Friday, February 26, 2021

Erin on Health Struggles and Future

 
Brooklyn Paine, Everly Paine, Holland Paine, Carson Paine

A few weeks ago, we shared a little bit about Erin Paine's health struggles. She just did an interview with Us Weekly (link below) and provided more details about what she has been through over the past several months. Among other things, Erin reveals in the interview that her chances of ever becoming pregnant with a fifth child are very small. She and Chad have always dreamed of having 10 or more children, so you can imagine how difficult this has been.

At the top of the page where they article is found, you can watch the video of the interview. Carlin chimes in and shares an update on Layla's heart.

Us Weekly Interview with Erin Paine

Photo courtesy of chadanderin.com

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

I Love You Day 2021


The Bates had their annual Valentine's Day party, which they call I Love You Day. There's always a theme for costumes, and this year's theme was animals. Here's a sneak peek at one of the couple's costumes. Do you recognize them?

Photo courtesy of @carlinbates98

Thursday, February 18, 2021

Baby Balka #2 is a...

 
Kelton Balka, Willow Balka, Josie Balka


Three of the Bates couples are expecting babies due in June (Zach and Whitney Bates, Josie and Kelton Balka, and Tori and Bobby Smith). We already know that the Smiths are having a girl named Charlotte Raine Smith, and Zach and Whitney will welcome a boy named Jayden Carl Bates. But will little Willow Balka have a brother or sister? Josie and Kelton just announced, and...

It's a girl! Her name will be Hazel Sloane Balka. Josie is 21 weeks pregnant and just had her anatomy scan. 

Photo courtesy of @josie_balka; @keltonbalka

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Celebrating Jackson and Addallee

It's Jackson and Addee's birthdays today! Jackson is 19, and Addallee is 15. 

Most of you probably heard that the Bates took a family ski vacation to Colorado a couple weeks ago. Well, Jackson took a spill on some ice while snowboarding and broke two bones in his arm, resulting in surgery. Let's pray for Jackson as he recovers.

 
Ellie Bates, Callie Bates, Addallee Bates
 

 
Jackson Bates
Snowboarding accident, 2021

Photos courtesy of thebatesfamily.com/@thebatesfam; @jacksonebates

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Bobby Turns 26

Happy 26th birthday to Bobby! With the arrival of Maci Jo Webster last week, the Bates now have six birthdays to celebrate in February.

 
Bobby Smith and Tori Smith on their honeymoon

Photo courtesy of UPtv

Monday, February 15, 2021

4 Webster Sisters

 
Allie Webster, Zoey Webster, Lexi Webster, Maci Webster

Maci Jo Webster is six days old. Although they aren't the first family in the Bates clan to have four children, Alyssa and John Webster are the first to have four kids of the same gender. Four beautiful girls! For those asking if Maci will be their last baby, Alyssa has said in the past that that is a very real possibility. 

Photo courtesy of @websterforever

Friday, February 12, 2021

Season 10 Promo Video

 
Nathan Bates and Esther

In case you haven't heard the happy news, new episodes of Bringing Up Bates return to UPtv in less than eight weeks! Season 10 premieres on Thursday, April 8th, at 9pm ET/8pm CT. The Bates have a lot of exciting footage in store for viewers. We know we say that every season, but it's always true. Watch the promo video below.

 

Photo/video courtesy of UPtv

Thursday, February 11, 2021

Lawson Celebrates Tiffany's 22nd

Tiffany celebrated her 22nd birthday yesterday with a small party, and Lawson was able to attend. Lawson also presented his girlfriend with 22 red roses. Don't these two just make an adorable couple? In case you hadn't heard, Tiffany joined in on the Bates' ski trip to Breckenridge last week.

 
Lawson Bates and Tiffany Espensen

Photo courtesy of lawsonbates.com

New Bates Episodes Coming Soon!


The Bates are coming back! The network just announced the return date for new episodes of Bringing Up Bates, and we couldn't be more excited. Mark your calendars for April 8th. Same time, same place, as usual (Thursday evenings at 9pm ET/8pm CT on UPtv). The network will also air a special on Thursday, March 25th, at 9pm ET/8pm CT.

Photo courtesy of UPtv



Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Meet Maci Jo Webster


Maci Jo Webster has arrived! Her due date was February 17th, and she was born this morning, February 9th, at 6am. She weighed 6 lbs 3 oz and measured 18 inches long. Both Alyssa and Maci are doing well. This was Alyssa's first hospital birth after delivering her three older girls at a birthing center.  

Visit the UPtv website for a quote from Alyssa and John Webster and additional photos.

Photo courtesy Webster Family (provided by UPtv)

Maci Jo is Here!


Allie, Lexi, and Zoey have a new sister! Alyssa and John Webster welcomed their fourth daughter, Maci Jo Webster, early this morning. She weighed 6 lbs 3 oz. Additional photos are coming soon, but you can head on over to the People website for the exclusive article. 

Photo courtesy of Alyssa and John Webster/@websterforever

Monday, February 8, 2021

Erin's Health Struggles

 
The Paine family

We encourage you all to pray for Erin and Chad Paine. Erin recently made public the news of the health struggles she has had over the past few months. She has been through three surgeries, due to ruptured cysts. She ended up having one ovary and most of the other one removed. We know the Paines would appreciate your prayers as they continue to search for answers to the issues Erin is facing. 

Photo courtesy of Taryn Yager Photography (tarynyagerphotography.com)/@chad_erinpaine

A Bates Look Back


It has been almost five months since the Bringing Up Bates season nine finale, and we know you are all hoping to hear news of season 10 soon. We don't have anything to report, but we do want to give you a heads up about a fun special that airs later this week. 

Called "A Bates Look Back--Six Years and Nine Seasons Later," the special will go back in time and feature some of the most memorable Bates moments since the 2015 series premiere (promo video and showtimes below).

 

Thursday, Feb 11
6am: Chaperoning Dos and Don'ts
6:30am: Milestones and New Chapters
9pm: A Bates Look Back--Six Years and Nine Seasons Later 

Photo/video courtesy of UPtv

Thursday, February 4, 2021

Lawson's Ski Buddy

As we shared yesterday, the majority of the Bates family is in Colorado this week for a ski vacation, and a few individuals who aren't part of the family tagged along. Katie brought Travis, Nathan brought Esther, and Lawson brought a Hollywood star. You're probably wondering if you read that correctly. You did! Lawson is in a relationship with an actress.

Tiffany Espensen, a strong Christian who turns 22 next week, was adopted from China into an American family. She has been acting on the big screen since early childhood and appears in Spiderman: Homecoming, Netflix series Alexa and Katie, Avengers: Infinity War, and a number of other TV series and movies. One of her first roles was in the hit TV series Hannah Montana in 2007. You can read more about Tiffany on her IMDb page.


Photo courtesy of UPtv

Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Bates in Breckenridge

The Bates are having a big bash in Breckenridge! Gil and Kelly Bates and the majority of their 19 children--plus in-laws, spouses, and non-married some significant others--met up for a family vacation in Colorado this week. They are spending time skiing down the slopes and enjoying the snow at Keystone Resort and Breckenridge. 

 
Trace Bates

Photo courtesy of @tracewbates


Tuesday, February 2, 2021

The Bates: 50 and Counting?


Gil and Kelly started off with a large immediate family, but they have almost reached the point where the "add-ons" will surpass the original members. For the short time between Jeb's birth in February 2012 and Erin's wedding in November 2013, the Bates were (only) 21 strong. Now, with 14 grandchildren and 7 spouses, they are up to 42 members. 

That total will become 46 when four more grandbabies are added by June of this year, but there are also at least 2 significant others who could possibly join the clan in the near future. So with all that in mind, it will not be long before Gil and Kelly's group reaches the milestone of 50 members. Can you imagine what their regular get-togethers are like? They are also close with both Gil and Kelly's extended family, so that adds even more craziness. 

Photo courtesy of UPtv

Monday, February 1, 2021

Bates #8 and #19 Turn 24 and 9

For the members of the super-sized Bates clan, January and February is a popular time to be born. In fact, between January 23rd and February 1st, a time span less than two weeks, there are a whopping five birthdays! Michael Keilen turned 31, Lexi Webster turned4, Layla Stewart turned 1, and now Jeb Bates and Trace Bates are turning 9 and 24. That means there's only one year to go before the youngest Bates child is into the double digits. Happy double Bates birthday to Trace and Jeb!

 
Trace Bates

 
Callie Bates and Jeb Bates

Photos courtesy of UPtv; thebatesfamily.com