We're here!!

We are finally up and running in Antigua and we are so very happy. Soleil is an absolute doll and the kids are adjusting famously. Our house is so cozy, and there are tons of other kids in our complex to play with. We have a Christmas tree (Emerson would have been so sad without one!), and I finally got our DVD player working (Cole actually figured it out). I finally worked out all of the kinks from my computer, and I just spent an hour chatting with Dave online for free! Love GoogleTalk! We start "homeschooling" tomorrow morning at 9AM sharp! We'll see how that goes... I'm remembering what it's like to have an infant again...so easy to forget! And whoever said that 4 is hardly more work than 3 was totally fibbing! It's nonstop! Between the feeding and bathing and changing and feeding again and disciplining and consoling and putting to bed it's absolutely nonstop! I do feel like I'm finally getting my rhythm, though. I guess we all are. We had an actual sit down dinner tonight and the kids (all 4 of them) were in bed by 8PM, as it's a "school night". Soli is an absolute joy and such an easy baby. She has two teeth coming in and had a tough time getting comfortable at bedtime last night (love that advil!), but then she slept through the night. She smiles all the time and talks and laughs at her brothers and sister. She loves it when Cole takes her outside to hang out with all the kids. I bought a hand-me-down baby gym from one of the other moms who's leaving soon, and she loves to lay on that and play with her toys. She's at that sweet age where she reaches for, and wants to try, everything you're eating. I had asked her foster mother to hold off on giving her solids so I guess I'll have to bust out my baby food grinder! That'll be fun! Anyway, these pictures capture a little or our home-sweet-home-away-from-home. I know they're a little overdo but, hey, I've had my hands full! Enjoy!

We ran into Santa in the lobby of the Marriott while we were waiting for our baby. (They had us waiting for over 3 hours. Errr!)

But she finally arrived! And she was just so darling and sweet!

Here she is getting to know her new brothers! They absolutely adore her.

And just like that there were four!!

Reading stories to "the girls" on our first night as a family.

We were all plum tuckered after a VERY long day.

But the next day started early...no rest for the weary! And everyone wanted in on the feeding action!

Evie is adjusting smashingly to big sisterhood. I think coming down in October was helpful in giving her a head start on adjusting. She loves her "baby sisto". Also, having lots of friends to play with has been a helpful distraction.

I could hardly get Soli away from Cole that whole first day! He took her everywhere which turned out to be a huge help because I was rather busy!

Emerson makin' friends and showin' off his new baby. (Nothing like a couple a lightsabers to cross the language barrier!)

Headin' out on the town in a Tuk-tuk. (That's our pink house in the background!)

A few of the "neighborhood" kids enjoying the fruits of their labor. Notice all the full mouths! (Yes, I lugged that Gingerbread House all the way from the States...it's a tradition!)

We picked up this beautiful Christmas tree in Guatemala City before heading to Antigua. But they didn't sell any bases! I mentioned my dilemma to Juan Jose (the caretaker of our complex) and the next day he fashioned me this brilliant Christmas tree stand. It's a five gallon bucket filled with dirt!! He essentially planted our tree in five gallons of dirt! I thought that was brilliant! I don't know if it'll suck up any water, but I water the darn thing daily! I love it!

Like I said, Cole hardly set Soli down for a minute that whole first day. He's been a really big help.

And here she is! Our new baby girl. She's just the cutest thing I've ever seen!

Look at those eyes!

And her first two teeth!

"Yeah! My Daddy's coming in just 10 days!"