Bringing Up Bates "'Tis the Season for Surprises"
- Katie gives Ellie, Addallee, and Callie a hair curling tutorial. “When Katie leaves, it’s going to be very sad,” says Addee. “I’m just going to cry the whole week after.”
- Zach comes over to help Gil and some of the boys hang Christmas lights. Nathan arrives and introduces Esther to the family.
- “She seems like a very sweet girl,” says Zach. “Seems like she loves Nathan a lot, and it definitely seems like Nathan loves her, so super excited to watch them come rolling in.”
- Esther is also from a big family, so she is right at home with the super-sized Bates crew. “The more, the merrier,” says Esther. “I love it.”
- The couples get together for a bonfire. The Websters are in town, so everyone is together. Nathan and Esther tell the story of how they met at a mutual friend’s wedding. Nathan says Esther had the bluest eyes he had ever seen. They started texted and calling, and about a week later, Nathan told her he wanted to be more than friends. That was a year ago. “Going public with my family is kind of like going public with the world,” says Nathan.
- Later at Zach and Whitney’s house, the kids help decorate gingerbread men (or, rather, “genderbread” men). Josie, Kelton, and Willow have a photographer take their photo as they release confetti cannons with either pink or blue.
- The Bates family gathers for their Christmas celebration. Everyone but Tori and Bobby’s family is healthy and able to attend. Taryn takes outdoor family pictures. After the group photo, the reveals start. Josie and Kelton hand Kelton’s father an ornament that says “Baby Girl: Hazel Sloane Balka.”
- Zach hands his parents and Whitney’s parents a box of gingerbread men with no icing. “Wait, where’s the color?” screams Kelly. Zach jokingly apologizes and brings out the blue gingerbread men.
- Erin makes a big announcement on behalf of Tori and Bobby. She gives Gil and Kelly a placard that says “Making room for a new little one: Charlotte Raine.”
- “[Bobby] will be a good girl dad,” says Tori. “I can’t say I’m going to be a good girl mom, but I will try my hardest.”
- “Christmas is a magical time of year,” says Nathan, “And I can’t wait for every Christmas to come, from here on out. And I’m very confident they’re all going to be with Esther.”