Zach and Whitney's #6

By the time you ready this, it is likely that another Bates grandchild has already entered the world. Zach and Whitney Bates have headed to the hospital to welcome their sixth child, a girl. That will make two sons and four daughters for the eldest Bates sibling and his wife. Bradley Bates is 11, Kaci Bates turns 10 in June, Khloe Bates is six, Jadon Bates turns five in June, and Lily Bates is two. This little one is Gil and Kelly Bates' 40th grandchild. 

Smith Party of 8

Gil and Kelly Bates now have 39 grandchildren, with a 40th due in May! On February 28th, Tori and Bobby Smith welcomed their sixth child, Gage Turner Smith, who weighed 6 lbs 4 oz. That makes four boys and two girls for their family, and all six of their kids are seven and under. Kade Smith turns eight in November, Kolter Smith will be six later this month, Charlotte Smith will be five in June, Cambree Smith turns four in August, and Weston Smith will be two in May. Congratulations, Smith family!

 

 

Zach and Whitney Reveal the Gender of their 6th Child

Gil and Kelly Bates are set to welcome their 40th grandchild next year. They currently have 36 grandchildren, and at least four of their daughters and daughters-in-law are pregnant. 

Josie and Kelton Balka are expecting their fourth child in December.  

Lawson and Tiffany Bates are due at the end of 2025. They haven't shared the exact due date but have said that it will be in winter 2025, although Tiffany recently said she is 30 weeks pregnant, which would be January. 

Tori and Bobby Smith are expecting their sixth baby in March 2026. They currently have three boys and two girls. 

Zach and Whitney Bates are also looking forward to welcoming their sixth child, due in May 2026. They just announced the gender, and...it's a girl! That makes two boys and four girls for their family. 

Bates Family Sleepover

With only three children under the age of 18, Gil and Kelly Bates have a much quieter home than they did when they had 19 children living under their roof. To help their parents relive their glory days, some of the Bates siblings "crashed" the big house for a surprise sleepover. A handful of the ones who live locally, along with their kids and spouses, showed up on Gil and Kelly's front door for a night of food, board games, a lot of laughter, and only a little bit of sleep. Carlin and Evan Stewart documented the evening and uploaded a video to YouTube. 

Another Family of 8?

Two of Gil and Kelly Bates' adult children are preparing to welcome their sixth babies. Just a few days after Zach and Whitney Bates revealed that they are expecting their sixth child in spring 2026, Tori and Bobby Smith announced that they will also be a family of eight. Tori is due in march 2026. Their oldest, Kade Smith, turns seven in November, and Kolter Smith is five-and-a-half. Charlotte Smith turned four in June, Cambree Smith turned three in August, and Slade Smith celebrated his first birthday in May. 

 

 

Bates Ski Trip 2025

A couple weeks ago, the Bates family took their annual ski vacation out west. Not everyone attends every year, but it still ends up being a good sized group. If you have watched Bringing Up Bates, the Bates' reality TV show that aired from 2015-2021, you know that this trip has been a tradition for quite a few years. The Clarks and Stewarts both uploaded YouTube videos of footage from this year's trip (links below), which took place in Utah. At the ends of Katie and Travis' video, you'll also hear Gil and Kelly Bates share some marriage tips.  

Katie and Travis Clark: Bates Ski Trip

Carlin and Evan Stewart: Bates Ski Trip

Welcome, Graham Bates!

Last week was a busy one for the Bates family! It started off with the arrival of Harvey Gray Clark on September 29th. Harvey had oxygen issues soon after birth and had to spend some time in the NICU, but he is now home and doing well. The links to his birth story are below.

Harvey is Gil and Kelly Bates' 31st grandchild. Just five days after he was born, the parents of 19 welcomed their 32nd grandchild. Graham Alan Bates is the second child of Nathan and Esther Bates. He arrived on October 4th and weighed 6 lbs 15 oz. 

To add to the excitement, a number of Bates, who are close friends of the Duggars, attended the wedding of Jason and Maddie Duggar on October 3rd. The wedding took place in East Tennessee.

Katie and Travis Clark: Harvey's Birth Story Part 1

Katie and Travis Clark: Harvey's Birth Story Part 2

Another Shared Bates Birthday

Have you heard the exciting news? Lawson and Tiffany Bates delivered their baby boy! William Daniel Bates arrived July 19th, 2024, and weighed 7 lbs 2 oz. William is the 30th Bates grandchild, and he shares a birthday with five-year-old Willow Balka, the 10th Bates grandchild. That makes seven shared birthdays for Gil and Kelly Bates' clan.

William arrived eight days before Lawson's 32nd birthday. Part two of William's birth story is now on YouTube, and it features plenty of adorable face shots of the little guy.

Baby Bates Coming Soon

Lawson and Tiffany Bates could welcome their first child any day now. This little guy will be Gil and Kelly Bates' 30th grandchild. In the midst of preparing for the baby's arrival, the expectant parents sat down to answer a few questions related to the birth and name, as well as schooling and other subjects. That video can be found on their YouTube video.

Check In with the Clarks

How are things going for Katie and Travis Clark, who recently moved to Tennessee? In their most recent YouTube video, they share news from their anatomy scan for Baby Boy Clark, and they play pickle ball with Gil and Kelly Bates and some of Katie's younger siblings. Later, they join Zach Bates, who is a real estate agent, to look for houses.

Another Bates Boy

'Tis the season for baby boys! The Bates family is in the midst of a big streak of grandsons. Ryker Bates kicked it off last September, followed by William Paine in October and Miles Balka in February. Weston Smith arrived just a few days ago. In early summer, Lawson and Tiffany Bates are expecting a son, and Katie and Travis Clark are due with a boy this fall. Nathan and Esther Bates are also looking forward to welcoming their second child this fall, and they just announced the gender. It's a boy! Can you believe it? 

This will make 32 grandchildren for Gil and Kelly Bates. Head over to our Birthdays page to total up now many boys and girls they have, and then come back to the comments section to report back.

Bates Visit Nashville

You’re going to really enjoy Lawson and Tiffany Bates’ most recent YouTube video. A group of family members travels to Nashville for a visit, and everyone stays at Lawson and Tiffany's house. Among the visitors are Gil and Kelly Bates, Callie Bates, Tori and Bobby Smith, Erin and Chad Paine with baby William, and Nathan and Esther Bates with Kenna.

Lawson and Tiffany babysit Kenna while the rest of the family goes out. Later, Chad gives Gil a haircut, Bobby cooks breakfast, and then everyone goes to a Southern gospel concert.

 

Clarks Announce Baby #2

It's a season of change for Katie and Travis Clark. They recently relocated to East Tennessee, and now they just made another big announcement. Katie is pregnant with Baby #2! She and Travis found out the news in early February, while they were en route to Tennessee for the Bates' I Love You Day party, which was less than two weeks before Hailey's first birthday. You can watch their announcements to their family members in their latest YouTube video. 

This baby will make 32 grandchildren for Gil and Kelly Bates, with four more on the way. Esther Bates is due in fall, while Tiffany Bates is due in summer. Tori Smith is due with her fifth soon.

Bates Couple Announces No. 2

Get ready! There's another wave of Bates babies coming soon. Tori and Bobby Smith announced last October that they were expecting their fifth baby, followed by Lawson and Tiffany Bates' announcement of their rainbow baby on the way earlier this month. And now, Nathan and Esther Bates have jumped on board. They just shared that little Kenna will be gaining her first sibling this fall.

Gil and Kelly Bates gained five grandchildren in 2023. Considering that one baby (Miles Balka) has already arrived in 2024, do you think this will be an even bigger year for Bates babies?

Nathan Bates Marries Esther Keyes

Another Bates wedding is in the books! Nathan Bates and Esther Keyes became husband and wife this afternoon, during a beautiful ceremony in picturesque Pennsylvania. Gil and Kelly Bates haven't attended a wedding since Carlin married Evan in May 2019, and they haven't watched a son tie the knot since Zach married Whitney in December 2013. 

Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Bates! No wedding photos have been released yet, but we will keep you in the loop.

Recap: "Big Family, Big Changes"

Bringing Up Bates Season 4 Premiere, "Big Family, Big Changes"

• “It makes you real nervous, with everybody growing and moving and shaking,” says Gil,  as he and Kelly discuss the changes that are happening in the Bates family.
• Gil is preparing for surgery to correct his diverticulitis, a problem with the intestines that causes pockets to form.
• Before his surgery, Gil helps the boys fix up the swing set fort, but the father of 19 ends up at an urgent care facility when he slides down a 2 by 4 and gets a huge splinter lodged in his arm. 
• "I knew he was in a lot of pain because Gil doesn't deal with pain really well. He gets a little moody when he's in pain,” says Kelly Bates. 
• "I’m allergic to two things,” jokes Gil. “Paying and pain, and I’m afraid that that day, I got to do both.” 
• Lawson heads to Nashville, Tennessee, to work with producer/writer Matt Rovey and singer/songwriter Jason Wyatt. He is planning a small tour for this fall, during which he will perform in a number of cities, predominately in the Southeast. 
• The Bates kids, who think of their dad as “invincible,” are sad to see him have to endure major surgery. “He’s always been the biggest kid in the family,” says Zach. 
• While Gil is recovering, Nathan, Gil's right-hand man, along with Lawson and Trace, head out to do a tree job for Bates Tree Service.
• Gil says he could climb trees until at least age 65, but Kelly doesn’t agree. “He’s in denial,” she says, laughing. 
• While Gil and Kelly are away at the hospital, Carlin, Tori, and Josie help the little kids make cards for Dad. 
• Whitney shares an update on her pregnancy, which she says has been "awesome." “I’ve actually been able to go several days without getting sick and not having to take any medicine,” says the expectant mother. “I’m still pretty tired, but other than that, it’s really been good.” 
• Zach and Whitney stop by the house to announce the name they have chosen for their baby girl: Kaci Lynn Bates. Her first name is in honor of Kelly, as it starts with a “K” and sounds similar. Whitney’s mom’s name is Lynn. 
• Later, the kids FaceTime with Gil, who is on strong medications while recovering at the hospital. “He sounded like a very sick frog,” says Ellie. 
• Although he is still in great pain, Gil says that coming home to his family jump-started his recovery. 
• A short while later, East Tennessee receives a big dump of snow, and the kids head outside to go sledding. Gil, who is still on the road to recovery, has to sit this one out.
• For those who are wondering, the song playing in the background towards the end of the episode is "Give Me Some Love," written by Jesse Epstein and David Choi. 

Recap: "Beaches, Boats and Bates"

Bringing Up Bates "Beaches, Boats and Bates"...

• The Bates clan (everyone but Zach, Whitney, Bradley, Michaela, Brandon, Chad, and Tori) head down to Cape San Blas, located along the coast of the Florida Panhandle. “Let's just say, our family loves water,” shares Gil. “They like to get in the water, throw the water, play in the water.”
• When the family arrives at the rental condo, the kids are eager to head to the beach, but they must first wait for Kelly to assign bedrooms.
• At one point, the Bates vacationed in Cape San Blas four years in a row, but weddings and grandbabies have prevented them from taking their annual trip.
• When they finally hit the beach, Carlin helps the younger kids build a sandcastle. “Going [on a] vacation is not just getting away and relaxing,” says Nathan. “It’s building memories and investing in the little guys…”
• How do the Bates dress at the beach? The boys wear swim trunks, while the girls wear skirts made of swimsuit material that come down just above the knee. Both genders wear either a regular shirt or a swim shirt.
• Jeb throws a temper tantrum when his turn on the ocean kayak ends, so Gil takes him back to the condo to have a chat.
• Gil tells Jeb to look him in the eyes and asks him to apologize. Then he does what he and Kelly call Obedience Training. To make sure he is listening, father of 19 instructs his youngest son to clap once, then twice, and then three times.
• “There are always opportunities to help Jeb have a good attitude,” laughs Kelly. “He makes sure we get plenty of practice.”
• On another day, the Bates venture out on a boat to go snorkeling on a sandbar. The younger kids are wary of the creatures in the water and are shocked when their guide catches a horseshoe crab, which Kelly refers to as a “mega ocean roach.”
• While Kelly steps away to take Erin and Carson to the airport, Gil and the boys attempt to catch fish off the shore. 
• Meanwhile, the gals head to a grocery store to buy food for dinner. “For some reason, them girls ain’t got no faith in our ability,” says Lawson.
• The boys’ fishing excursion doesn't turn out to be as fruitful as they had hoped. They only end up catching one fish worth keeping. “Guys, we’re going to be some real skinny people if we live off our fishing,” Gil jokingly tells his sons.
• The week comes to an ends, and it's time to head home. “I hope the one thing the kids take away from the vacation is really the value of their relationships,” says Gil. “Make every moment count with every child every chance you get.”

Recap: "Headed to the Altar"

Bringing Up Bates, "Headed to the Altar"...

• Michael met Brandon several years ago at a homeschool conference. Between their first encounter and the start of their courtship (December 30, 2013), Michael prayed every day that she could be Brandon’s wife.
• The show opens with a flashback to September 2014. Michael makes a surprise visit to Brandon’s Bible school in Texas. Although the couple waited until their engagement to hold hands, they showed affection throughout their courtship by hugging.
• In November 2014, Brandon pays a visit to the Bates’ house just outside Knoxville, Tennessee, to get to know Michael’s family. They spend Thanksgiving with Gil’s side of the family.
• In February 2015, Brandon takes Tori, Carlin, and Josie to a local jewelry store to get a feel for Michael's taste in jewelry. He ends up designing Micheal's ring himself.
• Also in February, the older Bates boys take their future brother-in-law out for a guy’s night at a bowling alley. “They’re very intense,” says Michael of her brothers. “I guess in a way it makes me feel loved that they care that much about me, but at the same time, I felt for Brandon, knowing what he was going to go through.”
• In March 2015, Gil, Kelly, and Michael meet with Brandon and his parents in Chicago, where Brandon has worked since graduating from Bible college.
• Over a delicious dinner of Chicago style deep dish pizza, Kelly starts fishing for information. “Not trying to be nosy or anything, but just wondering: Have y’all talked about maybe a time?” pries the mom of 19. “Are you thinking a season, a particular season?”
• The next day during lunch, Brandon holds a secret conference with Gil in the men’s room to discuss the engagement.
• In April 2015, Brandon tells Michael that he will be traveling to Washington D.C. To ensure that Michael doesn’t suspect anything, Gil and Kelly encourage their daughter to “surprise” Brandon while he’s there. 
• Brandon plans a scavenger hunt proposal, with help from his sisters Angie and Becky.
• On April 13^th, Michael spends the day traipsing around the city, as she follows Brandon’s clues. At each stop, Brandon has left a video and a piece of a cardboard replica of Michael’s ring. At the end of the scavenger hunt, Brandon is waiting to propose, as both sets of parents watch from afar. 
• “The whole day was kind of like an emotional roller coaster,” says Michael.
• With a lot of help from their families, Michael and Brandon’s wedding preparations go very smoothly. The couple’s four-month engagement is an emotional time for the Bates family, as they prepare for their beloved Michael to tie the knot and move to Chicago.

Details of Zach & Whitney and Erin & Chad's engagements are coming soon. Stay tuned next week for the wedding episode!   

Recap: "Best Bates Moments"

On this New Year’s Eve special, the Bates review the best moments from the first two seasons of their show.

• On Valentine’s Day, Zach surprises his wife by arranging to have “Three Nice Guys,” an acapella quartet, stop by to perform two love songs. 
• Erin and Chad share their pregnancy news with Gil and Kelly during a double date. 
• While Mom and Dad are away, Erin and Chad and the kids remodel the master suite. 
• Kelly and the children throw a surprise 50^th birthday party for Gil, to which they invite friends he hasn't seen in many years. The kids give speeches and perform skits that bring their dad to tears. 
• While helping Zach finish Bradley’s nursery, Gil reminds his oldest son that “Bradley and Whitney are more important than anything else you’re trying to do.”
• To celebrate Carlin's entry into womanhood, Gil and Kelly take their fifth oldest daughter out for a dinner date. Carlin is overjoyed when her parents give her a beautiful purity ring. 
• The older boys attempt to take over their younger brothers' fort using air-soft guns, but they don’t end up succeeding.
• The Bates make memories on a family camping trip.
• Gil and the kids convince Kelly to ride the Wild Eagle roller coaster at Dollywood. “That by far is the scariest thing I’ve ever been on,” says the mom of 19, who screams the entire time.
• Lawson turns up the drama after his wisdom teeth extraction, and the family enjoys teasing him.
• Erin is touched when her friend Kelsey not only throws her a baby shower but also organizes a balloon release in memory of the babies that Erin and Chad miscarried before becoming pregnant with Carson.
• Kelly brings the family to tears when she shares how thankful she and Gil are for their children. “Many times we look back, and we feel like failures as parents…and y’all are the greatest kids in the world,” she says. “Y’all encourage us so much.”
• Kelly and the girls take Whitney on a walk to jump-start labor. When Whitney is admitted into the hospital to give birth to Bradley, so invites her mother, mother-in-law, and oldest sisters-in-law to join her during labor. 
• After a difficult pregnancy, Erin endures an especially painful labor, but the new mom says Carson is more than worth it.
• Brandon organizes a complex scavenger hunt through Washington D.C. for Michael, which culminates with his proposal. 

Tune in to UP on Thursday, January 7th, for the season three premiere of Bringing Up Bates. (Click here for episode summaries.) We wish you a blessed New Year!

'It's Like the Good Old Days Again'

You're not the only one who is looking forward to the return of Bringing Up Bates. The Bates family is looking forward to it, too! Season three premiers Thursday, January 7th, 2016, on UP.