New Parents of Quadruplets, 3 Boys and 1 Girl, Share Sweet Inspiration Behind Their Names

When Aja Kennon went in for her ultrasound, her technician was so stunned by what appeared on the screen that she called in another doctor.

“She brings in another doctor, and I hear her counting like one, two, three, and then she says four,” recalls Kennon, 33, in an interview with PEOPLE.

It turned out Kennon was expecting quadruplets — a revelation that left her speechless. Amid the shock, she quietly hoped for at least one girl. Her wish came true: she was carrying one daughter and three sons.

The news was a huge shift for the couple, who already had an 8-year-old son. Going from a family of three to a family of seven wasn’t something they saw coming.

“I thought it was all a joke,” says her fiancé Emmanuel Volmar, 37. “I was just in shock. I couldn’t believe it.”

And to be fair, the timing of the news — right around April Fool’s Day — didn’t help the disbelief.

Dr. Joanne Bishara, Director of Neonatology at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J., where the babies were born, noted that the odds of naturally conceiving quadruplets are about 1 in 700,000.

Kennon was 34 weeks along when she gave birth on Tuesday, July 1. While preparing for the C-section was nerve-racking, everything went smoothly. Three of the babies weighed more than 4 lbs, and the fourth tipped the scale at just over 5 lbs.

“They all came out spontaneously breathing and doing well,” says Dr. Bishara. “I do think this is all God’s work, for sure.”

When it came time to choose names, the couple decided to honor their own names while giving the children a personal connection to their parents. The three boys were named Ean, Evan, and Eamon — all beginning with “E” like their dad — while their daughter was named Alayha, a tribute to the first letter of Aja’s name.

Of course, with four newborns at home, sleep has become a rare commodity.

“You close your eyes and got to open them right back up,” Volmar jokes.

Despite the chaos, their 8-year-old son Emmanuel Jr. has adjusted quickly to being a big brother to four.

“He’s like, ‘Oh, is it time for them to eat? Or is it time to change their diaper?’” Kennon says. “So he definitely wants to be involved.”

Looking ahead, the couple says they’re simply grateful to face the future as a team.

“I feel like I can take on whatever comes my way, and I’m also a big believer in God not giving you more than you can handle,” Kennon shares.

Volmar adds, “I love my babies.”