“Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Rachel Fuda is pregnant (exclusive)

Rachel Fuda and John Fuda are expanding their family!

The Real Housewives of New Jersey The couple is expecting a new baby, joining three other children: daughters Gianella Jolie (4) and Giuliana Rose (2), and Jaiden, John’s 17-year-old son from a previous relationship, whom Rachel adopted.

To celebrate the birth of their unborn baby, the Fuda family posed for a family photo shoot on the beach; they are sharing the pictures with PEOPLE.

“We are so excited,” 33-year-old Rachel says exclusively about her happy news, which she first shared with her RHONJ Castmates in the Season 14 special of “Off the Rails,” which aired Sunday, August 12. “We’re ready to party with six!”

“John and I always felt like our family wasn’t complete,” she continues. “We actually have a table in my kitchen and when we sit down for dinner, there’s one chair that’s empty. And we always looked at each other and thought, ‘Oh, it would be nice to fill that spot.’ So we always had room for another child in our house and in our hearts and we’re both so happy to welcome another baby into the family. It felt like it was time.”

RHONJ Viewers know that Rachel has made no secret of her desire to have another child.

In season 13, her first on the Bravo series, Rachel talked to John about re-undergoing the artificial insemination process she used to conceive Gianella and Giuliana. “The clock is ticking,” she said at the time, reminding him that they still had five embryos viable for transfer. “I just think four kids is a good number. Now is the time. This is a process that takes about a year. I want to get through this and be done with it.”

Although John was hesitant at the time, Rachel tells PEOPLE that they resumed the process when cameras rolled on season 14.

It hasn’t been easy. To prepare for the transfer, Rachel must first stop taking the arthritis medication she takes to treat her chronic illness, which she first started experiencing as a child. Then she must make sure her body can tolerate the transfer, which has proven difficult.

“There are so many things that have to go right with IVF and we had a lot of obstacles this time,” says Rachel, explaining that she initially struggled to get her cycle and lining “on track.” “We worked with my doctor for a couple of months to figure out when we could actually do it. And it was really frustrating because there were always delays.”

Just when Rachel had given up hope, she got the green light. “I thought, ‘This is my last chance. If it doesn’t work, it’s over,'” she recalls. “Because first of all, it costs a lot of money. And secondly, you have to take all these drugs that just mess up your body. I was hormonal, had bad rashes, was tired and irritable; my mood was going up, down, up, down. I just felt like, ‘I can’t do this anymore.'”

But she didn’t have to worry much longer. Rachel found out that the transfer worked when she took a pregnancy test that she had ordered online.

“They make you wait 10 days for the blood test, but I had to know, so I did a test and it was positive,” Rachel says. “And then I thought, ‘Well, I won’t tell John just in case, God forbid, it’s a false positive.’ So I waited until I got the call and then surprised him with the happy news.”

John’s reaction was a little delayed, but only because Rachel gave him the information that way. “I made John a little box with a baby outfit and put the pregnancy test in it. But I put everything in a Chanel box and I think he was mad at first when I gave it to him because he thought I had bought him something from Chanel,” Rachel laughs. “He was kind of confused!”

That changed when something clicked. “Our girls were there and when he pulled out the pregnancy test, he just said, ‘Oh my God, we’re having a baby!’ And the girls were so excited.”

Gianella and Giuliana, Rachel tells PEOPLE, had “constantly” wanted a sibling.

“The girls are so excited,” she says. “They’re talking to my belly like, ‘Hi, I’m your big sister!’ Gigi says, ‘Mommy, I’m going to be your little helper. I’ll help you if you need anything.’ It’s really sweet to watch. And Giuliana is obsessed with babies. She asks if she can help with diaper changes and bottle feeding… She says, ‘Mommy, I’m going to carry the baby in the car seat.’ I say, ‘Oh, dear God…’ So that should be interesting.”

Jaiden is also excited to have another sibling. “He’s such a family boy,” Rachel says. “I know there’s a big age difference, but he loves hanging out with the kids. He and his girlfriend actually come over and play with the kids for hours just to spend time with them. He loves being a big brother.”

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And as for Rachel, while she’s experiencing the usual pregnancy symptoms – like “painful” gas and “insane nausea” – she’s fighting through them by enjoying the happiness that motherhood has brought her.

“There really is no better feeling in the world than having kids,” Rachel says. “It’s almost a kind of love that you just can’t explain. These little people make me a better person. They teach me something every day. I’ve learned to slow down and just enjoy the little moments in life, like snuggling on the couch and reading a book together. And it keeps me grounded because they remind me of what’s really important. They are my peace in this world in the midst of the madness.”

“I feel like my true purpose in life is being a mother,” she adds. “It’s more fulfilling than I ever thought possible. And I can’t wait to do it again. I mean, what’s more beautiful than bringing life into the world? How lucky am I?”

The Real Housewives of New Jersey is now streaming on Peacock.