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
- 2nd place: Webster family
- 1st 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.