtesy of thebatesfamily.com, brandonandmichaela.com

Introducing Everly Hope Paine

Another Bates baby has arrived safe and sound! Zoey Joy Webster joined the family on March 28th at 4:22am, and Everly Hope Paine made her grand debut today (March 30th) at 4:12am. Zoey weighed 6 lbs and measured 19 inches long, while Everly weighed 5 lbs 4 oz and measured 18 inches long.

Everly is the third child of Erin and Chad Paine. Carson Paine turns three on May 14th, while Brooklyn Paine turns two on August 6th.

Photo is courtesy of UP; for more photos, visit the UP website. 

Bates Fan File: Episode 713

This week's new episode of Bringing Up Bates has been overshadowed by the arrival of two new Bates babies within the past two days. Did you get a chance to watch? My Fan File video is below.

Photo/video courtesy of UP

'Can You Have a Wedding Shower Without the Bride and Groom?' Recap

Bringing Up Bates "Can You Have a Wedding Shower Without the Bride and Groom?"

• “As the wedding gets closer and closer, you realize that your time with having Tori as your little daughter is going to be shorter and shorter,” says Gil. He takes Tori out on a daddy-daughter date for some quality time one month before the wedding.
• First, Gil takes Tori to Fountain City Park. They go swinging at the playground where Tori used to play as a child. “Tori and Dad have a very special bond,” says Erin. “Tori is very sentimental and funny, sometimes a little bit spacey, and I think her and dad just really hit it off together.”
• Gil surprises Tori with a gift, a vase filled with branches. Paper bills and purple ribbons are tied to the branches. “I know you’ve always thought that money grows on trees, so I got you a…money tree,” explains Gil. “On these sticks right there are thorns. I got the ones with thorns on it so you realize if you’re living for money, it’s going to cause you pain.” Tori loves it.
• Gil and Tori walk across the street to Litton’s steak restaurant. While they wait for their food, Gil brings out photos of Tori as a child. “I was not going to cry because I’m saving that for the wedding,” says Tori.
• “It’s going to be really sad when you’re gone,” Gil tells Tori, choking up.
• “Even though I didn’t necessarily express it, the memories I made with him that night…it was the sweetest thing,” says Tori. “I think of everything internally. I don’t always express it outwardly, but deep down, it means a lot to me, and it’s a big deal.”
• Later, Whitney brings Kaci to Crown Cosmetology School so Josie can give little Kaci her first haircut.
• Josie is about to graduate and is eager to find a job. “I just absolutely loved walking in that salon and seeing Josie there,” says Whitney. “She’s blossoming into her own person and her own career, and she’s good at what she does.”
• Michael and Brandon come into town to help throw Tori and Bobby a wedding shower at Valley View Baptist, the church that Erin and Chad attend. They are expecting 70-100 guests.
• Erin recalls her own wedding shower, as she and Whitney help the Keilens decorate: “I don’t know if I take it as a personal thing because we planned for 150 to 200 people to be at my wedding shower, made all this food, sent out all these invitations. Nobody came except for nine people, y’all.”
• The guests arrive, but Tori and Bobby are nowhere to be found. “Tori and Bobby and Josie and Kelton are all missing,” says Gil. They are out shopping for groomsmen attire. Finally, they arrive. “Tori has always been known for being late,” shares Erin. “She’s just like dad, she’s pretty much late to everything.”
• While the guests eat, Kelly brings Tori and Bobby to the front to answer questions about each other. Tori freezes up and can hardly speak.
• “Tori’s very outgoing, but when you put her up somewhere where she’s the center of attention, she doesn’t like that at all,” says Jackson.
• Bobby breaks the ice by talking to the guests on the mic while Tori opens the gifts.

Introducing Zoey Joy Webster!

The Websters are officially a party of five. Alyssa and John Webster welcomed Zoey Joy Webster yesterday, March 28th, at 4:22am. She weighed 6 lbs and was 19 inches long. Zoey was born just five days ahead of her April 2nd due date.

Zoey joins sisters Allie Jane Webster (born April 11th, 2015, weighing 6 lbs 11 oz) and Lexi Mae Webster (born January 26th, 2017, weighing 6 lbs 2 oz).

The Webster family

Photo courtesy of Alyssa and John Webster/thebatesfamily.com

Tori's Peculiar Gift From Gil

A new episode of Bringing Up Bates is coming your way in just a few hours. With the wedding approaching quickly, Gil Bates takes Tori Bates on a daddy-daughter date so the two of them can spend some one-on-one time together.

If you know Gil, you can probably guess that there will be some tears shed as this dad prepares to give his daughter away.

Gil also presents Tori with a peculiar gift. Find out the meaning behind this little tree when the show airs tonight at 9pm ET/8pm CT on UP. I'll post a written recap to my blog immediately after the premiere.

Also on tonight's episode will be Tori and Bobby's wedding shower and Kaci Lynn Bates' first haircut.

Photos courtesy of UP

April Showers Bring Bates Full Hours

Many of you have expressed your desire for Bringing Up Bates episodes to be one hour long, rather than just 30 minutes. Well, UP has heard your plea. All through April, new, hour-long episodes of Bringing Up Bates will air at 9pm ET/8pm CT on UP. And even more exciting, one of those episodes will be Tori and Bobby's wedding special!

But don't worry, the season won't be ending at the end of April. The Bates have a lot more footage in store for viewers.

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Little Bates Girls Visit Chicago

Last week, Addallee Bates, Ellie Bates, and Callie Bates spent a few days in Chicago visiting Michael and Brandon Keilen. As always, Michael had a blast with her sisters. They went to the zoo, painted pottery, played games, and spent time chatting.

Which of the older Bates do you think Addee, Ellie, and Callie most resemble? We think Callie looks like Erin, Ellie resembles Kelly and Michael, and Addee favors Alyssa and Carlin. What are your thoughts?

 Ellie Bates, Addallee Bates, Michael Bates Keilen, Brandon Keilen,

Christy Keilen (Brandon's sister), Callie Bates

Callie, Ellie, Addee

Ellie Bates

Photos courtesy of brandonandmichaela.com

Kaci's 1st Haircut

A baby's first haircut is always a special milestone, especially when the hairdresser is the child's aunt! Just before Josie Bates' graduation from cosmetology school, Whitney Bates brings Kaci Lynn Bates in for her first haircut. She isn't eager to keep her head still, but brother Bradley Bates comes to the rescue.

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Bates Fan File 712

This week's Fan File is a few days late (embedded below), but better late than never, right? I know you enjoyed watching the Bates family fix up two houses--a home for Zach and Whitney and a flip house for Chad's contractor friend.

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Little Helpers

Bradley Bates

Zach and Whitney Bates' home renovation project consumed ever minute of their free time for about two months. After all the dangerous tasks were completed, they started letting Bradley and Kaci "help" (video below).

Photos/video courtesy of UP

Zach and Whitney's House

Last night on Bringing Up Bates, we watched Zach and Whitney purchase and renovate a ranch-style house. It was a big milestone for the couple, as they have been renting since their wedding in December 2013 and were eager to buy a home of their own. Below are a few before and after shots.

Before:

After:

Photos courtesy of UP, Zach and Whitney Bates

'Fixin' For New Beginnings' Recap

Bringing Up Bates "Fixin' For New Beginnings"

• Chad, who has recently started his own construction business, is working with Roy, a local contractor. Roy has purchased a dilapidated house, and he and Chad are going to flip it. “Now that he’s doing what he loves, there’s just a whole new light in his eyes,” says Erin of Chad.
• “I’m hoping and kind of dreaming that Erin and I can work together on one day flipping houses together,” says Chad.
• The Paines go over to the log cabin style flip house to check it out. Erin is looking forward to helping with the design aspect.
• When all the work is done, the house looks incredible, like a luxury vacation home. Roy asks Erin to stage it to sell, and it’s not long before they have interested buyers.
• Zach and Whitney sign the papers to purchase their first home. “I can’t believe it,” says Whitney. “It doesn’t even feel real.” The house needs a lot of work, but they’re excited to start this new journey.
• Zach and Whitney take Bradley and Kaci over to the new house to start planning their renovations. They want to tear down a few walls, install new floors, and redo the kitchen. Their budget is $15,000, and they hope to finish the project in six weeks.
• Later, Lawson, Jackson, Warden, and Isaiah come over to help with demolitions. “There’s nothing been built to this day that my family can’t tear up,” says Zach. “And not only can we tear stuff up, we absolutely love to do it.”
• They run into a bit of an issue when they discover that the bathroom floor is sagging, but Zach adds some supporting beams and easily fixes the problem. “I think it’s plenty strong enough now,” he says. “You could park a Mack truck in there.”
• Several weeks later, the house is ready for move-in! Zach and Whitney are very happy with how everything turned out.
• “As the family grows, also the talents, the abilities, and different things that come to the table also grows,” says Chad. “I like to think of maybe what might happen in the future, just around the corner.”

Home Renovations Galore!

Grab your hammer and hardhat and tune in to an all-new episode of Bringing Up Bates tonight at 9pm ET/8pm CT. The Paines are helping with a flip house (photo No. 2), while Zach and Whitney are fixing up a home of their own.

 Chad Paine, Erin Paine, Whitney Bates

Chad Paine, Brooklyn Paine, Erin Paine, Carson Paine

 Erin and Chad

 Jackson Bates (working on Zach and Whitney's house)

 Zach and Whitney's new house

Photos courtesy of UP

Chad's New Job

"It's kind of like jumping out of a plane. You've gotta jump."
-Chad Paine

This evening on Bringing Up Bates, learn more about the new job that has Chad Paine excited about going to work each day (promo video below).

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Katie and Trace

With all six of her older sisters either married or courting, Katie Bates is the oldest Bates daughter who is still single. At age 17, she is in her last semester of high school and is taking dual enrollment classes at Crown College. Trace, age 21, has also been taking courses at Crown.

 Katie Bates and Trace Bates

Photo courtesy of Trace Bates/thebatesfamily.com

The Paines' Nursery

Life in a two-bedroom house with two (almost three) small children can be a struggle, but Erin and Chad Paine are handling it well. With her due date only five weeks away, Erin has been redecorating the nursery to make room for little Everly Hope Paine. Carson Paine turns three in May, which means there will be a period of time when the Paines have three kids under the age of three.

All the furniture in the nursery, aside from the crib, has been either made or refinished by Chad. For those who haven't heard, he left his job at the metal scrapyard and is now doing contracting work and furniture refinishing full-time.

Photos courtesy of chadanderin.com

Tori's Dress Day: Exclusive Photos 1

Last week on Bringing Up Bates, fans watched Tori Bates travel to Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, with her mom and sisters to choose her wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses. She and Kelly had already met with dress designer Renee Miller to discuss details.

Tori had a bit of a difficult time putting a finger on what she wanted, but she knew she didn't want anything "boufy" (Tori's word for poufy). She was okay with a touch of sparkles but not a ton, and she liked the idea of a long train.

According to Kelly, Tori doesn't like to make decisions, but she does have opinions, although it can be tough to pull them out of her.

On the day Tori chose her dress, the Bates were treated to delicious treats from Thyme Catering.

Whitney Bates and Alyssa Bates Webster

With all the Bates ladies but Ellie (who stayed behind to spend uninterrupted time with her nieces and nephews) gathered in one room, there were no shortage of opinions.

 Alyssa Webster, Tori Bates (with a family-friend who came along and was also a bridesmaid)

Before everyone arrived, I was given a peek at the wedding gowns and bridesmaids dresses. They were all simply stunning!

As usual, it was a pleasure to spend time with the Bates. Such beautiful women, inside and out. They were also treated to a meal at Tomatoes and Flames (the same restaurant where Joseph Duggar surprised Kendra Caldwell on her birthday, shown last week on Counting On). The meal was off-camera, so Kelly encouraged Mr. Handsome and me to go along with them. We enjoyed chatting while eating delicious pizza and salad.

Photos are property of Renee Miller; may only be used with written permission.