Preschool

Jacob went to his first day of preschool today and it was a surprisingly calm process to leave him there.  Whenever I hear about someone's first child going off to preschool, I always picture tears (from child AND parent), and of course some hesitance to leave your first-born in the care of others for a significant amount of time.  However, having known some of the ladies there from years ago, I knew that he was in good hands and would be ok.  We (Greg, Noah, and I) said our goodbyes and after a few minutes, went to comfort ourselves with a cup of coffee; chocolate milk for Noah :)  

Jacob met his teacher last week and that really helped I think; she was a (somewhat) familiar face to him so he trusted her enough to feel comfortable.  His class starts their day out in the play yard which was perfect for him because there are swings, playground equipment, bikes to ride, trucks to play with, a play kitchen, etc.  However, going inside proved to be tough for him and he had some tears :(  The teacher reported back to us that he did great outside playing, but having to go inside was where he had a hard time. I think that will just take some time to get over.  It's a lot for a 3 year old to take in- new children, new teacher, mom & dad not there, new surroundings.  It's all a process and I think that in a week or two, it will have become routine, and he will enjoy going to school more and more.  I think talking about time inside will help too; he's such an active little guy that I'm sure being told to stay inside was something new.  He is used to being able to play outside whenever he wants (for the most part) so having to do indoor activities will take a little getting used to.  He did mention that he painted a heart for "you, and daddy, and Noah" so I'm looking forward to picking that up on Thursday :)

All in all, it was a success and I can't wait for what new adventures (and friends hopefully!) preschool will bring.  It was definitely hard to say good-bye this morning, but I was also very happy to let him go off on this new adventure.  I think Thursday will be hard too, but I know soon enough he will be the one saying "bye mom, see you later" and run off to his friends.  I love my little dude so much and days like today make me even more proud to be a mommy.  It really is a special honor and a true blessing to have the two little loves that I do.  They are my world <3

Laughter is the best medicine. And a little dance party doesn't hurt either.

I think it's important to laugh everyday.  Like really laugh- a genuine, deep from your belly, laugh.  Having children has changed me in countless ways, but one of the simpler differences from pre-motherhood to my life now, is that I know I will laugh everyday, no matter how bad my day was.  All it takes is a few minutes with my boys to put a smile on my face.  When I get home from work, I am almost always greeted with a hug and a hello, in that order.  Then, there are requests to be picked up, swung around, play outside, etc.; all which emit laughter from two happy little boys.  Let me tell you, that laughter is contagious. 

This morning I was so tired, and thanks to my wonderful husband, I got to sleep in an extra hour.  I got up, and Noah slept an hour later than me!  For a 1 1/2 year old who went to bed at his normal time, that was awesome!  Once the kids were up, Greg went to the store for me and I got them ready to go out for a couple hours with Grandpa Mike.  Normally, I am in such a hurry to get them dressed, make sure they brush their teeth, etc.  But this time, I didn't do that.  Maybe it was the semi-lazy morning we were having, but I think it had more to do with the fact that I realized they were having fun just playing together and being silly.  I turned on some music (woohoo for Pandora through the blu-ray player) and Jake started dancing around.  Then me, then Noah.  Let me tell you, we probably looked so silly and goofy with my dancing (if you can call it that) and their dancing (which really looks like a mix of marching around & running in place), but we had so much fun, and we laughed.  And it was perfect.  It made all the stress of life and the disappointment about my cancelled dinner party go away.  The next time you are bummed out about something, big or small, focus on what you do have in life and what really matters.  I can have dinner parties when I'm 50, but guess what, my boys will only be 1 1/2 and 3 for so long. 

"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music." -Friedrich Nietzsche

As promised, a couple of pictures of my loves.  Jake is a climbing machine!  As much as I want to grab him off the high spots he climbs too or stop him from trying the newest playground equipment because it looks "too dangerous," I think I'm doing a decent job of letting him explore and try new things.  He's had some bumps and bruises, but that's ok. Boys will be boys, right? 

Noah is not too far behind- we've caught him more than once "surfing" on the ottoman to our rocker or on the footrest in Nana Pat's dining area.  The kid shows no fear most of the time.  He loves hanging out with Jake and exploring outside.  I love that the boys are so close, and of course they have their moments, but what 1 1/2 and 3 year old don't?  I love my boys so much and I hope they stay this close forever <3

Hmmm, let's have one more shot at this

Ok, so I haven't updated in oh, nearly 10 months. I'm not great at the blogging thing, but it was even harder with moving, two toddlers, a full time job, and about a dozen other things going on in life. That's no excuse, right? I'm making a goal for myself to try and update this at least once a week, maybe even more if there's funny stories or news to share :)

Well, to sum things up- 2009 was a busy year. As you know, our little boy Noah was born 2/24 and we had a wonderful first birthday party for him just last month! I cannot believe he is 1 already; seems like the time just vanished. He is growing so much and he and Jake are getting along amazingly well so far. I hope their friendship continues and that they stay close as they grow up. I am still working at CSUCI and we still have our apartment on campus. While we still probably spend more hours in NP than Camarillo, it has been nice and a good experience to be on our own. It's a great little neigborhood and now that the weather has warmed up, hopefully we'll be getting outside more to explore, go on walks, etc.

Good news! Greg had his first day of work at a new job today and we are hoping this is a good fit for him. He is now working for a construction company and their current project is in Redondo Beach, CA. They have projects lined up for a while and even one that is out of state. It will be a change to have him gone for a little time and we're lucky to have family in the area so if the boys & I need some company, they're just up the hill :) Let's see, Jacob is growing like a weed and talking all the time. It's great to hear him say new things and learn on his own. He amazes me with his knowledge. Noah is all about his big brother- whatever Jacob's playing with, Noah wants it; whatever Jacob is eating or drinking, Noah wants it lol. Love my boys <3

Well, that's about it for now. We're both working, the boys are growing and healthy, and we're enjoying life and getting on our feet. We are confident about our future and hope that it pans out the way we're planning. We know we are so blessed to have the family and friends that we do and we hope that we can pass on the love and security we've been blessed with to our own boys. Love you guys and hope everyone is well. God bless

xoxo

BLESSED

Ok, so obviously I (WE lol) haven't mastered keeping this thing updated on a regular basis, but we'll get there. Someday. The past couple of weeks have been super busy but have been amazing. I had my first Team in Training Run on Saturday, May 23. It was great- we ran 2 miles and I ran the whole thing! My goal for now is to at least run the distances each week, or at least complete them in a timely manner :) Every weekend we hear a small story about an "Honored Teammate"- someone who is battling or has battled leukemia or some type of blood cancer. The first weekend we heard about Zoey. She is an AMAZING little girl. Not only was Zoey (born in 2007) born with a heart defect and Down Syndrome, but several days after her birth, they discovered she had a massive stroke in utero; on top of that, she was later diagnosed with a catastrophic form of epilepsy. At this point, most people might throw up their hands and give up. Not little Zoey, she continues to fight on. Unfortunately in 2008 she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, M7. Could you imagine? This little girl has gone through more obstacles in 2 short years than most people go through in a lifetime. Hearing Zoey's mom and sister speak about her was such a great reminder of why I'm doing this and why I need to just suck it up when I'd rather stay in my bed at 6AM on Saturdays (or any day for that matter!). At least I get to sleep in my own bed, knowing my family is safe & healthy. Zoey is fighting so hard, she is an inspiration <3

Alright, in order to prevent the waterworks from starting I'll move on to our next big news!!! No, I'm not pregnant hahaha. We have officially moved into our own home :) It is a 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartment at CSUCI and we are so excited. Greg and I and the boys are soooooo lucky to have such an amazing family- everyone helped us move things, unpack, and get settled in. Not to mention watching our 2 little boys the whole time (although I'm sure the Grandmas didn't mind :) ). We are thankful everyday that we have such good people in our life and our hope is that we can continue that trend and be as great to our children. We love our new apartment and will post some pics once the walls have something on them. We are looking forward to a fun summer, lots of running, a vacation in September (yay!!!) and in just a couple weeks....our first wedding anniversary!! It's hard to believe it's been a year already and as I said to Greg, "I wish we could get married every year- it was fun to get dressed up and party." Of course, I promised to marry him every time ;) Well, I may not get a wedding every year but hey, I just might get my Hawaii vow renewal trip in 10 years if I play my cards right <3

Hmmm, that's the 2 main things going on right now for us- we've moved & I'm running. If anyone's interested in running a 5K or 10K in July please let me know!! The funds from your registration fee ($25-$30) go to Team in Training, and in turn, go to cancer research, patient co-pays, etc. You can also check out my webpage (http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/nikesf09/ksteiner) for updates and to track my running and fundraising progress. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to those of you who have donated!

Check out how big our boy Noah is getting! He's a drool maniac lately (teeth in the next month or 2?) and... he rolled over! just today I got the news from Greg that he rolled over on his own. Geeez, our boys are growing fast. Jacob's going to start a preschool type program in October after he turns 2 at the end of September. Time flies when you're having fun :) Love you guys, hope all is well with everyone.
God Bless <3 Kristin & Greg

Run, Kristin, Run!

I have recently made the decision to run my first full marathon on October 18, 2009! It will be the Nike Women's Marathon held in San Francisco, CA. I am going to be running as a member of Team in Training, part of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). In exchange for receiving expert training on running, nutrition, etc., I have committed myself to raise at least $3,300 for LLS. The funds raised will be used to go toward the effort of wiping out blood cancers! I have been wanting to get in shape for a long while now (yes, even when I was pregnant with Noah I would longingly look at my old pictures, imagining I could look like that skinny girl again one day). Well, obviously my desire to get in shape hasn't gotten me too far lol, so I have decided to try & motivate myself by helping others. When I am tired on Saturday mornings and want to sleep in, I won't anymore. I have team members who will rely on me to show up and work hard just like they do. In addition to that, there are infants, young children, teens, and adults who are relying on me to raise money to find a cure for what they suffer from. This experience is not about me getting my body beach ready (although that will be a nice perk :) )- it is about getting off my butt to do something for others and try to help in some small way. On October 18 when I get tired from running 26.2 miles I will think of those who fight a much tougher battle everyday and that I am doing this for them because they deserve to live their lives just like the rest of us. I know times are tough right now, but please check out the link below and support me if you are able to. Every little bit helps & it may make the difference in a person's life. Pass it on to others if you think they might be interested in supporting me as well. Thank you!

Love, Kristin

http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/nikesf09/ksteiner

MOVING!!!

Guess what? We got an apartment! We are going to be moving down to CSUCI to live in an apartment near campus. We got a cute little 2 bedroom, 2 bath place that's on the 1st floor (yay for not worrying about stairs as much) and our move-in date is May 28. The campus is awesome- they offer no credit check, waive the application fee & deposit, and give discounted rates to staff. It was too good an opportunity to pass up so we are going for it! It's going to be a new, fun adventure and I can't wait to get in and start making our own little home :) It will be small and will be an adjustment, but it will be OURS and that's what matters. Our little family of 4! The grandparents are nearby and we'll still be up in NP for dinners and softball on Sundays. We'll let you know once we're settled in!

P.S. This picture doesn't really have to do with moving, except that hopefully this is what Noah will be doing most of the time we're trying to unpack :) I love my little peanut <3

Starbucks

It's pretty crazy that within like a 3 mile radius of where we currently live, there are 4 Starbucks to choose from. Two of those are in the same shopping center- heaven forbid we have to go to Starbucks THEN to Target, they have conveniently put in a Starbucks inside of Target now. $$ boost: After actually going to the Starbucks inside of Target (I know, pathetic) I noticed that they tax their drinks. Lame. Anyway, I've been trying to excercise a little bit everyday whether it's walking, jogging, crunches, or all 3 on a good day. The other night we walked to Kohl's to browse around and of course, to feed my habit, stopped at Starbucks. The workers know us fairly well and since we had the boys with us, they made Jacob his own little strawberries n creme frappucino. It was too cute watching him be all grown up holding a little sample cup of his drink (naturally he didn't want mommy or daddy to help him with it), but at the same time, I kept thinking- we're creating a monster! Let's hope I don't continue to take my 1 1/2 year old to Starbucks so much that it becomes expected.

Spring is here!

We are adjusting to life with 2 little boys quite well I think :) Noah is up a couple of times a night to eat, but he's already on a 6 oz. bottle so I think he'll be sleeping through the night pretty soon (knock on wood :) ). He is growing so quickly and we are trying to treasure these moments because we have seen how fast time goes by watching Jacob grow. It's hard to believe Jacob will be 2 years old in about 6 months and will be starting his own little adventures at daycare/play groups. I am excited to get him started in some kind of regular routine with other children his age because I want him to make friends and be social before he goes off to preschool :) He is very curious about his little brother Noah and while there are little moments of a tantrum or frustration, Jacob is such a great helper and always wants to give his brother hugs and kisses. Jacob is such a big boy already and I am cherishing the cuddles and kisses I get now because I know before too long he will be off with his friends, not wanting to cuddle with mommy lol. It is amazing watching these 2 boys together and I can't wait to see them interact even more as they grow. I am back to work full-time now and while I do enjoy my work and the people I see everyday, I miss Jacob and Noah and sometimes wish I could just stay home with them everyday. We'll see what the future holds. Greg has been keeping up with his World Financial Group venture so if you know anyone who needs financial services (life insurance, health insurance, financial planning, etc.) please let us know. We would be happy to help and show you what the company is about and see if it's right for you. Greg has also been doing some graphic design work as well so that's been good too :) I am thinking of going back to school to become a nurse so if you have any advice/tips let me know!! When I was a little girl I wanted to be a medical doctor but then I realized the schooling involved and what exactly you have to look at/do so I kind of gave up on that dream. When Jacob was in the NICU after he was born the nurses at St. John's were amazing and I was really inspired by them. I love to help people and I absolutely love children/babies so I honestly think nursing might be a good fit for me. It would mean back to school, studying, and committing my time to that for a few more years so it is something I'm thinking long and hard about before I decide to pursue it. If not now, maybe when the boys are older. Anyway, just wanted to give an update on where we're at. Cannot believe March is practically over already! Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the CA sunshine. Take care <3

Kristin

Noah is here!

Noah Anthony Steiner was born Tuesday, February 24 at 4:31AM. He weighed in at 9 lbs 1 oz and measured 20 1/4 inches. Due to his jaundice level being high, Noah had to stay at the hospital a few extra days but we are happy to report we came home Saturday morning! Our first night at home was a good one and it felt nice to sleep in our own bed again, and of course, eat some home-cooked food. We were keeping Jack in the Box in business there for a couple days :) Jacob is enjoying seeing his new brother and trying to figure out what having a new baby around means. It will be an adjustment for him (and us) but it will be such a great one. Jacob is going to be a great big brother and we can't wait to watch them grow up together to see how they get along and also see their differences. We are so fortunate to have the help of our family and friends and we can't wait for you all to meet Noah. Take care and we'll try to keep this blog updated a little better with new experiences and news. Love you all!

xoxo

Kristin & Greg

Happy New Year!

Hi Folks! Just wanted to say Happy New Year to everyone and that we hope 2009 is wonderful. We had a great Christmas and enjoyed some time off to veg out, hang out with family, and of course, enjoy delicious food! We are looking forward to a fabulous year, starting with the arrival of a little brother for Jacob in just 7 weeks. We can't wait to meet our second son and see how Jacob and him interact. We hope they will be best friends and enjoy being brothers. Greg is continuing his career in the financial services world with World Financial Group and with any luck, by the end of this year I will be joining his team and we will be creating an amazing life for our family! We have a lot of plans in store for this year and for life and we feel really great about what's to come. Hopefully we'll post a little more regularly on this to keep everyone updated so check back often! We'll be posting new pictures and info on baby Steiner number 2 once he arrives. By the way, Kristin is officially a Steiner now according to the US Government so Greg can stop worrying that she didn't want to change her name ;) Love you all and hope all is well!

Hi Everyone!

Hi Friends and Family,
We have decided to set up a blog to keep in touch with everyone. We'll be using it to update you on Jacob, Greg and Kristin, and of course, our new little guy when he arrives! With family becoming more and more spread out, we hope this will be a great way to keep everyone updated on what's going on in our neck of the woods. Love ya!