‘Bringing up Bates’: The Bates Family Welcomes Another Baby Amid Coronavirus Shutdown
The Bates family has found something to celebrate amid the growing concern over the Coronavirus. The family, which includes 19 children, have officially welcomed another baby into the clan. Tori Bates and her husband, Bobby Smith, have announced the arrival of their second child. The young couple announced the birth of their son, Kolter Gray Smith, shortly after his March 25 arrival.
Tori Bates and Bobby Smith welcome their second child
Tori and Bobby were thrilled to announce the arrival of their second child, but they did note his appearance amid growing Coronavirus concerns changed things up a bit. According to People, only Bobby was allowed to sit with Tori as she labored. Typically, a large portion of the Bates family turns out to provide moral support for laboring mothers. The family also couldn’t assemble to meet the new baby. Instead, Kolter was introduced to his grandparents and many aunts, uncles, and cousins, via Facetime.
It will likely be some time before Kolter will meet his extended family face-to-face. The Bates family has been outspoken on social media about their social distancing measures. Alyssa Bates, along with her husband, John Webster, and children are practicing social distancing by using Livestream to stay connected with their church.
When did Tori Bates and Bobby Smith get married?
Tori and Bobby may be relatively young, but they’ve been married awhile. Tori, 24, and Bobby, 25, began dating in February 2016. Their courtship was made official in February 2017. They announced their engagement in September 2017. Just three months later, the couple married in Knoxville, Tennessee.
It didn’t take long for the couple to grow their family. They announced their first pregnancy in May 2018, just five months after their wedding. Their first son, Robert ‘Kade’ Ellis Smith IV, arrived in November 2018, only one month shy of the couple’s first wedding anniversary.
The Bates family has experienced a baby boom lately
Just like the Duggar family, the Bates family has experienced a baby boom in recent months. Kolter isn’t the only newborn the family welcomed over the last 12 months. Kolter wasn’t even the first Bates baby born in 2020. On January 31, 2020, Carlin Bates and her husband, Evan Stewart, welcomed their first child together, Layla Ray Stewart. The couple married in May 2019.
At the end of 2019, Zach Bates, the family’s eldest son, also welcomed a new baby. Zach and his wife, Whitney Perkins, announced the arrival of their second daughter, Khloe Eileen Bates, in November 2019. Khloe is the couple’s third child. Josie Bates and her husband, Kelton Balka, also welcomed a baby in the last 12 months. The couple, who married in October 2018, celebrated the arrival of their first daughter, Willow Kristy Balka, in July 2019.
