Happy 14th Birthday to my favorite teenager!

HAPPY 14th BIRTHDAY ASHTON!!!

Quite possibly my favorite picture of Ashton as a baby......
Proof that he wasn't 'born' autistic... look at that amazing eye contact and that gummy grin!

Oh my sweet boy.... what an amazing year you have had! You've participated in 16 races (4 1/2 marathons, 2 8Ks, 1 14K, 1 10K, 1 10-miler, 1 RSR5K, and 6 5Ks) races with Team Hoyt VB since your last birthday, only 5 of them without your favorite person, Marc. You've went from this quiet, soft-spoken young man to a VERY happy, VERY social and talkative TEENAGER! (as you keep reminding us.... "I'm a teenager, not a little boy!") You participated in Surfers Healing again last summer  and.......  you surfed ON YOUR OWN!! It was AMAZING! You did a 1/2mi run in November with Marc besides you ... it was INSPIRING!

While many times, people don't think of children being amazing and inspiring, YOU most definitely are! You continue to defy all odds, knocking down the walls and windows of Autism.

Last year, I was told your hand strength would never improve and neither would your handwriting and that your upper body and core strength would never improve. HA! You laughed (figuratively) in the face of defeat and your hand strength HAS improved (you can actually throw a ball now and not just plop it in front of you), your high 5s have some major strength behind them.... and GUESS WHAT?! Your handwriting HAS improved! The neo you were given by Assistive technology continues to sit and collect dust because you don't like using it.

I've watched you start running with your brother. While you don't have the endurance to push through multiple miles at a time yet, you are getting better. Your stride has improved, you can do multiple laps around a track without stopping now (you used to stop 1/2 way around the track on the first lap!), and you now seem to ENJOY getting out there and running.

Academically? Again, knocking those walls of Autism down big boy! You weren't really into participating much last year and wouldn't do ANY group work and hardly ever did any of your individual work. You were in class, but weren't really participating. Wow how that's changed! You love interacting with your classmates & friends, you go to and participate in group work and you can do your independent work, well.. independently! You've received all As and A-s this year, with an overall average of All As :) Way to go! First time EVER! :)

Your physical growth is apparent. You've grown about 4inches in the last year and have actually gained/lost enough weight that you weigh the same as you did last year. You're slimming down and growing up! You are such a handsome young man! You love having a "short with a little bit of hair" hair cut and I can always tell when it's time to get you in for another, as you start pulling on your hair. You are in the throes of teenager acne (this has just gotten really bad in recent weeks) but you handle the face washing, treating, and everything so well.

You are an incredibly easy-going kid. You go with the flow and not a lot phases you anymore. You're not so routine-oriented that you can't handle a change in routine, as long as we tell you about it as soon as we can. Even spur of the moment changes don't seem to phase you as long as it's a change that involves lots of prompting and reinforcers for you.

Basically, you're amazing AND an inspiration to many. You've grown so much in the last year, that I can't even begin to hazard a guess as to what you will be like as an adult. You've matured in so many ways that I can't hardly recognize the young man you are becoming. A few years ago I had lost hope for what I thought you might be capable of as an adult, and I can see how wrong I was to lose that hope. You can be absolutely anything you want to be, do absolutely anything you want to do, because you are that kind of kid. You are loved by so many people that just want to see you happy and successful in whatever life hands you. You take it all in with a smile.

I love you more than anything, Ashton! I may not always be the best mom, but I do try my hardest to be everything that you need. I love that you still snuggle up in a chair with me, I love that you want us around still (so many teenagers do not), and I love that you are exactly who you are meant to be. An amazing kid, with amazing people in your life and an amazing outlook on what your future holds.

Happy 14th Birthday sweet boy! Have fun today at your birthday party and getting your BIG SURPRISE #2!!! :)

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

Happy 13th Birthday, Ashton!!

Ashton James McCormick

Born 4/14/1999 at 5:04 PM

5lbs 14oz, 17.5in long
Reston, VA
Proud Parents: David & Jennifer McCormick

Sweet as pie and cute as a button!

You had beautiful hair, a beautiful sweet face, and the wisest-looking eyes I've ever seen in a newborn. 

Look at that sweet, smiley, inquisitive, cheeky grin!

Here you are at 1year-old (I'm thinking you were 13-15months old)....

before you slipped into the world of Autism....

Look how fast you grew! Here you are with Mommy, at age 2. 

What a handsome little boy you were becoming!

Little did we know that you were about to rock our wold with a diagnosis of Autism.

Look what happened a couple of days after you turned 3!!

You became a BIG brother to a little brother!

That little tiny baby was the key to bringing you more into our world,

instead of you existing solely in your Autism world. I love you both so VERY MUCH!

Look at that smile! You LOVE your little brother so much!

Around the time that you were 5, and your brother was 2, your relationship with him changed. You were more aware of his presence, and therefore, craved being in his presence. He made you (and still does) very happy and elicits giggles and grins from you like no one else can! You call him baby swinub (thanks Pokemon for that, lol) and teasingly call him a kookie baby when he's crying. You're such a stinker to your brother! lol But you love him like no other, and he's your bestest best friend! :)

Look how big you were getting! Here you are at age 7, and wow!

Such a handsome little dude but you hated to have your picture taken. There are very few from this time frame where you are looking at the camera AND smiling. STINKER! :P You look lost in your thoughts, and you probably were :) I wish you could have told us what you were thinking about.

I know we can't see your face in this picture but here you are at age 8, holding one of Grandaddy's lizards. Around this time your infatuation with animals peaked and you LOVED lizards and dinosaurs and all things creepy, crawly. Yuck! ;) But I have to admit, knowing what your face looked like holding the bearded dragon, you loved this experience. 

Christmas of 2008 (age 9).... you'd been pretty sick with pneumonia prior to Christmas and was still taking daily 2-3hour naps. But you were awake long enough for me to catch an awesome picture of you smiling, yay! :) You loved Christmas that year and had a great time opening presents - your first year of really "getting" Christmas and that all those presents you were opening were for YOU! :)

Family camping trip in July of 2009! 10 years old! You LOVE the water and it shows! Look at that big smile you have on your face, and the scary thing is, you THINK you can swim, even though you can't! ;) Stop giving me so many grey hairs!!! :) 

Your first Surfers Healing experience and you got one of the best surfers around to take you out - Kalani! You were 11 years old and you had a blast!! :) To be honest, I think Kalani did too! :) Again, you adore the water and I'm so glad you got to experience this, at least once, little did we know, that the following year you would get to do it again! :)

You got to experience Surfers Healing again in 2011 at age 12. But this year, you got to meet Izzy Paskowitz, co-founder of Surfers Healing :) You loved meeting him and remembered seeing him on TV so you called him famous! :) You had a great time chatting with all the surfers that year and it was amazing the amount of social growth you'd experienced in such a short amount of time :) You had a blast, once again!

and last weekend - a week before your birthday you participated in your second race with Team Hoyt of Va Beach, with Joe Moss pushing you! You LOVED it and it was great getting out and experiencing the wonderful autism community in our area and the family and warmth of the Team Hoyt family! You are LOVING IT! :)

look at you NOW! A TEENAGER!

So anyways ... yes you, my son, are now a teenager! Wow what a journey it has been! A wonderful roller coaster. Yes, I said wonderful! For all the things that we have gone through, both good and bad, it's been wonderful watching you learn new things, overcome the challenges that Autism causes you to face, and become the wonderful young man you are becoming! You are so funny! Hilarious as a matter of fact! You pick the most unexpected moments to come up with some of your funniest sayings! I can't remember any right off the bat, but know son, that you keep us laughing with you, all the time! You have a beautiful personality.

So sweet and caring, yet so funny and stubborn - all wrapped up into a handsome package that is 125lbs and 5 foot tall! YOU are amazing! When I think back on the last thirteen years, I can't believe it's gone by so fast! You were just that tiny newborn that everyone so afraid to drop. That sweet little baby that had such a hard time with formula and foods. That little baby that rolled over just before you turned 3months old! That sweet smile you have always had. Those eyes that portrayed a soul far wiser than his years. You were a beautiful baby, a beautiful child, but I can no longer call you beautiful. You are a very handsome young man with the most intriguing eyes. Hazel - but with a green overtone and blue and gray highlights in them. Absolutely breath-taking. You still portray a soul far older than your years. You are so SMART! You know far more than you let on and boy, are you quick and sneaky! Sneaky like a fox we say. You enjoy movies (all kinds... though as of late, you seem to enjoy action movies like Hunger Games, John Carter, and you greatly enjoy the older James Bond 007 movies) and you still greatly enjoy books (you're moving away from comic books and enjoying some more age-appropriate reading material, though I wonder how much of it you understand). I do think you comprehend far more of what's going on in the world around you, than you let on. You are like a window that's left slightly cracked open. You let everything soak in - a little bit at a time. But when a wind gust comes and blows in, that window opens up suddenly and you let it all come out.

You make people fall in love with you. Look at your wonderful teachers, both past and present! I still keep in touch with your VERY FIRST preschool teacher (and multiple other teachers from over the years) because they still love hearing about you, seeing how you've grown and watching what you're becoming. 

With everything you've gone through in the last two years, from a less than ideal placement into the WONDERFUL placement that you're in now in regards to school, you are amazing! You came through it all with such an amazing amount of courage and bravery! It took a lot to get through everything you did but you succeeded baby boy! You are awesome and TOTALLY ROCK!

We all love you very, very much and are so VERY proud of you! I hope you have a stupendous day today, tomorrow at your party and in a couple of weeks when we do a party with your friends!

I LOVE YOU and HAPPY, Happy 13th Birthday to the best teenager in town!!!
-- Mom

Happy 9th Birthday to my little man!!!!

Holden Christopher
3:02 AM on 4/16/02
6lbs 1oz, 18 1/2in long

Yes, I'm seriously not kidding, the boys' birthdays indeed are only two days apart. It's hard to imagine that ^that^ tiny little newborn, is my now, 9yo handsome young man. Holden was very planned and very much wanted. We wanted to have two children, approx 2-3years apart. We however, didn't realize it would have been so close to our plan of 2-3years apart.

Literally, exactly 9 years ago at this moment (1:00am EST), we were on the phone calling our families because my water had just broke around 12:30am. We figured that David's parents would leave (we lived in Northern VA at the time) once we got to the hospital and checked in. Well, what we didn't plan on, was for me to go and have Holden 2.5hours after my water broke. The next phone call any of the family got, was after Holden had already been born, 3.5weeks early no less! He's been like that ever since.... fast and never stops moving!!! >:)

First smile caught on camera - 3weeks

He's been a handful ever since! ;) Mischievious and a bundle full of energy who never stops talking (seriously, he started talking in sentences in 18months). He picked up on things very quickly and knew his ABCs (sight and sounds for both upper and lowercase), shapes, colors and could count to 20 by the time he was 2years old.

18months old

Halloween '03 (2.5yrs)

When he turned 3, he was reciting his address, phone number, date of birth and could say the "Pledge of Allegiance" and could sing the "Star Spangled Banner"! (remember, I SAID he was a handful! hehe) He started preschool the fall after his 3rd birthday and learned so much. He was a reverse-mainstreamed student in a special ed preschool program. Because of having an older brother with Autism, he was a perfect role model as he was smart, out-going, verbally precocious and well, he was very sweet with the special needs kids in his classroom. He greatly enjoyed preschool but wanted more!

Holden with friends Andrew & Tori (age 3.5yrs)

When Holden was in kindergarten, it became apparent there might be some issues going on. However, we didn't get a diagnosis until half-way through his 1st grade year, ADHD. He was starting to struggle in school and his self-esteem was quickly eroding. Plus, he had become this quiet little boy, except for when he couldn't contain himself and his impulses. However, with meds he started to do better!

Halloween '06 (4.5yrs old)

Norfolk Zoo - Aug '07 (5.5yrs old)

April '08 - Birthday Party (6yrs old)

April '09 (7yrs old)

Camping Trip July '10 (8yrs old)

SPRING 2011 - 9 Years Old

He's now in 3rd grade and is doing exceptionally well. His most recent report card was A, A-, B+ and another B+! AWESOME JOB Dude!! We're SO proud of him!! He enjoys playing soccer, wrestling and loves to run. He also loves to read, but I would dare say, his favorite things to do is play video games! Pokemon ones in particular. :) He's just recently wrapped up his 2nd full year of wrestling and has moved onto soccer for the spring. He's very active and loves being outside and playing baseball and soccer. He also recently participate in the local Shamrock Marathon Final Mile race and finished with a time of 8:32! :) He placed in the top 3rd of the 3300+ runners and had a better time than any of his friends that ran the race with him from his school.

We're very proud of Holden and how he's dealt with having a special needs older brother. Like Ashton, Holden tolerates from Ashton what he will tolerate from no one else. It's an incredible relationship that they share. :)

Thank you for letting me share my littlest birthday boy with you!! Later today is their birthday party, so hopefully I'll have lots of birthday pics to share  tomorrow!! Happy Birthday little man - we LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU LOTS!! XOXOXOX! Mommy!
Ciao!

Happy 12th Birthday, big boy!!!!

Happy 12th Birthday Ashton!!!!

(posted in red since it's Ashton's favorite color)

Ashton - 2 days old

Ashton & Mommy '01

Proud Big Brother - 3yrs old

Christmas brothers - '03

Ashton - halloween '04

Ashton - halloween in '06

Kiss the camel! - June '07

Mommy & Ashton at VA Beach - Spring '07

Feb 2008

Spring 2010

To my sweet, sweet baby boy.... who is no longer, well, a baby but is quickly becoming a young man. You are almost a teenager my sweet boy! A TEENAGER!

You were our "planned" surprise... meaning, we'd planned to have kids, just not quite as soon as we found ourselves becoming parents. You were a gorgeous newborn, absolutely perfect in every way. A head-full of dark hair that was so soft and was probably the cause of all that heartburn I had when I was pregnant with you. (old wives tale..... if you have lots of heartburn when pregnant, than your baby will have lots of hair.... YOU did). You were much smaller than we'd anticipated; you were supposed to be 8+lbs and 22in long.... you came in at a tiny 5lbs 14oz, 17.5in long. You were always so alert and your eyes were the purest windows into your sweet little soul..

As you grew, you were always smiling, always. Such a happy and friendly baby and toddler. You loved to eat, despite the nasty reflux that plagued you for the first two years of your life. Around 18months we began to notice a change; you were no longer that social and happy-go-lucky baby. You would often stare up at ceiling fans for an extremely long time and well, you had to have everything lined up, just so.

At 2 and a half years old we received your official diagnosis; Autism. I was also pregnant at the time and your world was about to be rocked upside down and all the way around. Luckily, you adjusted to your preschool pretty well and the adjustment to becoming a big brother? Well, it went as well as anyone could have expected. I think you thought you had a new toy to play with!

Your little brother was probably the single-best thing we did for you. You had a built-in playmate and he (by nature of his personality) forced you more and more into "OUR" world so that you couldn't retreat into your world as much. Your love for him is so obvious; your joy when he's gone and you see him again "Holden, I'm so glad you're back!" which is followed by hugs, is evidence of your love for him. He's the one person who can push you around and you don't fight it. He is your very best friend and you tolerate from him, what you tolerate from no one else.

Your interests have changed vastly.... whereas you once enjoyed all things dinosaurs, animals and ABCs, you've moved on to bigger and better things! Super heros, comics, and spelling things out takes up your time now (I guess your obsession with the ABCs paid off since it helped you spell). However, two things have never changed.... your love of movies and books! Wow! You could sit and watch movies all day with books in hand, ALL DAY LONG! As a matter of fact, I think you have on a few occasions!

You are now a big huge, 6th grader! You're just an inch shorter than me (though, being that I'm not quite 5foot tall, that doesn't say much), and well, you know how to throw your weight around! Strong, but sweet. Handsome, funny, smart as a whip! While you still have many years ahead of you for learning how to adjust to the world around you, I've got glimpses of who you will be. You will be caring, always happy, quick friend to others, and always, ALWAYS smiling. You adjust to new situations and new people better than any other kid I know; in fact, you thrive on the challenging and new.

We were blessed when we first found out I was pregnant with you, but I don't think we ever imagined just how much. You show us every day, in the face of adversity, just how awesome you are. We love you...... VERY VERY MUCH and I hope you have the very best of birthdays today!!!

Happy Birthday baby boy!

Ciao!