Shay Mitchell Shares Poignant Message About Bittersweet Second Pregnancy

Fans of Shay Mitchell likely know that she had an incredibly close relationship with her grandmother, whom she lovingly referred to as "Gram." The "Pretty Little Liars" star would frequently share photos and videos of herself and Gram, and she also seemed to FaceTime her a lot. In 2019, Shay gave birth to her first child, Atlas, with boyfriend Matt Babel. Mitchell treated fans to a few glimpses of Atlas and Gram's meetings, and it was fun to see their special bond.

In early February, the actor shared a collage of photos of herself and Gram through the years. She accompanied the post with a heartbreaking caption while revealing that her grandmother had died. Mitchell shared that it was one of the hardest things that she has had to go through in her life. "She was and will forever be my best friend. From the imaginary games she would play with me when I was little to picking me up from high school because I was being bullied, to keeping scrapbooks of every article and magazine cover I have ever been in, she was my # 1 cheerleader," Mitchell wrote, adding that she was absolutely "heartbroken."

But as sad as she was about her grandmother's death, Mitchell still expressed gratitude over how lucky she was to have her in her life for 34 years. Perhaps the mother of one felt comfort in all of the love and support that fans left in the comments, and now she's sharing even more big news.

Shay Mitchell is going through a lot of emotions in early 2022. On the heels of news that she lost her beloved grandmother, the 34-year-old took to Instagram to announce that she's expecting her second child. The star posted a series of images showcasing her growing baby bump. Mitchell went topless in the shots, covering her chest with her arms and rocking a pair of sweatpants on her lower half.

"Saying goodbye to a loved one while simultaneously experiencing the joy of welcoming another into this world is the great cycle of life. It is also my most challenging season to date," Mitchell wrote on the upload, adding that maybe it was the universe's plan all along for things to happen that way. "Gram, I miss you every day. Little one, we are so excited to meet you," she wrote. "I breathe a sigh of peace knowing you two are already connected in such a cosmic way." How bittersweet is that? Fans made sure to comment on the post to share their excitement over the baby news and their condolences on the loss of Gram.

In October 2019, Mitchell welcomed her first child, daughter Atlas. The model shared a simple photo of herself holding the baby's hand between her fingers. At the time, she did not reveal further details about the little bundle of joy, but told her millions of followers that she was "Never letting go..." We wish Mitchell all the best in her second pregnancy journey!