Couple in El Paso welcome quadruplets, three boys and one girl

After suffering three miscarriages, Andrea Gonzalez-Cabrera and her husband's prayers were answered with a healthy pregnancy.

They just didn't realize they would be starting and completing their family with the arrival of quadruplets - three boys and one girl. Gonzalez-Cabrera has twins in her family.

Piero, Andoni, Leonardo and Giovanna were born on Feb. 25 at The Hospitals of Providence Memorial Campus. The babies are still in the Memorial Campus Level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

"We had always talked about wanting to have three or four children. We just didn't realize we would have them all at once," Gonzalez-Cabrera said. "We believe in God, and we felt like God was restoring those losses that we endured because we remained faithful," she said.

"It was a great testimony to our family as well because they couldn't believe God was giving us such a big miracle with four babies," she added.

Husband Hector Calderon said he was more than surprised when the obstetrician started counting babies on the sonogram.

"He saw the first one and then the second one, and my wife was very happy, and I was happy. And then when we found out there were four of them, I started getting really nervous - I wanted to blackout because it's not simple or easy to get used to the idea," he said.

"But we were very happy waiting for them during the pregnancy and now very happy they are here," he said.

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Gonzalez-Cabrera, 27, an architect, and Calderon, 35, an engineer who works for Apple, are originally from Monterrey, Mexico. They decided to come to El Paso during the 28th week of their pregnancy after researching the hospital and its top-notch neonatal unit.

The babies were born at 30 weeks.

Piero, who was the first baby delivered, weighed 3 pounds, 3 ounces. Giovanna came next, weighing 2 pounds, 12 ounces. Followed by Leonardo, the smallest, who weighed 2 pounds, 3 ounces. Andoni was born last, weighing 2 pounds 15 ounces.

The couple, who visit their babies every day, say they are getting to know them and already seeing their personalities shine. Piero is the most patient, Giovanna is always alert and turns when she hears her parents' voices, Andoni has a strong, feisty character, and Leonardo makes his presence known.

Each name was chosen for its meaning.

"Piero means strong like a rock," Calderon said. "He was at the bottom of the womb with all of his siblings on top of him, so he had to be strong."

"Giovanna means God is merciful. She is the only girl and a miracle to us," Gonzalez-Cabrera said. "She's already dad's consentida (pampered one)."

"Leonardo means strong like a lion. And we feel like he was the one that had to be strong. He struggled a bit more."

And Andoni is a Basque name that means valor and love, and he received that name for being the most tranquil, they said.

The couple, who have been married for three years, plan to return to Monterrey when their babies are healthy enough to travel. They plan to return to El Paso when invited by the hospital to celebrate the babies' milestones.

More birth stories:New life in the new normal: El Paso moms share how birthing a baby changed during the pandemic

María Cortés González may be reached at 915-546-6150; mcortes@elpasotimes.com; @EPTMaria on Twitter.