Priceless pout

Coates family rule #7: 

Food stays at the table

All I had to say was, "Syphr." and he knew. He stopped in his tracks and began his pouting stance. He had gotten half way across the room, he couldn't back down now. I kept repeating his name, and asking him to take his bread to the table, but he didn't budge. 

I slowly reached for the camera, and crept very slowly closer and closer, still saying, "Syphr....." He put on his defensive pouting face. Looks like Talan is rubbing off on him.

When I got too close, he panicked and ran as fast as he could, then cried when I brought him back to the table. Such a good try. I'm sure he will try again at dinner.

Day 359 and 360 of 2011 as Ashton calls it

We spent Christmas Eve with good friends,  completely frozen, and fending off kids who were trying to steal our view at National Harbor because they got there too late to get a good spot. We were waiting for a good while in the wind chill for a chance to see Santa skii before he headed off on his present delivering journey (although I'm pretty sure he probably should have already been gone by that point). Anyway, after 30 minutes of watching the Christmas characters no one really cares about slowly ride by and wave, 2 screaming 1 year olds, waves from the boats crashing on the rocks and splashing the very much polluted and nasty Potomac River on us, we scrapped the plan and headed for our cars. Santa is overrated. 

After naps for everyone, we headed down the street to have dinner with our good friend who froze with us at National Harbor, and completely stuffed ourselves full. Ashton was in heaven with both ham and shrimp on the table. He ate enough for about 4 people. 

I was worried matching footie jamas would not go over well with the older boys, but it was a huge hit. Talan said, "I ALWAYS WANTED THESE KIND OF JAMAS!" Ashton said, "AWESOME!!" Syphr didn't say anything, but he did immediately give me his jamas meaning he would like them on right then. 

I didn't get many pictures Christmas morning. I underestimated the chaos of 3 super excited kids, presents, and keeping kids contained in a present wrapping area that was visible to our webcam so Brad could see via skype. 

Santa brought us a PS3 this year, and a vinyl hopscotch on the floor. He was hoping to help me in my quest to make my house kid friendly for the winter to minimize boredom and whining. He succeeded.

Syphr got to do the honors of opening the first present of the morning. He took one little tear of paper off, saw it was something he could climb in and didn't care to know anything else. He just wanted to get in. The boys had to take the rest of the paper off because Syphr was not getting out any time soon. He now spends most of his days sitting in his Buzz Lightyear spaceship. Not moving, just sitting.

Talan got a plasma car. This has to be the most fun car around. It is propelled by turning the handle bars back and forth. All 4 of us have been caught riding on it several times a day. Love having wood floors.

Did I mention my goal to have my house like a playground for the winter? You can't have a playground without a slide. 

We all sure did miss having Brad here with us, but we are ever so grateful for Skype and its ability to make our family as complete as it can be right now. 

I love Christmas. And, I love my family.

Sometimes this laid-back kid just wants to get messy. And he will wait patiently for his opportunity to dump an entire bag of chips and smash them with delight. 

Sax man

As if it wasn't enough of a reality check that Ashton is just one grade shy of middle school, but now the reality that he is old enough to be in band, and have concerts. His first concert was really well. It took these kids a couple months to actually get most of their instruments since the school didn't provide enough (maybe they should lay off the purchase of Ipads, and add to their instrument stock. Just my opinion). That said, these kids not only learned how to play their instruments, but also learned three songs for this concert in about 6 weeks. I don't know how his music teacher did it, but she did. 

Ashton's playing has gotten much better. He rarely makes my ear drums bleed anymore which is great. Most of all, he really enjoys playing the sax. Maybe it is because he thinks his 15 year old sax playing cousin is the coolest on the planet, but whatever gets him to practice without my constant nagging.

No turning back

It is official.

I overcame my fear and hesitation over that extremely terrifying 'submit registration' button, and will be running in the DC Rock 'n Roll half marathon in March.

Can I run 13.1 consecutive miles? Absolutely not! But, I will be able to in 4 months. My goal is not to be fast, but to do something I never thought I could do. Finish.

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

We can't wait for Christmas around here. Unless your name is Syphr and you cried for all the photos and decoration placing, there is no better way to jump into the Christmas spirit than decorating a 4 foot palm tree, and hanging monster stockings while listening to Twisted Sisters Christmas album.

Meet my son, Harry Potter

Ashton has always enjoyed reading, but it wasn't until the middle of September that he became obsessed. Six months ago, if I asked him to go read for a while and give the playstation a break, he would have a woe is me episode. He liked reading, once he was actually reading, but would not do it voluntarily.  Literature lazy is what I call it.

As of September, when he picked up the first Harry Potter book, I can now call him a bookworm. He rarely removes his nose from his book, and lots of times I have to actually ask him to stop reading. It is all he wants to do. The playstation has taken a backseat, and really he hasn't even asked to play. I began to love this new found hobby of his as he is flying through the 7 book series. Then came the backlash.

I say backlash only because I'm pretty sure Ashton actually thinks he is Harry Potter.

I wish I had been writing all of these down, but a minimum of 4 times a day Ashton compares something to, or references Harry Potter.  It started off every now and then, but these days, as he is half way through the last book of the series, it is extreme.

Here are a few things that have happened over the past few months that show his extreme love for all things Harry Potter. Just so you know I'm not crazy:

He was asked to write an essay over Thanksgiving break about something he was most thankful for. He thought for a while, and decided to make a list of his top 5 things he is most appreciative of, then narrow down that list. I can see why it was a hard choice.


1. Harry Potter
2. JK Rowling (author of Harry Potter)
3. Mary GrandPre (illustrator of Harry Potter)
4. Family
5. friends

I guess I should just be happy family made the list. He ended up choosing books, because then he could write about all of the top 3 things. 


Daily, Ashton casts spells. The only one I know is 'Avada Kedavra' which has been Avada Kedavra'd from being used inour house as it is the killing curse. He has tried several times to recreate the spells in Harry Potter, only to have them be unsuccessful in real life...yet he keeps trying.


He spent at least an hour writing his own Parseltongue (snake language). He then spoke this language for the rest of the day. Everyone went to bed early that day.


Ashton was recently elected to student council, which we are super proud about. Only he claims he has really been elected into the Ministry of Magic. 


Often, he makes attempts to pass his Harry Potter robes off as a jacket. It has not yet worked. 


His Christmas list was about 5 pages long, and 98% of the things he wrote down were Harry Potter things. 


While at his last ortho appointment, he came into the waiting room threw up his hands and shouted "GRIFFANDOR!". I was puzzled, as were the other people in the waiting room. Then he explained he had chosen Harry Potter's griffandor house colors of red and yellow for his braces. Since he has planned out which house colors he will represent next. I believe the order is Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, then Slytherin.


Last night we were watching Deal or No Deal, and it happened to be celebrity week. The celebrity of the night was Cedric the Entertainer. When he came on screen Ashton said, "Well...he's going to die." It took me a really long time to figure out what he was talking about and how he even knows who Cedric the Entertainer is. Finally I figured out Cedric is the name of a Harry Potter character who kicks the bucket. 


In the past 3 months, Ashton has read a total of 3,613 pages and will be much closer to the 4,000 page mark once he is done with this 7th book.  He now says any book less than 800 pages is an easy read. 

Ashton thought he was hilarious when he gave lego Voldemort bunny ears. 

While I will never complain of Ashton's love and enthusiasm for books, I do hope that the next series he chooses and somewhat of a smaller backlash.

Sigh...

It is slightly alarming to see a refill of Talan's medications handed to me through the CVS pharmacy window in multiple bags. It is even slightly more alarming that this supply, minus the Epi Pens, will only last us about 6 months. 

Good thing we have insurance!