Andrea Brooks, who plays Dr. Faith Carter on When Calls the Heart, and her husband are expecting baby #2! The actress recently opened up to Entertainment Tonight about her pregnancy.

The actress shared that she is due at the end of the year and is having a boy. She said, “It’s going to be such a fantastic way to cap off 2022! I can’t wait!”

They haven’t picked a name yet but their daughter Viola, who is almost 3, has! “If we’re not careful I’m afraid she might sign the birth certificate on our behalf. I must say, for a preschooler, she’s quite coordinated with her writing utensils!”

Brooks also said that Viola is very excited to be a big sister but that wasn’t always the case! “A lot of her little friends have welcomed siblings over the past year, so I think she has a general idea of what to expect. She wasn’t all that enthusiastic when I told her she would be a big sister, in fact, I remember she looked me square in the eyes and said, ‘Yes mama, I know! I told you!’ I’m assuming since she watched her friends become big brothers and sisters, she just figured that was in the cards for our family, too. It definitely was not an emotional TikTok-worthy moment.” 

Andrea, herself, is also very excited about their growing family, “I’m most excited for Viola to step into the big sister role. Four is such a nice, even number. I’m hoping the even parent-to-kid ratio works out for us. I’m in awe of any family where the kids outnumber the parents! How do you guys do it?!”

She shared that she is also a little nervous, “Continuing to navigate the work-life/ home-life balance, but this time as a parent of two makes me a little nervous. I want my kids to grow up with a strong work ethic that they can hopefully learn from their parents, but I also want to be present and not miss any major milestones.”

She said that this pregnancy is much different than her first was, “All in all, I’m feeling great! It’s definitely a lot different the second time around as I know what to expect. Surprisingly, I’ve had a lot less cravings with this pregnancy. Last time I was all about pickles, eggnog and Subway sandwiches. Erin Krakow (Elizabeth Thatcher, When Calls the Heart)still texts me pictures of subs to this day because it was such an integral part of my last pregnancy. Right now I’m finding myself eating veggies with hummus at all hours of the day, and I’ve also started drinking big cups of hot chocolate every time we do night shoots at work.”

And also, much easier on the expectant mother, “I’d say this one has been easier in the sense that I’m not as riddled with fears. I’ve been keeping busy with work, and have been doing a lot less googling. Those internet wormholes can really keep a mom-to-be up at night! I’d say I’m much more relaxed and confident when it comes to my parenting abilities.” 

Hiding her pregnancy while filming season 10 has been a challenge though, “It’s been a wild ride! This is the second time I’ve shot a season of When Calls the Heart while pregnant (last time was season 7) and I am forever grateful to Hallmark Channel, our writers, showrunner, directors and producers for all of their continued support! I owe SO much credit to our talented costume designer, Barbara Gregusova, for her genius costume designs, and to our stellar camera department who always ensure I’m hitting the right angles in my scenes. My hair and makeup artists, Jill Tymos and Denean Dale, are also forever coming up with interesting hair and makeup strategies to distract the eye. For those planning to watch season 10 of When Calls the Heart, there is definitely some drinking game potential for any hearties wanting to play ‘Watch Faith Carter hide her midsection.’ I wish I could list all the creative ways we’ve hid the bump, but I don’t want to give away any spoilers! At this point, I feel like I could almost write a book on how to hide a pregnancy on television.”

Congratulations to the happy family on this exciting news! We look forward to meeting their new bundle of joy when he makes his debut!