Tori's Birth Plan

Tori and Bobby Smith are just weeks away from meeting little Robert Ellis Smith IV, due November 24th. While she lived in Knoxville, Tori saw Dr. Vick, who has done obstetrics for multiple members of the Bates family, but fans have been wondering what she is going to do now that she lives in Nashville.

Tori is planning to have the baby at a birthing center that is located inside a hospital. The birth will be attended by a doctor, and she will have access to emergency care if needed.

Photo courtesy of Tori and Bobby Smith

Bates Fan File 735

Hope all my blog readers are having a relaxing Friday evening (or Saturday morning for my wonderful international readers). Just wanted to share my Bates Fan File segment for this week. Who else is sad that there is only one episode of Bringing Up Bates to go before season seven comes to a close?

Video courtesy of UP

Counsel from a Coffee Shop

The big engagement episode is just around the corner! Bringing Up Bates "A Monumental Proposal" premieres next Thursday on UP and will be one hour long. In the video below, Kelton Balka finalizes his plans, but when he calls a coffee shop to ask for help, the woman who answers has an important but unexpected question for him. His father and siblings enjoy listening in on the conversation.

Photo/video courtesy of UP

Whitney Turns the Big 2-5!

Today, the Bates are celebrating the birthday of their only daughter-in-law. Gil and Kelly have four married daughters, which means they have four--soon to be five--sons-in-law, but as of yet, only one of their sons is married. Happy 25th, Whitney!

Zach and Whitney are approaching their five-year wedding anniversary this December. (Can you believe it?) They have two beautiful children and one waiting for them in heaven. 

Whitney Bates and Kaci Bates, Christmas 2016

Carlin Bates, Erin Paine, Whitney Bates, February 2018

Zach and Whitney Bates, Christmas 2016

Zach Bates, Whitney Bates, Bradley Bates, July 2015

Photos courtesy of Zach and Whitney Bates

'Pink or Blue, What Do You Think?' Recap

Bringing Up Bates "Pink Or Blue, What Do You Think?"

• “When I found out Tori was expecting, the first thing I said is, ‘Can I plan you a gender reveal party?’” says Erin, who loves parties. Tori and Bobby arrive at the event, attended by the entire Bates family and hosted under a pavilion at a local park. The gender is soon to be revealed, but that doesn’t stop the family from trying to pull the news out of the parents-to-be.
• Gender reveal parties are a newer thing for the Bates because Gil and Kelly enjoyed waiting until birth to find out the gender of their babies.
• After lunch, everyone divides into two groups, which turn out to be about even, based on their guess. To make the announcement, Tori and Bobby fill a balloon with blue powder, and then Tori pitches the balloon to bobby, who hits it with a bat. Both Tori and Bobby admit that they were hoping for a boy first. His name will be Robert Ellis Smith IV, but his nickname will be Kade. Bobby says it’s Latin for “fourth generation.”
• At Zach and Whitney’s house one morning, they discuss plans for their vow renewal over breakfast with the kids. They are all eating Honey Nut Cheerios, which Bradley and Kaci love. “I like Cheerios, with milk and a spoon,” says Bradley. 
• “We always ate off-brand everything growing up, except for Honey Nut Cheerios,” says Zach. 
• Later, Kelton shares his proposal plans with his father, two sisters, and two brothers. “It’s a huge relief that all these plans are coming together,” he says “Now that we’re getting things locked down, it’s starting to hit how excited I am that I actually get to propose in Utah.”
• “We kind of have an idea of when we want to get married, but I don’t have a ring, and it needs to change soon, so hopefully those plans are in the making,” says Josie.
• On the big day, Kelton picks up pink roses at Powell Florist and drives over to Josie's place of employment. “As I was walking up to her salon, my heart was just pounding in my chest,” admits Kelton. “I was not expecting to be so nervous.”
• When Josie sees Kelton and asks him why he's there, he responds: “I have some bad news and some good news, okay? The bad news is, I don’t think your next client is going to show up because that’s a fake appointment. The good news is, we’re going on a trip. We’re going to take you somewhere that you’ve always wanted to go, and we’re going right now.” 
• Josie shares she has never been one for surprises but that she has come to enjoy Kelton’s surprises.
• Gil and Kelly present Josie with a cake decorated with graham crackers and a cactus to see if she can guess the destination, which she does.
• At the start of the trip, Kelton presents Josie with a charm bracelet and an airplane charm. Along the way, he will give her additional charms: a heart that says “best friends” to symbolize the start of their relationship; a coffee cup because they have shared many coffee dates; a bridge because Kelton asked Josie to court while standing on a covered bridge; and an infinity symbol.

Tune in next week for the final episode of season seven, which will feature the proposal!