Kate Ferdinand has admitted she's "emotional" thinking about Rio's late wife as she prepares to give birth.
Rebecca Ellison tragically died in 2015 from breast cancer, aged just 34, leaving behind her three children with the footballer; Lorenz, 16, Tate , 14, and Tia, 12.
Kate, 32, who shares son Cree, two, with Rio, 44, is expecting the couple's second child next month, said Rebecca is very much on her mind, in a heartbreaking admission.
Speaking on her Blended podcast, she said: "I feel really emotional about the kids' mum not being here and what she was going through because she's not with her kids now.
"I'm feeling emotional about Tia being pregnant and her mum not being here... All these emotions are flying through my head, but I think it's all just related to being pregnant and becoming a mother figure and looking at everyone around me and how it affects me and them."
Kate went on to say she's been crying lots with her emotions 'all over the place.'
"The emotions have been sky high, Rio probably thinks I'm an absolute lunatic because every now and then I just have a complete cry," she revealed.
The mum-of-one speaks candidly about her family on the podcast and also revealed Rio's kids had asked her when she was going to tell Cree she wasn't their mum.
Explaining Tia had asked her if the toddler knew about Rebecca, Kate said she thought he did, but when he was asked who Lorenz, Tate and Tia's mum was, Cree said "Mummy" with the TOWIE star admitting: "We're not quite there yet."
Kate recently revealed she has already chosen a name for her unborn daughter.
The former The Only Way Is Essex star is 34 weeks pregnant with footballer husband Rio and the couple reckon they have an idea of what they are going to call their new arrival.
The name is one Lorenz, Tate and Tia picked out before when Kate was pregnant with Cree.
Explaining the kids are at the heart of every decision that involves the new babies, Kate told The Sun : "We had another name for Cree - a unisex one - and we think that might be the baby's name.
"We haven't told anyone, because we don't want people's opinions. But you have to see when they come. What's she going to look like? Is she going to suit it?"
And with so many boys in the house, Kate said the whole family are thrilled there will soon be another girl in the family.
She joked: “Me and Tia are very outnumbered. I’m really lucky because all the kids are very helpful with Cree, but we need a bit of female energy."
