Shanae Ankney Is Pregnant, Expecting First Baby — a Girl — with Boyfriend Nate Ebner

Courtesy of Athelo Group

Shanae Ankneyis pregnant!

“Nate and I were looking at each other, just smiling and in awe,” Ankney adds of herself and her beau, who previously played in theNFLfor theNew York Giantsand theNew England Patriots.

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Shanae Ankney Is Pregnant, Expecting First Baby — a Girl — with Boyfriend Nate Ebner

“I’m super excited,” Ebner says of becoming a dad. “I think Shanae is a wonderful human with a beautiful soul, and I can’t wait to watch her be an amazing mother to our child.”

“She will be the absolute best, as she has so much love to give,” he continues. “I know it will be difficult, but I think I have a lot to offer, and I’m excited about the experience, the challenge and the learning along the way.”

Referencing his memoir,Finish Strong: A Father’s Code and a Son’s Path,Ebner says he has “always wanted a child or children” because of the “unique relationship” he had with his own father, which he details in his book.

“I know that, if I can be a fraction of the father he was to me, our child will be a lucky one,” the athlete says. “I believe parenting is the first step to a better society.”

Nate Ebner, Shanae Ankney.Shanae Ankney/Instagram

Shanae Ankney Is Pregnant, Expecting First Baby — a Girl — with Boyfriend Nate Ebner

Shanae Ankney/Instagram

“Instead of opening the results from the doctor, we took the results to a bakery to have cupcakes made with either pink or blue colors to find out the gender once we bit into them,” she tells PEOPLE. “Nate and I did a little reveal together with just the two of us. I wanted something more intimate due to it being our first pregnancy.”

“I can’t wait to have a one-of-a-kind relationship with this little girl, and I hope to be a great example for her of how a man should act, what strength looks like, and how you treat the people you love in your life,” he continues.

Shanae Ankney Is Pregnant, Expecting First Baby — a Girl — with Boyfriend Nate Ebner

Ankney and Ebner’s growing family has been written in the stars, as the current free agent sent the reality star a text early in their relationship asking: “Do you want children?”

“To this day, I have that conversation saved to my phone. I knew he wasn’t messing around,” Ankney says. “Him asking me how serious I was about children was very attractive to me because I knew how serious he was about children, wanting a family and looking for that special someone to share that with.”

“I’m immensely thankful for the wonderful man Nate is, and I can’t wait to witness the incredible dad he is destined to be,” she continues. “We know this is going to be life-changing, but in the best way possible. We can’t wait to continue to build this life together and become parents.”

Adds Ebner: “There’s no one else I’d rather go on this journey with than Shanae. I think together we will make great parents.”

source: people.com