Tori's Students

Kaci Bates, Bradley Bates, Brooklyn Paine

Tori Smith: "Brad, you're being too loud."

Bradley Bates: "I'm trying to scare the girls."

Tori the teacher has been babysitting for Whitney and Erin twice a week, to allow them to work at the boutique. She does schoolwork with Bradley and Carson while Kaci and Brooklyn do crafts. Sometimes the boys have a difficult time focusing on their assignments.

Photo/video courtesy of UPtv

'A Double Date and Something to Celebrate' Recap

Bringing Up Bates "A Double Date and Something to Celebrate"

• Tori is 10 weeks away from her due date. She takes Kade and Ellie to her ultrasound appointment to check on baby Kolter. “For me looking back, when we had Carson and Brooklyn, it was a little more work,” says Erin. “But at the same time, I feel like it was so much more rewarding because you actually see them interact, and you see your oldest excited about a sibling.” Bobby has been giving Tori daily heparin shots for her blood clotting disorder.
• Callie accompanies Travis and Katie over to the Balkas’ house to make homemade pizza. Josie asks Travis when he plans on asking Katie to court, and he says he hopes it will be soon.
• At the Bates Sisters Boutique, Erin, Whitney, and Carlin are discussing next steps for their business. “We’re really living a dream,” says Erin, of having a job that allows them to bring their babies to work. The ladies are looking to get involved with a women’s ministry called Hands Up.
• At the big house, the Bates welcome Lawson home from the Philippines after three months. “[Lawson’s] sense of humor just keeps the family laughing all the time,” says Zach. “Everybody misses that. But he’s very sensitive, and he’s really got a sweet side you don’t see a lot. He’ll come around and hang out with the different married couples and play with the kids. I don’t know who missed Lawson the most, the kids or us older ones, but I know I missed him a lot.”
• This trip was centered around Esther, a young girl whom he met on his first trip to the Philippines. She needed a life-saving surgery, and Lawson helped organize everything. “This little girl needed somebody to go to bat for her,” says Lawson. The plan is to bring Esther and her mom to the United States in a few months for the surgery.  

Coordinating Pregnancies

Carlin Stewart, Erin Paine, Whitney Bates

Bates Sisters Boutique

Erin Paine: "Let's just plan to all be pregnant and have kids at the same time so we can kind of plan out what we're doing."

Carlin Stewart: "Y'all just let me know."

Erin, Carlin, and Whitney are gathered at the Bates Sisters Boutique, discussing "next steps." Erin suggests that they have future children at the same time, and Carlin is on board (video preview of tomorrow's new episode is below). Tomorrow night on Bringing Up Bates, you will also see Tori's obstetrics appointment, Katie and Travis' double date the with Balkas, and Lawson's homecoming from the Philippines.

Photo/video courtesy of UPtv

1st Time Making Homemade Pizza

Making homemade pizza

Katie Bates, Travis Clark, Kelton Balka, Josie Balka

"Honestly, I have made very few things from scratch. I can make a mean frozen pizza, but when Travis said we're going to make some homemade pizza, I don't think he knew what he was in for."
-Katie Bates

They say there's as first time for everything! Katie and Travis recently made their first homemade pizza, with help from Josie and Kelton. The process ends up being harder than they expected, but you'll see the fruits of their labor this Thursday on UPtv (video below).



Photo/video courtesy of UPtv

Lawson Turns 28

Happy 28th birthday to Lawson, the fourth oldest Bates sibling! To listen to Lawson's latest songs, drop by his Apple Music page.

Lawson Bates, April 2020

Photo courtesy of lawsonbates.com; @lawbates

More Babies Already?

Carlin's siblings hold Layla Stewart for the first time

"Getting to hold Layla, she was so tiny, she was so precious, just perfect."
-Nathan Bates

On their way home from the hospital, Carlin and Evan Stewart stop by the "big house" to introduce Layla to the family. This is the first time that the entire Bates crew hasn't been able to visit a baby at the hospital. As her siblings cuddle the newest addition, Carlin states that she already wants more babies. Evan smiles and reminds her that they aren't trying to set any records, and Kelly offers some helpful advice.



Photo/video courtesy of UPtv

'Roaring Bates and Pending Due Dates' Recap

Bringing Up Bates "Roaring Bates and Pending Due Dates"

• Erin and Chad arrive at Carlin and Evan’s house to help decorate Layla’s nursery. “I was going to be one of those moms that was very neutral, super stylish, and then I found out I was having a girl, and I was like, ‘Everything pink!’” says Carlin.
• Josie and Kelton have the family over for a housewarming party in their newly renovated home. The Balkas are incredibly thankful for all the help they have received from the Bates.
• The Balkas are busy business owners, as well. Kelton’s new plumbing business has been booked solid, and Josie is already booking weddings, for which she does hair, for 2020.
• One week from her induction date, Carlin has an ultrasound appointment. The technician watches for 30 minutes but does not detect the needed three to five respiratory movements. Dr. Vick hooks Carlin up to a monitor but still doesn’t see the amount of movement that he needs to be seeing, even though Layla’s heartbeat is normal.
• Carlin, who is 35 weeks pregnant, is admitted to the hospital. The following day, she gets an epidural, and it’s not long before she progresses enough to start pushing. The hospital only allows Evan and Kelly to be in the delivery room, but Erin, Whitney, Tori, and Gil are in the waiting room. As Carlin pushes, the anesthesiologist is kind enough to hold the phone so those in the waiting room can see Carlin’s face.
• A week later, Gil and Kelly take Trace, Zach, and Khloe out to dinner. Trace tells his parents that Chaney recently ended the relationship. “Long distance, it was a hard thing going through that, and it just didn’t work out,” says Trace.
• “I think we kind of anticipated that a talk was coming, but for Trace to open up and share a topic that is a very hurtful topic and to see Trace trying to fight back tears…I feel like he’s been very mature through it all,” says Kelly, choking up. Trace says that it’s helpful to have Zach beside him because Zach also went through a breakup, before marrying Whitney.
• “Looking back at the relationship, I can just thank my parents so much for advising us to do the relationship the right way,” says Trace, referring to purity. “Ya it was very difficult, but you live and you learn, and I’m just glad that we did it the right way.”
• Gil and Kelly and some of the older girls, including Carlin, who is a week-and-a-half postpartum, gather at the church to set up for the Valentine’s Day party.
• The day before the big party, Zach and Erin, with help from others, cook the meal for the couples’ dinner. “If Erin and Zach are cooking, then you know it’s going to be absolutely phenomenal,” says a very pregnant Tori. “I really love food these days, so I am very, very excited about it.”
• Katie brings her friend Travis, where he meets Gil’s parents for the first time. Katie expects that Travis will soon ask her to enter a courtship, although she says they are young and trying to take their relationship slow.
• The first game is a scratch to win, with gift cards as prizes. Then comes the Charleston competition among the guys, which everyone else agrees is a ton of fun to watch.
• The following day is the big Roaring ‘20s party. Gil and the husband and wife catering team are the three judges for the costume contest. “Well the one good thing about Gil is all the kids see him as being very neutral,” says Kelly.
• “Since we’re all very, very, very competitive, we don’t just put the costume on,” says Evan. “We become the costume.” The couples, including Katie and Travis, and little families compete together. “Katie is not the participating kind,” says Kelly. “Travis talked her into it.”
• 3rd place: Zach Bates family
• 2^nd place: Webster family
• 1^st place: The Paines
• Lawson, who is in the Philippines helping a little girl get a life-saving surgery, joins via phone. Kelly gives out a new award, called “the biggest heart award,” and gives it to Lawson. “My mama’s heart was proud, and I wanted to start off the tradition honoring Lawson because I really feel like his past few months has shown what the whole character that we want this holiday to be about.” Kelly plans to make the award an annual tradition.

Roaring Bates and Pending Due Dates

 Carlin Stewart and Dr. Vick

The 9B season premiere of Bringing Up Bates is just two days away. The episode will be one hour long and airs at 9pm ET/8pm CT on Thursday. Scroll down to read the summary and see preview photos. Check out our post from the 16th to view a sneak peek video.

Roaring Bates and Pending Due Dates
Soon to be parents Carlin and Evan lean on Erin’s decorating expertise and Chad’s handyman skills to put the finishing touches on Layla’s nursery. Now that their renovations are complete, Josie and Kelton host a housewarming party and celebrate their new business ventures with their family! Meanwhile, Trace is dealing with a broken heart; he turns to his parents and Zach for relationship advice. Later, a routine ultrasound for Carlin becomes worrisome, and she ends up in the hospital sooner than expected. Will baby Layla arrive before her due date? And the whole family gathers in Rocky Top for their annual “I Love You Day” festivities. Katie’s “friend” Travis joins the celebration. Is a courtship calling for the young couple?

 

Out to dinner with Trace

 

Fun and games at the Bates' I Love You Day celebration

 

The Smiths and the Websters

 

Kade Smith enjoys the party

 

Katie Bates and boyfriend Travis

 

Alyssa and John Webster

Photos courtesy of UPtv

Willow Turns 1

Has it already been 12 months since Willow Balka was born? The 10th Bates grandchild just turned one year old. Happy birthday, Willow!

In true Bates fashion, Josie and Kelton did a first birthday photo shoot with photographer Taryn Yager. Isn't this snapshot just adorable?

 Willow Balka

One year old

Photo courtesy tarynyagerphotography.com; @josie_balka; @keltonbalka

Season 9B Sneak Peek

Tori Smith has an ultrasound to check on Baby #2

New episodes of Bringing Up Bates are slated to return to UPtv in just one week. Set your DVR for Thursday, July 23, at 9pm ET/8pm CT. The first episode, "Roaring Bates and Pending Due Dates," will be a full hour. The summary is below, as is a clip that shows the first 30 seconds. The network will add 19 seconds to the video each day as we approach the premiere date.

Roaring Bates and Pending Due Dates: Soon to be parents Carlin and Evan lean on Erin’s decorating expertise and Chad’s handyman skills to put the finishing touches on Layla’s nursery. Now that their renovations are complete, Josie and Kelton host a housewarming party and celebrate their new business ventures with their family. Meanwhile, Trace is dealing with a broken heart; he turns to his parents and Zach for relationship advice. Later, a routine ultrasound for Carlin becomes worrisome, and she ends up in the hospital sooner than expected. Will baby Layla arrive before her due date? And the whole family gathers in Rocky Top for their annual “I Love You Day” festivities. Katie’s “friend” Travis joins the celebration. Is a courtship calling for the young couple?

Photo/video courtesy of UPtv

Bates Return in 13 Days

We have some good news and some not so good news. The not so good news is that summer is moving right along, and July is almost halfway over. Now are you ready for some good news? New episodes of Bringing Up Bates are set to return to UPtv in less than two weeks! The preview video is embedded below.

Photo/video courtesy of UPtv

Celebrating the 4th with the Bates

It's no secret that the Bates family loves the United States of America. Every year on Independence Day, they enjoy celebrating their country and all the freedoms that it provides. We think this photo of the eldest Bates daughter and the three youngest daughters, taken on 4th of July, is super cute. Michael is sporting the Betsy.

Addallee Bates, Michael Keilen, Ellie Bates, Callie Bates

Photo courtesy of @brandon_michael_jn15

Kelton Turns 25

Happy Independence Day to our American readers! We sure are grateful for our freedom. We also want to wish Kelton Balka a blessed 25th birthday.

Josie Balka, Kelton Balka, Willow Balka

Camping spring 2020

Photo courtesy of @josie_balka