15 Months!

15 months of fun and love!

Beautiful Girl

Today is Katie's birthday! She has tried her hardest to get the boys to sing to her, but they have not obliged. However, they have "woofed," smacked her in the face with a wrapping-paper roll, and given her a lot of snuggles, smiles, and giggles!

As part of my "day of gifts", I just wanted to go on record as stating that I am forever grateful for the woman I share each day with. Katie is the epitome of quiet strength, motherly beauty, unyeilding patience, and unwavering love. She is my best friend, my rock, my role model, and my dance partner. Katie's grace and strength challenges me to be a better man each day, and I am forever grateful for having such a wonderful "partner-in-arms" for the rest of our lives. She's the "awesome" in "McGrawesome."

If you have ever met Katie, you already know what I am talking about, right?

So on this day, I proclaim from the mountaintops (or keyboard) - "I love you, Katie! Happy birthday, and thanks for getting me a free cookie today!"

Love,
Your boys (your biggest fans)

How They Do...

Here is how the McGraw boys spend most of their time. Feel free to share a smile!
Video from various months

Something's Different About You

This could be the start of something, Jameson...
Video from 09.10.09

Family Time

The McGraws enjoy some quality moments with dinner-picnic and play time on a Friday evening.
Pictures from 09.11.09 - Jameson in green, Joseph in orange

A Little Help From My Friend

Nothing like a little brotherly love.
Video from 08/12/09

G-parents, Germs, and Wii

I really wish they would have called it "The SuperCity." Why my affection for the five cities labeled "Quad Cities?" The people! Specifically, our amazing families! Katie and I had a wonderful visit this past Labor Day weekend with our families. We arrived Saturday and enjoyed some Hungry Hobo while admiring Dave's new Nintendo Wii. After a late-night schooling by Dave in a "skins" match on Tiger Woods 10, I headed off to bed for a full Sunday. The next morning came with a beautiful morning run, and then the McGraws enjoyed some time at the Rock Island Postal Worker's picnic. The boys each got a prize (a Mr. Potato head and some classical singing character) and were able to crawl around during the beautiful day. Next, we spent some fantastic time at the Hughes' playing games and enjoying company. The boys enjoyed some more fresh air while cousin Kevin did a fantastic time watching over them, pulling them up and down the driveway, giving them leaves to play with, and picking up the items they would consistently throw out of the wagon (a never ending game - as you can imagine).

The only downfall? A nasty head cold that successfully moved from Jameson to Joseph over the course of the three days. Curses!

None the less, we can't thank everyone enough - we are truly blessed beyond our means for those in our lives. We miss and love you all!

A McGraw Boy's First

...and not a fun "first." The boys love to get up on two legs now and explore their surroundings. They will hold on to your leg, hand, the coffee table, chairs, walls, each other, and examine everything around them. Their curiosity is only natural, but sometimes it can become stressful for Katie and I because they begin exploring areas that are not suited for their 14-month old bodies.

Enter the fireplace.

Katie, in her ingenuity and foresight, created a "safety pad" to cover our fireplace hearth - which is made of bricks and a stone ledge. The padding provided the boys some safety from crawling, falling, and rolling into the hearth. That is, until they began to stand against it and pull it down.

Enter our scene: Last Saturday evening.

Joseph and Jameson, having come home from Mass, enjoy some playtime in the basement. Katie, in her infinite kindness, offers to get dinner for the two of us. Daddy notices that the boys have pulled themselves up on the hearth's pad. Being such a good Daddy, he says, "No." to which the boys stare at him - Joseph might have smiled. Fast forward a couple of minutes...

The boys are back at the hearth and Joseph has managed to pull the pad up a little bit. Daddy removes Joseph from the hearth, not realizing that the safety pad is no longer sitting securely on it. Jameson, who is now standing against the hearth, begins waddling down the side of it. Jameson then proceeds to put his hand on part of the pad - that does not have the hearth underneath it, providing it support. Safety pad slides out, stone edge exposed, baby falls down. Daddy just catches out of the corner of his eye Jameson turning in mid-fall landing on the carpet. Daddy: "Oh, crap."

Daddy runs over to a crying Jameson and notices red on his lip. Daddy is no dummy. Jameson has split his lip open. Daddy, with a bleeding baby in his arms, gets some towels to stop the bleeding, which amazingly calms down the once bleeding baby. Joseph, who has witnessed a bleeding brother and a frantic Daddy running up and down the stairs, is now very upset. This upsets Jameson, too. Daddy needs to call Mommy.

Daddy doesn't want to alarm Mommy, so he talks calmly into the phone. All Mommy hears are screaming babies. Daddy: "Oh, crud." Mommy gets home, and the McGraw family packs into the car and heads to the ER. Both babies act like perfect angels while we wait there for over TWO and a HALF hours (WELL past their bedtime)! Jameson is being his regular old self, which relieves a still shaken Daddy, who still has to help hold James down for the stitches. Isn't it great that through all of this trauma, Jameson will remember seeing Daddy's smiling, reassuring mug looking down at him the entire time!?

Scene: 10:00pm, McGraw household.

A weary Joseph is sound asleep in his crib. A fat-lipped, numbed, receiver of 4 new stitches Jameson sleeps soundly in his crib. A weary, numbed Mommy and Daddy look at each other...

Curtain closes.

Hey, Legs!

"These things could turn out to be useful someday..." Within the past month, Joseph and Jameson have made an amazing, life-changing discovery...their legs are not just good for putting on the table, splashing water, and drooling on - they are good for STANDING!

Jameson was the first to make this discovery by pushing off of Mommy's legs from a squatting position. Soon, he found that he didn't need a push, he could get up on his own! Joseph, in a clear fit of rage (kidding) then proceeded to push Jameson down each time James showed off his new found skill (not kidding).

Joseph recently realized that Jameson was not the only one blessed with this new amazing feat as he has begun pushing off of Mommy's legs (monkey see, monkey do) to try his luck at standing.

Obviously, Mommy and Daddy see the good/bad side of this. The good: watching the boys laugh and laugh as they stand, viewing the world on a whole new level and wavering back and forth from their new position. The bad: Standing = walking. Walking = faster mobility. Two faster, mobile babies + One Mommy = Look out, Daddy! Also on the bad side...(see next post)

Welcome Back!

"It's been such a long time..." These words penned by the arena-rock, super-group Boston (whose ridiculously amazing logo is pictured to the left) ring true in relation to the McBlog. Yes, it has been a long time since we have updated this mythical cyber-space. Where to begin?

They boys are 13-months old now. They can crawl, babble like crazy, eat (some) table food, and are magnetically drawn to anything that is not a child-safe toy. They love playing with each other, laughing, Mommy, and climbing up stairs.

This summer has been such a joy for Katie and I because I did not have to take a graduate class, equating in plenty of family time (along with house projects - a story for another blog)! Below are some links to pictures from 6 months up until now. Hopefully this will catch everyone up on the McGraw boys!

Please keep visiting!

7-8 month gallery

9 month gallery

10-11 month gallery

One year gallery

You look funny!

These days, the McGraw boys are really entertaining each other! As you can tell from the video, each finds their brother very funny! They are doing well- they sleep through the night, eat all their veggies, and stay in one spot (for now). We're trying to soak in every minute because we know they change so quickly!

Peace and blessings!

Seven Months In The Life Of...

So much in so little time. A lot has happened since Joseph and Jameson arrived on planet Earth. Can you believe all this happened in only seven months!?

• As true sons of a "Mac" man, the boys' birthday coincided with the day Bill Gates stepped down as chairman of Microsoft Corporation, after 3 decades in that position
• World Youth Day is held in Sydney, Australia
  
• Michael Phelps sets the record for the most gold medals at an Olympic games
• America elected its first black President
• Frozen water is found on Mars
  
• Illinois impeached a governor for the first time in state history

Big events just seem to follow the McGraw boys. Who knows what we will be talking about at one year!?

Peace and blessings to all!

The Family That Plays Together...Shares Germs.

Joseph and Jameson make me laugh. Katie is my rock. My job? Lately, it is to make everyone sick.

Last Sunday, I noticed myself sniffling and sneezing more than I would have liked. Monday brought more tissues, but Tuesday was the worst with a sinus headache. I hate getting sick. Surprisingly today, Thursday, I feel a whole lot better.

But the damage has been done.

Jameson has spent the past two days coughing and sneezing. Joseph seems to just be developing this amazing ability. Katie, so far, seems immune to it all with her superpowers. Luckily, there are no temperatures or wheezing. However, it just breaks your heart to hear them coughing at night...especially when you feel partially responsible for bringing the germs to them.

I've decided that instead of walking around with the guilt of possibly making my boys sick, I have compiled a list of other things I want to blame for the boys' getting their colds (no remedy better than "passing the buck"):

• Global warming
• The price of gas
• The economy
• Rod Blagojevich
• Peanut butter
• Rock music
• That "5 Dollar Foot-Long" Subway song

Wow. I feel better already. Remember to wash those hands, kiddies.

Too Cool For School

I haven't worked in three days. Thanks to an early morning snow fall Wednesday, and - 30 degree wind chills on Thursday and Friday, I have been home doing a whole lot of nothing lately. Well, almost nothing. My car battery died yesterday, so I had to go buy a new one and replace it. I have also been slowly working on some readings for my graduate class that I started last Tuesday - "Curriculum Development in Art Education." And of course, I have been bugging Katie with the rest of my free time.

I know, I know, some of you are thinking, "Wait, Chris, doesn't that mean you have to go to school later at the end of the year?" To this way of thinking I respond, "Who cares!? That is like 100 months away! Shhhhh...I can't hear my video game."

New Discoveries

The boys, of course, are constantly learning new things all the time. They are doing a great job at sitting up, and they will be on their own in no time. Recently, Jameson has discovered a new scream. Joseph discovered his face. He finds it very funny looking. We have video of both for you to enjoy! (Make sure your volume is up.)

What's 6 Months? 1 Month More Than 5.

It is WAY too hard to believe that Joseph and Jameson are already half a year old! Just the other day Joseph asked me for an iPhone. Where has the time gone!?

"Half a Year!? Fully Awesome!" Photo Gallery

We hope and pray all is well with everyone! God bless and keep checking up on us!

(Katie:) "Hope you're feelin' fine in 2009! Whoo-whoo!"

(Chris:) "(Blank stare)"