‘Bringing up Bates’ Star Carlin Bates Welcomes First Child With Husband Evan Stewart

Congratulations are in order for Bringing Up Bates star Carlin Bates and her husband Evan Stewart, who are now officially parents of one! On Friday, Jan. 31, the couple welcomed daughter Layla Rae Stewart into the world, their first child together, sharing the news with their followers on Instagram just a day later.

“It’s true! Layla Rae has arrived!” the couple announced the exciting news. “Evan and I spent a lot of time wondering what it would be like the first time we met our sweet baby girl face-to-face but the truth is, all that dreaming and we still didn’t even come close to what the actual moment felt like!”

“Layla Rae has captured our hearts and we are FOREVER changed,” they added. “In an instant, my heart was more full than I ever dreamed it could be and we are so incredibly grateful to God that he chose us to be this little girl’s parents. Layla Rae, thank you for making me a mommy and your Dad a daddy! There’s nothing we won’t do for you. Welcome to the world sweet baby girl!”

Speaking to Us Weekly, the couple confirmed that their little girl joined their family at 3:56 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31 weighing 5 pounds 13 ounces and measuring 18 inches long. Layla had been due in mid-February, though arrived early after Bates had to be induced after being being diagnosed with the same blood-clotting disorder as her older sister, Erin Paine.

“How do you describe an experience so emotionally intense and so magically wonderful as welcoming a brand new baby into the world?” they told the outlet. “We feel like our lives just became incredibly busy, but unimaginably blessed with little Layla Rae’s arrival! She has already consumed our thoughts and intentions for these past pregnancy months and now, no day will ever be the same without her! Although she came earlier than we expected, this is the best kind of celebration we have ever experienced, and we are so in love with our new role as parents!”

After meeting in fall of 2016 and immediately hitting it off, Bates and Stewart tied the knot at Castleton Farms in Tennessee in May of 2019, the couple announcing in September of 2019 that they were expecting their first child together.