Catelynn Lowell’s Daughter Shares Her Thoughts on Sister Carly’s Adoption
Teen Mom stars Catelynn Lowell and Tyler Baltierra are giving their daughter, Novalee, a platform to share her thoughts on her older sister, Carly.
“Meeting Carly and spending time with her — it’s one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I’ve never had someone to look up to, and it feels amazing,” Nova, 11, expressed on the Wednesday, March 4, episode of Dear Media’s “Cate & Ty: Break It Down” podcast. “Since that visit, I’ve tried to be more sensitive to my sisters because I realized how much that connection meant with Carly.”
Lowell, 33, and Baltierra, 34, rose to fame on MTV’s 16 and Pregnant in 2009, where they openly shared their challenging decision to place Carly for adoption.
The couple later welcomed three more children: Novalee in January 2015, Vaeda in February 2019, and Rya in August 2021.
Although they initially agreed to an “open” adoption, allowing for photos and annual meetings, their circumstances changed as Carly grew older.
In January 2025, Lowell revealed to Us Weekly that she hadn’t seen Carly in two years.
“Those few days we spent together, like, going to the zoo, made me appreciate having someone to look up to,” Nova shared on the podcast, “and it brought me a lot of joy.”
“A little bit,” she said. “I wish she could be part of our family, but you made a good choice as a teenager because you didn’t have enough resources, and I think it would have been really hard for you.”
In May 2025, Baltierra expressed his decision to stop discussing Carly due to issues with her adoptive parents, but he emphasized how proud he was of Nova for voicing her feelings about her siblings.
“A VERY SPECIAL episode of @cateandtybreakitdown is OUT NOW!” he posted on Instagram on Wednesday. “Our wonderful daughter Novalee makes her podcast debut with @catelynnmtv & it’s a precious moment! We’re incredibly proud of the young woman she’s becoming. Her spirit is truly special—a must-listen episode! 🥹❤️😭 #CateAndTy #BreakItDownPod #Podcast #Family.”
Lowell and Baltierra last appeared on television during the Teen Mom: The Next Chapter season finale in May 2025.
While MTV has not shared any future plans for the franchise, Lowell expressed her hope that the cast will receive updates before summer.
“They don’t need to provide us Teen Mom people with updates until May, when our contracts expire,” Lowell mentioned in a November 2025 TikTok Live. “They’re required to give us answers then. We’ve not heard anything negative, but who knows?”
