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The Daily Dish The Real Housewives of New Jersey

Paul Connell Shares Insight Into How He Gets Along with Dolores' Daughter, Gabby

RHONJ daughter Gabby Catania got a sweet tribute from her mom's boyfriend on her birthday. 

By Shannon Raphael

Paul "Paulie" Connell has a special relationship with girlfriend Dolores Catania's daughter, Gabby Catania

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The Irishman took to Instagram on September 25 to wish The Real Housewives of New Jersey kid a very happy 29th birthday. 

"Happy birthday [Gabby]. A fun-loving caring amazing human, so lucky to have you in our [lives]," Paulie wrote in the caption of his Instagram Story post, which featured a photo of him and the veterinarian enjoying some fireworks with one of Gabby's dogs. 

Paul Connell and Gabby Catania together on a balcony while Gabby holds a dog

Dolores also paid tribute to her daughter on her birthday (which also happened to be National Daughters Day).

"On this day 29 years ago, you came into my life at barely [seven] pounds but even then, you had this look of strength in your eyes," Dolores wrote in the caption of her carousel post. "Watching you grow into the beautiful, giving, loving woman you are has been the joy of my life."

The Paterson native went on to commend her daughter for her dedication to her work as a veterinarian. 

"Never could I have imagined that one day you would follow your dreams of becoming a vet, although even as a little girl you did always say you were going to be a dog doctor," the RHONJ cast member continued. "Now you’re taking me on trips to South Africa to save the rhinos. Your endless work in conservation is one of the endless things about you that makes me so proud."

"You were always meant to make the world a better and more beautiful place. Everyone loves you, Gabby. That’s just who you are. But no one loves you more than me," Dolores concluded in the caption of her post. "Happy birthday baby girl. You are everything to me. You might be a big shot in this big world, but you will always be my little Gabby. Thank you for being mine."

Who is Gabby Catania?

Dolores and her ex-husband, Frank Catania, share daughter Gabby Catania and son Frank "Frankie" Catania together. Frank and Dolores' eldest is a veterinarian, which has always been her dream job. 
"[At] 3 years old, [Gabby] said 'I'm going to be a dog doctor,'” Dolores shared on RHONJ Season 13, Episode 14. Gabby made her dream a reality when she went to the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in the West Indies. 

After spending most of her veterinary education overseas, Gabby returned to the East Coast to complete her clinical year at Tufts University in Massachusetts. 

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