Deena Nicole Cortese of Jersey Shore is Expecting Her First Child

You may remember Deena Nicole Cortese as a “meatball” or “a blast in a glass” on Jersey Shore, but the reality TV star has come a long way since the days she first appeared on the show. The 31-year-old New Jersey native just announced that she’s a soon-to-be mom as she’s expecting her first child with husband Chris Buckner.

In an Instagram post, Cortese revealed that she and Buckner wanted to wait until she was “safely” in her second trimester to reveal the news of her pregnancy. Now that the coast is clear, though, the couple has revealed not only the baby’s gender (it’s a boy!) but also his name (Christopher John!), a rare move for most celebs.

“Chris and I Decided to wait until we were ready to spill the beans! 💙Now that we are safely into our second trimester.. us and our little monkey are ready to tell the world Our little family is growing ! We have a sweet little boy on the way!” Cortese wrote under a series of adorable maternity photos of her and Buckner. “We Are truly blessed and our hearts are filled with so much joy and happiness💙 December can’t come soon enough! Daddy and Mommy can’t wait to meet you Christopher John❤️ you are going to be the most spoiled little boy ever!!!!”

Cortese also posted a heartwarming video of the moment she and Buckner found out the gender of their baby through a tuft of blue smoke blowing from a gift box. The pair looked thrilled, Buckner looking especially elated with a series of fist pumps in true Jersey Shore fashion.

“The moment we found out we were having a son 💙 Chris’ reaction was everything!!!! Uhg I love you @cbuckner_ I can’t wait to meet our son!” Cortese wrote under the touching video.

Buckner also posted an adorable photo announcing the pregnancy, featuring the couple’s dog, a sign reading “It’s official. I’m getting a new best friend. Guard dog duty December 2018,” and the pair kissing in the background.

“Thank you everyone for all the love! We are finally starting the family we’ve always wanted and youre the only one I want to share this blessing with. Love you babe @deenanicolemtv,” Buckner wrote.

If you’ve been following the Jersey Shore journey all along, you may remember that Cortese and Buckner have been dating since 2011, when the show was in its prime. The pair met through mutual friends between season four and five, and according to Elite Daily, they fell for each other “immediately.” They later bought a house and a dog together, and Buckner proposed in November 2016.

Now, they can look forward to their family’s newest addition: a baby boy!