Happy 10th Birthday, Holden!

Holden Christopher McCormick

Born 4/16/2002 at 3:02 AM

6lbs 1oz, 18.5in long

Reston, VA
Proud Parents: David & Jennifer McCormick

Proud Big Brother: Ashton James

You didn't wait for ANYBODY! Not even the doctor!

You were born just an hour after we got to the hospital!

Cute as a button, long feet and mega chubby cheeks!

We were in love, all over again!

Look how cute you were ....... 16months old .... such a sweet little baby! :)

Amazing how fast you were growing! :)

Look at that impish silly grin! 2.5years old - and soooooo cute and stylin'!

Age 4.... you became my little poser! :)

Even at age 5, you looked like a pro soccer player!

Bend it like Beckham!

Age 6, you helped assemble a world-record breaking puzzle for F.A.C.T.

You have always had a huge heart of gold for those children with Autism...

At age 7, you started wrestling and won the first of what would be

many, many, many wrestling medals - You go Dude!

I couldn't resist this shot at the zoo when you were 8years old.... LOL!

you wild animal you! ;) We love you anyways!

last summer (age 9)... you rode the innertube by yourself, for the first time

You LOVED it!! But your face looks so serious - SMILE!! :)

Last weekend at the Autism Awareness 5K .... 

yep, yet another activity you are involved in and enjoy...

RUNNING - Thanks Ryan Carroll! ;) lol

HAPPY 10th Birthday Holden!!! We LOVE YOU!

and yes... I promise, Rascal Flatts concert tickets will be yours,

as soon as they go on sale and are available! Until then, enjoy the CD!

Boy oh boy little man, 10years old - absolutely amazing! These past 10years have flown by! You've always been the independent type, and never really relied on those around you for your own entertainment, you WERE the entertainment! Fiesty and alert from the beginning! You were wanting to walk around rooms holding our hands at 5months old. I remember the ladies at the La Leche League meetings staring at you in awe, and at me with pity.... they knew what I was in for! ;) You started walking at 9months old and started talking pretty well shortly after your first birthday - and we haven't had a moment of silence since ;) Nor have you stopped moving since then, either! ;)

You are an amazing kid. Thoughtful, helpful and considerate and FUNNY as heck. But you also have one killer temper; when you get mad, you get MAD. Sadly, I think you're a lot like me in that aspect ;) We tend to butt heads once in a while but I still love you very very very much little man!

You are super smart, super handsome and you have an old soul in a little kid's body. Your birthday wish this year was to get Rascal Flatts concert tickets. This was after I told you we'd do a bowling party at the bowling alley with all of your classmates, but I told you that you had to pick one or the other. To my amazement, you chose the concert, so we will attend your very first concert this summer and I can't wait! You enjoy Rascal Flatts' music because they are a clean-cut group of guys, who sing great music, are amazing musicians and in your words "they don't use any cuss words in their music". I LOVE that you're attentive to that sort of thing, but it lets me know that *I* need to be a lot more careful.

You are so kind and generous. You have been your brother's biggest fan since day one! You've brought him out of his autism shell like no one else could have. He LOVES YOU so very much Baby Gizmo! ;) (better than Baby Swinub! ;)) You fit in well with any group of peers - older, younger, special needs or not - you make friends with everybody and in turn, that's earned you a lot of respect from adults. The other day we went to visit Ashton's classroom and you blended in just like one of the other kids, that's not something most kids your age could easily do.

You're incredibly active and keep us on the go go go! You wrestle, you play soccer and as of last year, you've been bitten by the running bug! You've done a few races and your times have been pretty impressive considering you've never had any formal training and didn't really "train" for any of the races that you've done.

You are the best little brother, one of the best sons and the best Holden that you could ever be! I am loving watching you grow into the young man that you're becoming. I can't wait for the next few years as you grow into teenagerhood and see how you become an adult. But, remember, you're still my baby and will always be..... and enjoy your childhood :) It goes by far too fast!

I LOVE YOU and I hope you have the happiest birthday ever!!!
--- Mom