Bringing Up Bates "Bates and Switch"
- It’s Katie’s 18th birthday, and the family is determined to throw her a surprise party. Katie dislikes being the center of attention, and she is almost impossible to surprise. So the family gathers together on Isaiah’s birthday, under the pretense of celebrating him. When Kelly announces that it’s time to give Isaiah “birthday praises,” he stands up and Kelly shout’s “Wrong birthday! We’re really celebrating Katie!”
- “I played a pretty crucial part in the surprising of Katie’s birthday,” says Isaiah, happy to have a chance to do something for his sister. He had gone on a birthday shopping trip with Kelly, and the family plans to celebrate him on another day.
- Katie is shocked and can’t understand how she didn’t catch on sooner. When the family gives her birthday praise, she starts tearing up. Among other things, they say she is one of the funniest Bates, thoughtful, never asks for anything for herself, and full of personality.
- Katie has recently started cosmetology school (following in Josie’s footsteps) and is learning to fly with Nathan.
- Later, realtor Whitney goes apartment hunting with Josie and Kelton. The couple is leaning towards a one bedroom that is “pretty,” as Josie puts it. “I think if we have two bedrooms, we might have a little too many people wanting to spend the night,” she says.
- “There’s going to be a huge void in the house, but I think that God’s probably been preparing us…to let go because as the wedding gets closer, Josie’s working more and more hours trying to save more and more money,” says Kelly. “So she’s really been out of the house a lot more.”
- “I think moving out from living in a house that has like 25 people nonstop is definitely going to be a change, especially for me,” says Josie. “But I’m quite excited about it being just quiet and clean, yes clean!”
- The second apartment that they visit is beautiful but expensive, but it’s minutes from Josie’s work.
- Back at the house, Gil and Nathan help Jackson fix his 1993 Ford pickup. “Jackson loves his new truck,” says Callie. “He’s crazy about it.” He has been working with contractor Chad for about a year and has saved up his money. Jackson estimates that he will have about $1,500 in it by the time it’s ready to drive.
- The guys end up discovering another problem that will require some more time to fix. “Yep, this is going to be a project,” says Gil.
- Kelly, Josie, and three of the bridesmaids (Whitney, Carlin, and friend Courtney) drive up to Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, to visit wedding dress designer Renee so she can alter the dress that Josie bought in New York City. The other two bridesmaids are Alyssa Webster and Ariana Balka, Kelton’s sister.
- The seam that needs to be let out has no seam allowance, so Renee has to cut some seams so she can give Josie more room to move her arms. “I’m closing my eyes,” says Josie. “I can’t handle it.”
- The bridesmaids try on their dresses, which are floor length and in the same color family but not identical. Katie’s dress is a very different color and makes her look like a potato, as she says. “Do not let your mom order your bridesmaid dress online from China!” says Katie.
- “Katie looks beautiful in anything, even the potato sack, but it’s probably not her 100 percent best look,” says Josie.