Carving pumpkins!

Mommy and Emily

Emily carving her pumpkin!

Finally getting her hands dirty!

Emily and Brian

Hayley, Mom and Emily

The birthday girl!!!!

This evening we went out for Chinese for the first time with Emily and the owner of the restaurant came over and talked to us and one of the waitress' cooed over Emily too. Emily enjoyed the egg roll, some fried rice and some of mommies Chow Fun noodles. When we got home we carved our pumpkins for Halloween. It was so much fun to watch Emily. She wasn't really keen on the idea of having to scoop out the pumpkin. She didn't want to get her hands messy, that's my girl. She likes to stay clean. She eventually got into the fun and helped picked the seeds out so that we could roast them later. She helped me saw out the face on her pumpkin. It was really cute when we were finished to see her looking inside the pumpkins at the lights in the bottom. She was fascinated by the light changing colors. We had a great time for our first year of carving pumpkins.

Tomorrow is Emily's 3rd birthday, but her 1st birthday here in the U.S. I am planning on having the family over dinner with cake and ice cream too. Today was Hayley's 6th birthday! Hayley is my boxer. We had a little celebration for her today, but she and Tucker celebrated a little more without us. While we were at dinner they ate the 2 banana nut bread loaves that I had just baked yesterday and we only had 2 pieces out of the one. So they had their party too! Crazy dogs, Brian found Saran wrap on the floor and asked what it was from and I looked at the counter and yep...both loaves GONE! I wasn't even mad, but knew something was up when I saw Hayley. She definitely knows when she has done something wrong. She was cowering and shaking even after I petted her and told her I wasn't upset. I thought it was kind of funny actually. She just wanted a little cake for her birthday. Plus, Tucker was the one who counter surfed because Hayley is too short to get where I had the bread. What a fun filled day at the Kozlowski house. Can't wait for tomorrow for Emily's birthday!

First doctor visit today!

Today was Emily's first doctors appointment. Of course, Mommy forgot everything that she was supposed to bring except for the urine sample. Mommy was not feeling well last night and today, touch of the flu. Not fun at all, thanks to Brian for putting Emily to bed yesterday while Mommy was busy being sick. Unfortunately, I didn't get much sleep so I wasn't very prepared this morning. The visit went well. Dr. Claussen said that she is the size of an 18 month old and I have to agree. She is in 1% and 2% of kids her age on the charts...who needs those charts anyway! She is perfect just as she is. She was checked over head to toe and then it was time for her to be re-immunized. Plus another TB test, poor girl! My baby had about 8 shots today and her little legs are so sore now after her nap. She is having a hard time stepping up. I tried to take her outside and move so the soreness wouldn't be so bad, but she just wanted to swing. Poor thing, she is just laying on the floor and actually watching Max & Ruby right now. I feel so bad for her, it took everything I had not to cry with her when she was getting her shots. My brave little girl. How pathetic, she just tried to get up and she is so sore, my heart is breaking for her. I wish I felt better too, I just don't want to get her sick. Now we are waiting for a phone call from the specialist so we can get her palate looked at and start that whole process. Hoping my little one isn't as sore tomorrow, poor peanut=(

Fall

Emily and Hayley

Emily playing in the leaves.

Mommy and Emily

Mommy being silly playing in the leaves.

Mommy, Emily and Brian

We tried to get the whole gang in the pic..Tucker James wasn't cooperating!

I love Fall! It is my favorite time of year with all the beautiful trees changing colors and cool crisp days. Today was a great day. It is Sweetest Day and I my sweetie and I celebrated last night by going out for dinner together. Emily had her first sleep over at Grandpa and Grandma's house. She cried when I dropped her off and it broke my heart. I had to call after dinner and check on her and was told she was doing fine and ate a big dinner too. She's always a good eater anyways. Brian and I had the morning to do some grocery shopping and we got her a new coat and snow pants for this winter. It was nice to go shopping and not have to rush home for nap time. We picked her up later in the afternoon and played cards with Grandpa while she napped. I think she was happy to see her mommy today! I was really happy to see her too! When we got home we raked some leaves and played in them. I haven't had so much fun raking and playing in the leaves since I was a kid. Emily wasn't really sure about them, but we took pictures and then we took her for a ride in her wagon. Thanks Kate for the wagon, she loves it!!!! It was a perfect fall day with my two sweeties. I couldn't have asked for anything better.

New Camera!

Today I decided it was time to get a new camera. My camera has not been working very well. I took my dad's camera to China, thanks Dad! The flash hasn't been working right on mine. So Brian, Emily and I went to Best Buy and I purchased a new Canon camera. I like it a lot! We started playing with it as soon as we got home. I have been reading the manual all afternoon to see what it can do and it is pretty cool. It amazes me the technology they have in cameras today. So much better than the old point and shoot and hope it turns out. We went to watch Jacob's football game today too. Of course, I took my new camera and let our photographer Austin take the pics! He did a great job taking pics of Jacob playing. So I thought I would share some of the pics with the new camera.

Emily is getting used to the dogs more and more each day. She is still a little upset when she wakes up and they are in her room with me, but other than that she is loving them more and more each day. It is cute to watch them getting to know each

other. Emily does love the kitty cats! She lays on poor Chase and squeezes his head and he tries to get away from her...poor kitties!

Life is good and we are in a pretty good routine so far. I have had some challenging days, but for the most part it has been pretty good. It has just been a huge change for all of us and I have gotten a little stressed out, well a lot at times. I am learning to relax and go with the flow. Emily is a joy and even when she is a big stinker, I still love her! We are both learning how to be mom and daughter together. It isn't always easy, but I wouldn't trade it for the world, especially in the morning when I get her out of bed and she reaches for me and gives me a big hug. That is the best ever! I love being a mom! I thank God everyday for the precious gift he has given me.

Brian

First meeting Emily

Eating dinner, yum yum!!!

My world has been changed forever this past month. I have been an emotional mess up and down wondering if I am even going to be a good mother and one thing has remained unchanged and that is Brian. He came into my life in May and we have shared a wonderful summer together. He has opened my eyes to the beauty that is Northern Michigan. I have lived here for 6 years and never really taken the time to explore the small quant towns around us.

He has been supportive of the adoption since we met. As the weeks got closer to the adoption and stress settled in, he had always been there to calm me down and tell me that everything would be alright and it would all workout. He has always been right. He calls me "OCD girl" and yes I am at times, but I call it being organized! He puts up with my quirks and my organizational skills, lol! He has been absolutely amazing!

I wasn't sure how Emily would be around him or him around her, but being in China and receiving some of his emails and IM's, I knew how much he already loved her like I did. I cannot tell you how glad that makes me and how thrilled I am to have him in our lives. I know that I am a strong woman and probably would be fine if he weren't here, just a little more stressed out. I am so happy Brian is here to help me with Emily. They are a joy to watch together. My dad talked with me the other day and told me that he can see how much Brian loves Emily and that was so good to hear my dad say.

Thank you baby for being there for me when I definitely need you the most. I truly believe that God brought you into my life and Emily's for a reason. I can't wait for us to watch her grow. We love you and are so glad you are in our lives!

We're home!!!

Our plane to Beijing!

Emily being silly!

Still being silly!

Mom and Emily

A happy girl on her first plane ride!

Playing with her cow, Aunt Chimene gave her!

Sleeping on the long flight from Beijing to U.S.

Emily with a cute panda hat on!!!

Aunt Chimene and Em settling in!

Emily after she fell on the floor on the plane!

Emily with her new baby doll that Grandma got her!

The gang waiting for us, yes it's blurry..sorry!

Mommy and Emily!

A tearful Grandma with Emily!

Grandpa and his first granddaughter!

Brian and Emily, so sweet!

Uncle Michael and his new niece!

Austin and his new cousin!

Jacob and Emily!

Susanelou and Em!

We're finally home! Sorry it has taken me a couple days to post this, but I am sure you all understand, a new little and jet lag! Our journey home was not that bad. I anticipated it to be long and expected Emily to be tired and crying for some of the trip. We started our journey home at 5:30am on Thursday leaving the White Swan Hotel (bye bye home away from home) and headed to the airport. We waited a couple hours and then boarded a plane to Beijing. The first flight was 2 hours and 15 minutes so not too bad. Emily did really well but she wasn't too fond of the seat belt. We arrived at Beijing and had to collect our luggage and transfer it to International and get our new tickets. I have to say a big THANK YOU to my sister, otherwise known as "The baggage handler" for the day. She was awesome! It would have been so nice to only check the bags in Guangzhou and have them transfer all the way to TC, but it's China! So my sister, bless her heart was amazing. She lugged the bags and the carry on's through each airport like a trooper. It was a long day and I know she just really wanted to get home to her family as we both did. Amazingly, it was not that difficult to get our bags checked and new tickets for the rest of the journey home. We had a 3 or 4 hour layover in Beijing and then we boarded the plane for Chicago. I dreaded this flight the most. It was 12 hours and some minutes long with a little one, many little ones were on our flight actually. So again, Emily still didn't like the seat belt, but sat in between my sis and I on the long flight home. She did really well too. We fed her dinner and then she fell asleep for almost the whole rest of the flight. Can you say, Woo Hoo!!!! And NO Benadryl was needed for the sleep. My baby girl tossed and turned the whole way. My sister and I watched our 4 or 5 movies again too. We had finally both fell asleep when I felt a thump on my leg and my poor little peanut had fallen off the seat and onto the floor below. I couldn't help but laugh and nudge my sister to laugh some more as we just let her sleep on the floor. Yes, I know the germ-a-phobes are cringing, but hey, you do what you gotta do and she was quite content there. Finally, Em woke up and climbed back on the seat and fell back asleep until I woke her an hour before we were to land. She had some fruit and was a happy girl the rest of the way. I felt sorry for the priest sitting in front of her, she shook the seat a couple times and almost grabbed his hair, lol! I thought I was going to be the person most other passengers on the flight look at and shake their heads about the crying and screaming child the whole time, but Emily did super all the way. She had a few little cranks here and there, but for the most part she was awesome. When we landed in Chicago we knew that it might take a while and our next flight was leaving at 5:44pm and it was 3:45pm when we landed. So the hustle began! We had to go through Customs, grab our luggage, shuffle to another place where Ms. Emily become a U.S. citizen and another security check, recheck the bags and the dude told us to go to Terminal 1 for gate F-12. WRONG!!!!!! We go through security again and find out we have to go to Terminal 2! So we are rushing through O'Hare, me pushing Em and carrying her bag and my backpack and my poor sis, "The baggage handler" was following behind with our carry on's and her bag. Love ya sis, that was not fun for you at all, but you were a trooper!!!!! We finally find our gate and they are boarding the plane, so not time to even go to the bathroom. Last flight, YEAH!!!! Emily did great again and some people commented on how good she was, which was a relief and very nice for a new mom to hear. We landed in TC, at last!!!!! I headed to the much needed restroom and changed Em as "The baggage handler" waited for the carry on's! We changed Emily into a traditional Chinese outfit for her arrival. I could see the crowd at the end of security anxiously awaiting as I dashed into the restroom with her. I couldn't believe I was nervous. Why? I was nervous for everyone to meet her and I guess what her reaction might be to them. We headed toward the excited group with video cam in hand. My mom was crying before we could even see her new granddaughter. There were balloons and flowers, presents and a sign for Emily and us! I was over joyed to see my mom, dad, Susanelou (their neighbor and friend), Michael, Austin, Jacob and Brian with huge smiles and hugs for us all. Emily was passed around the crowd and she didn't mind it at all. She took really well to my dad too! He is so proud and loves her so much already I can tell. I am a daddy's girl, so it just makes me happy to see that Em will be too. It was so nice to see the tears and smiles. There was a lady who was watching us and crying and asked if she could take our picture on her camera phone. Wow, I am glad that we gladdened her heart that day, because that gladdened mine. Brian, is amazing with her. He carried her to the car and put her in her car seat, which I thought would bring crying and screams being strapped in, but she did good. She sat there without a peep. We drove home and she fell asleep, Brian carried her in and mom, dad and Susanelou came by with the rest of the luggage, we forgot to take the stroller out of the trunk, oops! They only stayed for a short while and Brian and I got her changed for bed, showed her her new room and then put her to bed. She went to sleep fast after that long exhausting day. That was at 10pm and I knew she would probably not make it the whole night and at 3am she was ready to get up and start her day. So at 3 am, which I was wide awake too, I made scrambled eggs for her and gave her her yogurt. She ate like a trooper all by herself.

She is starting to explore the house a bit, but not too much because she is afraid of the dogs. I figured she might be because they are bigger than her and she screams every time they get near. Slowly she is warming up to them. I can get her to touch them now, but she really is not fond of Hayley at all. Poor Hayley just wants to give her kisses too! My boxer, Hayley is a licker and loves to give anyone and everyone kisses if they will let her. It was so good to see my babies too! I missed my pooches so much! They don't know what to make of the little bundle I brought with me, but they will love her too very soon. I am predicting that she will take to one of them quickly and they will be inseparable. I thought it might be Hayley, but she really likes Tucker so far. Tucker is just more laid back so that is probably why. One day at a time with the pooches!

The cats! Well now the cats she doesn't mind. She likes to chase after them and wants to pet them. At first she wouldn't touch them either, but Chase is so laid back I brought him up and let her look at him and she eventually petted him. Now she grabs his tail and pulls, lol! Poor kitty! Jasmine came up stairs and she chased after her and I haven't seen Jas since. Jasmine is my skittish girl, she only likes to come out when she wants to and only likes to be held and petted when she wants you to. So, hopefully I will see her again someday, lol! I did pick her up and give her some loving, since I am sure either cat got much attention from Brian while I was gone, he doesn't like them very much! Slowly, things will calm down and she will hopefully learn to like the dogs and the cats will learn to tolerate her!

It is just so good to be home! I am battling a little jet lag, but not as bad as the last time I was in China, thankfully! I am guessing it is because I know I have her and have to take care of her now. Sleep deprivation isn't new for me, so I am not going to be worried about that, I am lucky if I sleep 6 hours in a night, so these first few days won't be too bad. She is actually still sleeping and it is 6am. I put her to bed at 8pm and she has slept the whole night through so far. I am hoping that her China schedule will continue her, sleeping 10 hours a night and taking 3 hour naps! Wouldn't that be a dream, I can only hope! And look who's up? Me, since 4am! Gotta love it! Hope you're sleeping better than me sis! Well, I am going to get up and start my day...please continue to check the blog as I will be still posting. I might not post daily, but I still will continue to post frequently as possible. It is true what they say...There's no place like home!