BumpWatch: Jessica and Ashlee Simpson – Launch Pad

Jamie McCarthy/WireImage

Officially a baby belly!

Mom-to-be Jessica Simpson makes her first public appearance since announcing her pregnancy, stepping out with little sis (and mom to son Bronx) Ashlee Simpson on Saturday to celebrate the launch of their tween clothing line, Jessica Simpson Girls, at the Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh, N.C.

This will be the first child for the singer and designer, 31, and fiancé Eric Johnson, whom she became engaged to last November. The couple now plan to wed after baby arrives.

“They’re really excited,” a source tells PEOPLE of the pregnancy. “It wasn’t something they planned per se, but it’s also not something they were trying to avoid.”

RELATED: Jessica Simpson Confirms: Yes, I’m Going to Be a ‘Mummy!’

Comments

She expanded overnight. She looks about six months along.

- gimma a break on November 7th, 2011

Ashlee wasn’t showing nearly as much at this point in her pregnancy. Ah to be tall…

- Nicole on November 7th, 2011

I wonder how their dad feels – he’s a preacher yet both daughters have children out of wedlock.

- Tracy on November 7th, 2011

Wow she blew up. LOL! But she looks so cute.

- Shannon on November 7th, 2011

She looks great and happy. Good for her

But… if you are not avoiding you are planning!! Because a pregnancy is in most cases the logical consequence to unprotected sex sooner of later.

- candykane on November 7th, 2011

I know people will say oh well she is pregnant and not married, but she was engaged at the time she got pregnant, so nobody can say she is just getting married because she is pregnant. Anyways, Jessica looks beautiful and I do think she is pretty far along. I’d say six months is a good estimate to the poster above but as we know everyones belly is different.

- Lisa on November 7th, 2011

candykane- I take that comment to mean that they weren’t planning OR not planning, but rather just taking a “If it happens, it happens” approach.

- Anonymous on November 7th, 2011

Candy.. I thought the same thing, I guess I’ll never understand that statement and birth control is readily available, so why not use it?

Again, congrats to them both, hopefully it all works out!

- Rachael on November 7th, 2011

Its hard to see the bump with the black outfit. Jess has had that same hairstyle for ten yrs now. Time for something new.

- Julianna on November 7th, 2011

She looks adorable pregnant!

- Ella on November 7th, 2011

I was there on Saturday. They were an hour late!

- Rachel on November 7th, 2011

Sounds to me like she was thinking maybe she’d have trouble getting pregnant so try and see what happens. If pregnant, great. If not that’s ok too. I’m ok with this. But I wouldn’t want to walk down the aisle just after giving birth either.

- Katie on November 7th, 2011

Unattractive people

- Maria on November 7th, 2011

Aww poor Jess…she is like me, gains the baby weight everywhere including her face. I don’t mean that as a bash or anything, I would be bashing myself if that were the case haha! I’m only 3 weeks away from my second little guy getting here and I can’t wait to meet him and get back to my “old self”. Congrats to her, babies are the best!

- ForeverMoore on November 7th, 2011

Well, some people can’t use most birth control. I can’t do hormonal stuff, not that there isn’t other birth control out there. Luckily for me my dh ‘took care of it’.

I’m happy for her, I get the feeling she has wanted to be a mom for a while now. I’m calling girl for her and Beyonce.

- Amanda on November 7th, 2011

““It wasn’t something they planned per se, but it’s also not something they were trying to avoid.”

No, honey, it doesn’t work that way. The two of you either intentionally got pregnant or it was an oops. There’s no inbetween option about “we were sort of planning and not planning”

- megan on November 7th, 2011

Katie- That’s basically what I’m thinking, too, Anyway, I take the comment to mean that Jessica and Eric opted to leave having a baby up to God (or nature, chance, or fate if you prefer to use one of those terms instead) rather than actively trying to make it happen (which to me means doing things to predict when ovulation is happening and doing the deed then).

Also, not everyone sees unplanned pregnancies as being an “oops”. Unplanned does not always equal unwanted!

- Anonymous on November 7th, 2011

Jessica looks very happy and healthy and her and her fiance seem to be very in love and happy with each other so good for them and congratulations! I’m sure she will make a great and caring mother.

- Ashley on November 7th, 2011

I am guessing a boy for her. I don’t know why. Something about her just reminds me so much of my sister who just had her third baby and looked a lot similar to Jessica. It’s just a gut feeling. Isn’t it so strange how we all carry so differently as well? I was just thinking about how lucky I was with my pregnancies. I didn’t gain weight all over my body or in my face. It was all either in my belly or a little on my butt/hips. I had it easy compared to my sisters! They, to this day, tell me they want to claw my eyes out because of my easy-pregnancies. It just goes to show different every one of us is.

- Ali on November 8th, 2011

So it was planned. If you’re having sex and “not avoiding” pregnancy with birth control, then you WERE trying to have a baby. I hate this “not planned, but whatever happens”, BS. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out birth control. I bet even Jessica could figure it out if she tried. But who are we kidding – she wanted to have a baby.

- sarah on November 8th, 2011

Not necessarily a fan of Jessica Simpson, but she’s obviously happy to be expecting. She looks cute. IMO it’s preferable to be married before you get pregnant, but sometimes one gets past the goalkeeper.

- SAR on November 8th, 2011

you know what Sarah and others, I take offense to you rubbishing the idea of not planned but taking whatever happens on. My husband and I know perfectly well how to use protection thankyou very much, yet when we stopped we weren’t ‘trying’ to have a baby, we didn’t do the ovulation check or anything like that, we simply decided that if we were meant to have kids then it would happen. If not then we wouldn’t need protection anyway. Don’t be such an arrogant snob, not everyone thinks the same way.

- Tink on November 8th, 2011

I find it very ironic that she supposedly was a virgin when she married Nick, then suddenly becomes “sexual napalm” and now is pregnant. I wonder, is the only way she could hang on to a man? Just my opinion.

- DI on November 8th, 2011

I think it’s ridiculous that they’re now not get married till after the baby-nobody wants to commit anymore…if they were engaged to be married-why not get married as planned?….

- Mia on November 8th, 2011

Who is buying what these girls are selling? I just don’t get it.

- Janna on November 8th, 2011

Well said Tink! Not a Jessica (or Ashley) fan, but she is a consenting adult and engaged. Whether or not she and her fiance used BC is nobody’s business. People need to UNCLENCH these days!

- tlc on November 8th, 2011

@ Tink

So I don’t sound arrogant I will change my words. If you stop birth controll you are hoping for a baby. Because for the majority ( I know not everybody can concieve easy) it will happen. She knows how to prevent pregnancy otherwise she would have been pregnant before.

With trying I didn’t mean doing it on schedule just everytime you sleep with your partner their is a chance.

I just don’t like the statement. If you don’t want a baby you protect ( and their are many ways) if you want/or try/or hope/or pray for one you don’t.

I am happy for her since she stated for a while she would like to have kids.

- candykane on November 8th, 2011

First- Congrats to Jessica! She looks great & glowing!

I don’t get why people are so judgmental… Jessica is a human being and a woman. So if she waited until marriage to have sex for the first time she couldn’t miss what she never experienced. Being that she’s divorced & no longer a virgin- she will likely have sex with the next person she’s in a relationship with even if (gasp) she’s not yet married again.

If she chose not to use bc, that’s her business. It seems that the baby is much wanted & will be loved. Parents break up all the time married or not. What’s the difference between a baby out of wedlock & a child of divorced parents? Yes, it would be great if everyone on the planet met their soulmate, married, had kids & stayed together forever but that’s not everyone’s reality. Just my opinion

- SMD on November 8th, 2011

“I find it very ironic that she supposedly was a virgin when she married Nick, then suddenly becomes “sexual napalm” and now is pregnant. I wonder, is the only way she could hang on to a man? Just my opinion.” (DI)

Wow,I’m not following your logic. Sounds like you’re drinking hate-aid. (just my opinion)

- gimma a break on November 8th, 2011

I’m happy for Jess. She looks happy and that’s really what matters.

- Ronda on November 8th, 2011

cute picture! she is gorgeous! I’m guessing girl! congrats!!

- Serena on November 8th, 2011

Who gives a rat’s behind if she is married or engaged or an alien from outer space.

It’s 2011, marriage is not a requirement for having a child!!!!

She is not going to hell, the child will not be basterdized and there shall be no shame upon her family just because her daddy is a preacher.

Preachers are human beings and not GOD!!!! Give it a rest already you overzealous marriage annoying freaking people!!!! UGh!!!! Go preach your crap to people who care!

**Side note, Jessica looks glowing. Babies are a blessing and I wish her and her partner blessings and a safe delivery

- Dee on November 8th, 2011

I didn’t get the not planning/not avoiding thing either but the “if it happens, it happens” explanation Anonymous gave makes sense.

- SadieA on November 8th, 2011

He probably “trapped” her. haha

- Shannon on November 8th, 2011

My husband and I always said the same thing. We dated for two years and broke up for a while; during that time we were the best of friends and eventually, we got back together. We planned to get married, but we’re both older and childless, and I have some other issues that I knew would make conception difficult, so we adopted the “whatever happens” plan while we were waiting for our wedding to happen.

We weren’t actively trying to have a baby, but we weren’t trying to prevent it either. And I also told him that if I got pregnant during that time, I wasn’t getting married in a maternity gown.

As for Jessica, no wonder she waited so long to announce her news to the world. She probably didn’t want to put up with the kind of trash that so many of you small, judgmental people are posting. If you don’t like the way she phrased something, fine, but don’t be such a bitch about it. It’s her life, not yours. She seems happy with the way it’s going and appears to be much happier than most of you here.

- Sarah on November 8th, 2011

I predict baby Girl

- ArabicRican on November 8th, 2011

Mia- I got pregnant when I was engaged and we didn’t move up the wedding. I felt no need to, why? What difference would it really make? The pregnancy didn’t change that we wanted to be together for the rest of our lives. We had a whole wedding planned and I was due 4 days after our original wedding date. So instead of lose all the money we had put down on our reception hall, church, photographer, ect we moved the date back a year. No big deal. That was 7 years ago and we still have every intention of being married the rest of our lives, it was a decision for us NOT for our child.

- Amanda on November 8th, 2011

I remember thinking both of these sisters were so pretty just a few years ago. Now, they’ve just kinda gone down hill.

- Indira on November 8th, 2011

Trust me, not avoiding a pregnancy and planning a pregnancy are two completely different mindsets. Right now for example I have two friends, one who is trying to get pregnant and one who is open for it but leaves it up to higher powers, fate, slump, serendipity, biology or whatever you prefer to leave it up to.

The first one cried from dissapointment last week because she got her period (they have been trying for 8 months now and she is getting impatient), the second seemed absolutely fine when she got hers (at least she wasn’t gumpier than she usually is at that time of the month).

This may be an extreme example, but basically, it does illustrate the difference between planning a child and being open to the possibility of having one.

- MiB on November 8th, 2011

I have not said one bad word about her. I also don’t judge her what ever she does is her business. I also know that unplanned by no means means unloved or not exited about.

And I do say the same thing when I hear that from other people even friends. But everybody can have their own opinion

- candykane on November 8th, 2011

Britney–2 boys, Christina–1 boy, Pink–1 girl, Jessica–HOPE you have a girl!!!

- Doreen on November 8th, 2011

Mia- Jessica’s sister Ashlee (who was also engaged before she got pregnant) rushed to tie the knot shortly after she got pregnant, and we saw how well that worked out. So I actually think that Jessica and Eric are being smart. Yes, in an ideal situation they would have gotten married and THEN gotten pregnant (yes, I’m old-fashioned that way! I believe in marriage before sex, let alone children!), but we don’t live in an ideal world and things don’t always work out that way.

In my opinion, pregnancy is not a reason to rush into marriage. Good for Jessica and Eric for waiting until THEY’RE ready before getting married (as opposed to when the public thinks they should!)!

- Anonymous on November 8th, 2011

Wow! not trying means trying? some of you have everything figured out! when i had my first – i was told i had a good chance of having pcos. we were in the testing process when we got pregnant. we hadn’t been trying as i had no cycles for months on end. and so without trying we got the surprise of a lifetime when we found out that somehow we had conceived. we dont know the details of this pregnancy and certainly arent entitled to them. yes you can not be trying and wind up pregnant.

- maxim on November 12th, 2011