June is coming soon and with it we will have Bren join our family. We recently went and had a 3D ultrasound to see what our little Brenner will look like. The first three pictures are Bren. The last two are Cali. Any similarities? Either this technology makes every baby look the same or our girls are very similar. You be the judge.

Picture Time!

Here are a few Easter Celebration Pictures. We had a little easter egg hunt just for Cali. She loved putting the eggs in the basket. She had a wonderfully cute yellow Easter dress on. Thanks Shannon for all the cute clothes. Now bask in her cuteness as we do every day.

Cali and Daddy got to color the eggs together.

Blog a little blog

Hey the other day I was thinking about a way to communicate what our family is doing and share photos and remembered we have a blog. Let me think of when this was last updated.....not worth thinking any longer. Besides you probably just scrolled down to find out when it was.

Cali is just about 16 months old. She is a hoot. High energy, fun, crazy, and totally the same as her mother. I got a few traits in there, but I don't think nearly as many as mom did. She is obsessed with Baby Einstein and The Wiggles. Thomas the Train is starting to creep up there in the ranks as well. She knows and can say Elmo's name very well so it is only a matter of time before Sesame Street is going to be part of the regular day routine. She makes the best animal noises. Her sheep and horse are especially intense. I don't know how she makes those sounds exactly and explaining them is too difficult, but she belts them out nice.

With Bren right around the corner, we are afraid of what life will be like with two babies. Will Bren be nice, sweet and somber to cancel out Cali? One can only hope. Yet I think of the genes their mother is passing to them and I fear the worst. My theory is that they will synergize into one super baby that will dominate our lives for....oh I'd say 18 years but I have a feeling 21 is more like it. Hooray for parenthood!!!!

Brittany is doing great with pregnancy. She wasn't sick much this time around. We are now at uncomfortable belly stage. Now it is just a race against the clock to see who will snap first, Brittany or the belly. Cali came over a month early so we didn't have to do this phase long last time. I don't know if we will make it this time either.

As for me, I am just doing what I can. Every day is jammed packed. I have a list of items to do before the day and I get a whole new list right when I get in. I love it.

Okay maybe later today I will add pictures.

AZ Trip

This was the cutest thing ever! Dylan was totally rocking out to Rockband with us! I think he may have found his calling in life:)

Things were a little too quiet in the family room-

and sure enough we turn around to see the babies banging on the TV. (I'm sure it was all

Cali's idea- Dylan was just a victim of her bad influence:))...why is it they always want to play with the things they aren't supposed to touch?!

This baby loves to suck on all things metal- is that normal?

This picture PERFECTLY reflects the absolute opposite dispositions of Cali and Dylan. Happy little Dylan, smiling calmly for the camera, sitting still and perfectly behaved...and then there's Cali the disheveled, loud little girl always demanding something...27 days difference...worlds apart!

Queen of the Car

Our little ray of sunshine has been a challenge in several areas; one is the car. She absolutely loathed her first car seat and it took us a while to figure out why. From day one Miss Independent has wanted to sit-up and hated being strapped down in a 'laying down' position (but what else do you do with an infant???). I would dread car-rides anywhere, because it meant listening to her blood-curdling shriek the whole way. Oye.

Ever since we got the sitting-up style car seat she's been a dream in the car! I don't think she was really 'old enough' when we got it- but whatever- it works!! But it's not just that- we mounted a little portable DVD player to the headrest which plays all varieties of Baby Einstein. To add to her majesty's viewing pleasure we installed a little window shade (you know, so as to avoid any of those nasty glares). Did I mention the drink, or in her case, bottle holder- ya, that too. This baby's got it all.

I don't know how our parents did it without these little technological perks. Seriously.

Gerber Baby?

People always comment on how big Cali's eyes are- and how much she looks like the "Gerber Baby"...you decide.

Offically the World's Worst Blogger!!!

This baby just LOVES books.

At Laguna Beach~let's see if she likes it as much as her mommy!

Greg and Cali at 'Bodega Bay' in Nor Cal...Greg has been helping out at a facility about an hour north of Oakland, called Petaluma. Cali and I went up one week to visit. He's up there weekdays and flies home weekends- kinda stinks- but we're excited to know we'll soon been permanently placed at a facility in Chatsworth! Anyone have any tips on the area?

We all had a blast watching the playoffs (especially considering the end result- GO LAKERS!!). It's the weirdest thing~ but Cali really likes watching basketball...she even looks away during commercials- guess I shouldn't be surprised...but sooo early?

She chews on everything she can possibly get into her mouth!

By 4 months our little 'preemie' had gone from the 5th percentile to the 70th % for weight and over the 95th % for height! Yeah for Ethington genes!

Grandma Ethington bought these adorable little cow outfits for Dylan and Cali- gotta represent!!


Our little narcissist just loves to look at herself in the mirror- she smiles and coos like crazy!


I know she'll hate me later for sticking these GIANT bows on her- but I just LOVE them!! I think this one makes her look like Minnie Mouse- HA!

Even while sleeping, Cali is never totally relaxed...note her hands slightly up...this one is wound a little tight- wonder where she got that?!

At two months Cali wanted to play in this wonderful little contraption we have dubbed her "spinny". Though she is too small for it she just loves the little spinners on it- so we put a little bosu guy under her feet (why not work out the core simultaneously??).

Baby Girl

She much prefers our bed to her bassinet:)

Tummy Time

Matching Mohawks

Grammie and two very eager baby sitters!

Cali (dukes-up) and her cousin Dylan...born just 28 days earlier.

Love those big blue eyes!

I know, I know, this is long overdue...Here are some more pix of our new addition. We cannot believe how quickly she changes! After a somewhat scary bout with jaundice, Cali is thriving! At her one month checkup she was 9lbs 2oz and 21 1/2 inches! So some of daddy's genes did sneak in there:) She was a pretty fussy little thing for the first few weeks, but we discovered it was mostly gas pains- (thanks Susi and Staci for the tips!! They've made all the difference!) As far as we can tell she is a very determined strong little girl- both physically and in spirit. Greg recently started calling her 'Bear' due to the little noises she makes and ferocious way she eats (ouch!!) We are absolutely enamored with her and sometimes just sit and stare at her perfect little features for way too long, and are so grateful for her. What a little miracle!!

Surprise!! Cali Kaye Ethington is here!

We received a late Christmas present this year, yet this gift came earlier than we thought.
On December 28th at 11:41 am, Cali was born. She weighed 6 lbs 6 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long. We are so blessed that she is perfectly healthy, especially since she came nearly 4 weeks early.
Brittany's water broke at 12:30 am and less than 12 hours later the most amazingly cute girl came to us. (I am a little biased) Brittany was just amazing. She did it all with no pain medication at all. No epidural, nothing. I am so amazed by her abilities and thankful for her effort and sacrafice.
Enjoy the pictures!