One

In two weeks my boy will turn one. It still feels like yesterday that we welcomed him into this world. Not a single day went by that I don’t look forward to spend time with him. I still can’t get over the fact that the tiny guy in a big car seat (the day we took him home from the hospital) is now can hardly fit in it anymore. I put him back into that old car seat the other day and he made the car seat looks tiny. His feet were sticking out and I could hardly buckled him up. If a year feels like yesterday, 18 years will be a breeze as well. Before I know it, he will be his own man.

In preparing for Duke’s first birthday, we’re trying to gather things for him to pick. I am not sure if it is the Vietnamese tradition, but on the child’s first birthday he gets to choose a bunch of things like stethoscope, mic, comb, scissors and so on. If he picks the stethoscope, he would end up being a doctor. Dana, in particular, would really want Duke to be a doctor. What parents wouldn’t? For me, whatever makes him happy. I will be supportive of him for whatever he choose to do in life.

Dana and I had been debating about this topic on many occasions. Her argument is not to force him to be a doctor, but to encourage him. If he could be a doctor, that’s great. If not, it’s fine. I understand her view completely, but I don’t want to set an expectation for him. I don’t want him to feel disappointed if he can’t make my expectation. I want him to do what he wants to do for himself and not for me. As long as he has the passion and works hard toward his goal, I will be behind him one hundred percent.

Anyway, we’ll see how he will turn out. I can’t predict anything from the future, but I am filled with joy to have him. Here are some of his latest snapshots.