Pregnant 'DWTS' Pro Lindsay Arnold and Husband Samuel Reveal the Sex of Their Baby on the Way

On Thursday, Lindsay Arnold and husband Samuel Lightener Cusick revealed the sex of their first baby on the way exclusively to PEOPLE

It's a girl!

Dancing with the Stars pro Lindsay Arnold opened up exclusively to PEOPLE on Thursday about the moment she and husband Samuel Lightner Cusick learned the sex of their first baby on the way, how they told their family and friends and what she's looking forward to most about motherhood.

"We were convinced it was a boy," says Arnold, 26. "I was already looking at boy nursery ideas and boy names. We were both extremely shocked, but so happy. Our whole family was just as shocked. We all didn't think this was going to happen!"

"I would've been truly happy no matter if it were a boy or a girl," she adds. "But knowing it's a girl, I'm so excited to help her through life and hopefully pack on things that I've learned throughout the years being a woman and growing up as a girl."

"It can be tough and I look forward to encouraging her, supporting her and helping her find things that she's passionate about and that she loves. That means a lot to me," Arnold tells PEOPLE.

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Lindsay Arnold (R) and Samuel Lightner Cusick. Lindsay Arnold

Last week, the dancing pro announced that she is pregnant and expecting her first child with Cusick. "Ohhhhhh baby 👶 ," she wrote on Instagram, alongside a series of photos. "Mom and Dad love you already ❤️❤️."

Additionally, the Utah native shared the sweet moments she told her family and friends — including DWTS friends Jenna Johnson, Val Chmerkovskiy, Sasha Farber, Emma Slater and Sharna Burgess — on her YouTube channel.

Arnold married her high school sweetheart Cusick on the morning of June 18, 2015, during a small, private Mormon ceremony at the Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City.

"Sam is going to be the best dad," Arnold tells PEOPLE now. "He's a very manly man so a boy would've been natural for him, but he has such a soft side and I'm so excited to see him be a girl dad. He'll be able to love on her and give her whatever she wants!"

Lindsay Arnold and Samuel Lightner Cusick. Lindsay Arnold Cusick/Instagram

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And whether or not DWTS will be returning in the fall, the mom-to-be says she has a set plan for the future.

"I won't be dancing this season, but I'm excited to possible explore other ways I could be a part of the show," she tells PEOPLE. "I love the show. It's been a part of my life for so long now. The plan is, I have all intentions to have our baby, spend that time with her and get back on the dance floor for the next season!"

For now, Arnold and Cusick are taking it one day at a time and looking forward to their next chapter.

"Honestly, at this point, I'm just excited to see her," Arnold says. "That's the hardest part is that you know you're pregnant, you know you have a little girl growing inside of you, but you have to wait so long to finally see her. That's going to be rough for us. We're just so anxious to meet her!"