Pregnant Olivia Culpo Is ‘Excited’ to Welcome Her First Baby — and Shares What She’s Looking Forward to as New Mom (Exclusive)

Olivia Culpo feels nothing but gratitude as she prepares to welcome her first baby.

While speaking to PEOPLE about her partnership with Cupshe, the pregnant model, 32, opens up about her excitement to become a first-time mom. While she and her husband, Christian McCaffrey, have decided to keep the sex of the baby a secret, she shares that they are both looking forward to the journey ahead.

"I'm so excited and grateful to be pregnant. I've been dreaming of this for a long time," she tells PEOPLE. "It's very special."

As for the San Francisco 49ers running back, 28, Culpo says her husband was "made to be a dad." "He's so excited," she adds. "I think he's gonna really enjoy it and be just the best."

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When it comes to their parenting style, Culpo says she and her husband are staying "open-minded." Having so many friends, siblings and other family members with children, she learned early that certain things are out of her control.

"I would say anything that you think you're going to do going into parenthood could change," she says. "Overall, staying open-minded is the way that I'm approaching this. I feel like you can't get ahead of yourself because you just never know."

"It's also so particular based on the child," she continues. "I don't know yet, but we'll see. I'm definitely really excited to figure all of that out."

Above all, Culpo says she's "really excited' to start making "traditions with my new family."

"It is fun growing your family with someone that you really love and just being able to see Christian as a dad will be really exciting."

"I just know he's going to be such a good partner and husband and father," she adds, raving over the father-to-be. "I can't wait to see him step into that role. It will just be unlike any other experience."