It’s like the first time all over again! That’s how Desiree Hartsock feels about her second pregnancy with Chris Siegfried. “We both felt joy,” the mom due in January says exclusively in the new issue of Us Weekly.

But there’s a twist. “I wasn’t working during the first pregnancy,” the bridal gown designer, 32, says. This time she’s one step ahead, working on her bridal designs ahead of time as she awaits baby: “I’ve been putting in the work.”

And with 20-month-old Asher around (“He’s a full-blown toddler!”), Hartsock is preparing for what’s ahead with the help of her husband of three years. “I’ve jumped back into it,” the dad, also 32, chimes in. “I cook and let Des relax as much as she can.” Some of her current cravings: “Italian sandwiches and vinegar,” she says.

Hartsock is also preparing Asher for a new sibling. “We’ll say, ‘Where’s the baby?’ the Bachelorette alum says. “And he’ll point to my stomach, but I still don’t think he understands, but he’s doing it.”

Though in terms of “baby stuff,” Hartsock says she is ready: “We know what to expect. When we brought Asher home, we were so cautious and scared.”

And as for another baby in the future, the couple are uncertain: “I think that’s a bridge we have to cross after this one,” she says. “We might be OK at two, but you need an army with more kids!”

For more on Hartsock’s baby joy, pick up the new issue of Us Weekly — on stands now and listen to Us break down the biggest stories in the magazine subscribe to our new podcast “In Case You Missed Us.”

Reporting by Travis Cronin