'Beauty and the Business' Recap

Bringing Up Bates "Beauty and the Business"

• Gil is doing exercises and stretches in hopes of getting his range of motion back after his shoulder surgery. Hie wants to be able to use his chainsaw and play basketball with the boys.
• “The one-handed pushup days better be over for Dad,” says Trace. But some of the siblings predict that Gil will be back at it before too long. “He’s always been quite good at it, and it is very impressive, and I think he’s going to try it again,” says Michael.
• Cosmetologist Josie and her makeup artist business partner, Grace Rochat, do a trial run in hair and makeup with a bride who will be getting married in June. “I am so proud of Josie because I know she’s in a place now with Effortless Beauty that she absolutely loves and enjoys,” says Kelton.
• Meanwhile, Kelton is working to grow his new plumbing business. Starting at age 12, he began working with his uncle, who is also a plumber. At age 18 he became a licensed plumber and then earned a degree in finance. Now, Bobby is learning the trade. “My level of mechanical ability when it comes to tools and working on things is just about squat,” says Bobby.
• To celebrate Jackson and Addallee’s birthdays, the family goes indoor skydiving. The activity is Jackson’s idea, and Addee is terrified. She ends up having a fun time though.
• During lunch, 18-year-old Jackson shares his future plans. He will attend ALERT, a training camp organized by IBLP, and then hopes to join the Marine Corps. The family also showers the birthday people with praises. “Addallee is a person with a servant’s heart,” says Lawson. “Every time she comes into a room, it seems like she’s looking for people to help. She’s not thinking about her.”
• “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you complain in the whole time you’ve been alive,” says Gil of Addee.
• “When I think of you, I think of a brain,” says Kelly of Jackson. “You were always the one that if there was something to take apart and fix that we were throwing in the trash can, you would go pull it out of the trash can, and even if you had never seen it before, never done it before, you would figure it out. And I’m really proud of you.”

'A Double Date and Something to Celebrate' Recap

Bringing Up Bates "A Double Date and Something to Celebrate"

• Tori is 10 weeks away from her due date. She takes Kade and Ellie to her ultrasound appointment to check on baby Kolter. “For me looking back, when we had Carson and Brooklyn, it was a little more work,” says Erin. “But at the same time, I feel like it was so much more rewarding because you actually see them interact, and you see your oldest excited about a sibling.” Bobby has been giving Tori daily heparin shots for her blood clotting disorder.
• Callie accompanies Travis and Katie over to the Balkas’ house to make homemade pizza. Josie asks Travis when he plans on asking Katie to court, and he says he hopes it will be soon.
• At the Bates Sisters Boutique, Erin, Whitney, and Carlin are discussing next steps for their business. “We’re really living a dream,” says Erin, of having a job that allows them to bring their babies to work. The ladies are looking to get involved with a women’s ministry called Hands Up.
• At the big house, the Bates welcome Lawson home from the Philippines after three months. “[Lawson’s] sense of humor just keeps the family laughing all the time,” says Zach. “Everybody misses that. But he’s very sensitive, and he’s really got a sweet side you don’t see a lot. He’ll come around and hang out with the different married couples and play with the kids. I don’t know who missed Lawson the most, the kids or us older ones, but I know I missed him a lot.”
• This trip was centered around Esther, a young girl whom he met on his first trip to the Philippines. She needed a life-saving surgery, and Lawson helped organize everything. “This little girl needed somebody to go to bat for her,” says Lawson. The plan is to bring Esther and her mom to the United States in a few months for the surgery.  

'Roaring Bates and Pending Due Dates' Recap

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
• 1^st 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.