Pictures & update...I'll try to make it quick.

Sorry that I'm just now posting. Things are as crazy as you'd imagine around our house! We're so happy to be home and to have our son home with us. There are just no words to express it, really. Catalina has been amazing, just a perfect big sister! She is overwhelming him with help and love and kisses all the time. On Friday night, though, the stress of the week hit her and she had quite a meltdown. She couldn't even eat her supper unless I was holding her in my lap and feeding it to her. She has also been complaining about every single body part...her toe hurts, her elbow is itching, that kind of stuff. Other than those two minor details, she has been incredible. Gussy goes back and forth between loving on baby Max and wanting to hit him. Sometimes he comes in and finds me with Max and he responds like a husband that just found his wife with another man. And, honestly, that's all a lot better than what I was expecting his response to be. I think after he gets over the initial transition, he's going to be an amazing big brother!

Now, this is the part that I could go on and on about...baby Max and I are having a tough time. He loves playing with his brother and sister. He's loves all of Catalina's attention and we can already see that he looks up to Gussy and wants to follow his lead. He loves Louie and responds very well to him. It's Mama that gives him fits. He's grieving the loss of his foster mother pretty badly, and part that grieving includes rejecting me. He doesn't want me to hold him, comfort him, feed him, anything. He doesn't even want to make eye contact with me most of the time. There are lots of things that I can do to foster the attachment between us and we're working on that right now. As my friend, Steph, said to me last night...Baby Max is my full-time job right now. I have to be the one to comfort him, even when he writhes and screams. I have to be the one to change his diapers. I have to be the one to give him bottles. I have to force him to make eye contact even when he slaps me in the face. It's going to be a tough couple of months, but it will pay off for all of us in the long run.

Okay, on to the pictures...I'll start with the trip home.

Hanging around the airport:





His first plane ride...sound asleep at take-off, screaming his lungs out at the landing:



My amazing friends, Mindy and Merritt, were at the airport, despite the late hour, to welcome us home:



The only picture of the three of us from our trip:



Please note the difference in his expressions in the above pictures: smily and cuddly with Papa, tense and crying with Mama.

I could really post 40 pictures of the kids playing together, but I won't. I'll try to find the cutest ones, but it is really hard because they are all precious and special.



Note the balloons in the background, courtesy of the Foxes and the Bomsteins!









Maxito's first trip to our neighborhood park. We spend a lot of time there, so we're glad that he loved it as much as we do!





Our very first family-of-five photo!



We stayed until they closed the place down. By the way, Bibi is still here and is still a priceless, perfect help! I don't know what I'm going to do without her when she leaves after Thanksgiving. Louie's trying to convince her to move in!



Friday was Cati's first day back at school since Max came home. She was so happy that the whole family went to school with her and she was even more excited to introduce Max to her class!



Look at her patting his head! She had just said, "EveryboBBy, this is my new baby brother, Max!"



Miss Kathy announced our news to the entire school! Look how proud Cici is!!



After school, we made another trip to the park. Here's an example of Cici always trying to help her "Bubba" out (that's what she has been calling him constantly, she calls Gus "Bubby").







Back at home, Cici showing him a fun Dora book:



And, helping to feed him. We have since told her that she will not be able to help with bottles and feedings until after Christmas. She is being very respectful of our wishes, despite her overwhelming desire to help out. Look at her beautiful, sweet face. She is an angel, I swear it!



On Saturday morning, Catalina had her final soccer games of the season. It was a chilly morning, so we all bundled up and went to her games (two in a row...a lot to ask of the kids, but they were all perfect):



Max is a soccer-lover already...he even got excited when we watched it on TV in our hotel room in Guatemala! If you put a ball in front of him, he is happy and content for the next 20 minutes at least!





Okay, last one...happy little boy in our playroom! Despite all of the attachment stuff, we are still blissfully happy to have this little miracle home with us at last!!