A Texas family nearly doubled their family…overnight after welcoming quadruplets this summer.
39-year-old Gaby Hagler and her husband, parents of three children, decided to have another child to complete their family. However, at the 12-week-ultrasound, they found out they were expecting not one but four babies! The couple said they were initially sʜᴏᴄᴋᴇᴅ by the news, but since Gaby had previously had a ᴍɪsᴄᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ, they couldn’t help but feel excited and grateful to meet their rainbow babies.
Adam, Bennett, Coby and Dane were born prematurely on June 22, while their three little siblings – stepbrother Paxton, 12, stepsister Kalleigh, 13, and brother Sammy, 2 – helped their parents with the names of the new family members.
“I just turned 50 and I have four newborn babies,” laughs Patrick, dad of quadruplets. “Most people become grandparents at 50 and certainly their arrival changed our lives 180 degrees! At first we were scared because we had planned our daily life and finances for a baby, but everything is slowly finding its way.”
In addition to the financial changes, the Haglers have been figuring out their routine with the quadruplets as they continue to grow. Gaby Hagler estimated that they go through an average of 45 diapers, 95 wipes and anywhere between 12 to 24 bottles per day, with about nine hours dedicated each day to feeding, burping, changing and tending to the quadruplets’ needs.
The Haglers say they’ve also assigned each newborn their own color and animal, which helps family members tell them apart. Adam has a blue and giraffe theme, Bennett was given a green and sloth theme, Coby is often dressed in a white and panda theme, and Dane has a gray and elephant theme. “We realized that with the naming of the cribs and the way we have the cribs set up, that works for us pretty well. But the idea was to color code them so everyone gets their own color,” Patrick Hagler said.
Gaby Hagler said the babies’ personalities have started to emerge too, noting that Adam appears to be “the most mature,” Bennett is now “the star of the show” and Coby is “the professional baby,” who is always “on schedule.”
The parents say they’re grateful for the love and support from family and friends near and far, who’ve all rallied together to help them. They’ve also said the quadruplets’ older siblings have stepped up to give them an extra hand as they’ve all settled in at home in Katy, Texas.
“I think that the babies have been a real anchor for our family because we’re a blended family. Paxton is my son from another relationship. Kalleigh is Gaby’s daughter from another relationship. Sammy is ours together and so the babies have really brought everyone together and in just a really cohesive way. And having the older kids being able to participate in the way that they have has really strengthened the dynamic of the family,” Patrick Hagler said.