Yesterday your teacher took our family photo (mommy, me and you) off the bulletin board in your class. The reason was that every time you looked at that photo you started to cry. What made you cry my dear? Did you miss us or something? We miss you just as much my dear and we always think of you when we’re not around you.

What puzzled me though was that last week you teacher told us that you proudly showed off the same photo of our family to other parents every time they come to pick up their kids. That was really sweet of you. I really love that photo because you worn a really cute red Vietnamese traditional ao dai aunty Tram made for you.

Speaking of photos, we took some pictures of you showing off your bad-ass haircut. Mommy thought you look like a punk and had lost your cuteness so she made me chopped it off. I like your bald cut too and she’s right you look very cute that way. Thank you for letting me play with your hair. Baby Miles is one of my favorite photos of you. You looked beyond cool. I made a big print last night. I hope that it will turn out right so I can frame it and post it on our wall.

Sixteen months, you’re at the age of learning and discovering. You learn to do things by watching us, like you know that before you brush your teeth, you have to water the toothbrush and put on the toothpaste. You also learn to be very passionate. I showed you how to kiss once and you picked it up. If I ask you to give me a kiss, you would put your lips on mine, then you turn to mommy and give her one as well. You also know how to blow a kiss when I blow one at you.

When I take you out, you would wave to anyone you see. You gave people a cute smile when they waved back at you. You look at bit disappointed when you waved at people and they don’t wave back at you, not because they are ignoring you, but they simply just don’t see you. Life will be like that when you grow older. You don’t always get what you want, but don’t let that get you down my dear. Things don’t always go your way, but don’t give up.

Keep on head up and keep your hands high. Be kind and be friendly. Keep your spirit up and you’ll live a much happier life. You’re a very charming boy and we’re very proud of you.

I dropped you off at daycare this morning. Not only you weren’t crying, but you were also smiling. It must be the new haircut I gave you last Friday and the teachers complimented you on it. I didn’t cut your hair really short this time, but gave you a spike on top. Your mom thought it makes you look kind of a badass and she wants to go back to the cute cut. I am still debating about it.

Last Friday, you made me proud. You almost stopped crying when I dropped you off at daycare. When I handed you over to Ms. Meaghan, you scream out twice. She teased you saying that you cried simply because that’s the thing you do in your daily routine. I hope you enjoy your time there.

Ms. Meaghan also told me that you were dancing, clapping and enjoying yourself at the pep rally during school. I could just see in my mind the delightful spirit of yours. I hope you will keep that wonderful joy for the rest of your live. Keep up your lively spirit and be yourself.

You might be small (according to a stranger who complimented that you’re the smallest walking person she had ever seen), but you’re doing really well. I love the way you just wondering around the mall and trying to touch everything you’re curious about. When you grow older, you’ll probably will run into those comments. So be yourself and don’t let anything get into your head.

I don’t have too much experience with kids since you’re my first; therefore, I just go along with what my instinct tells me. I am so happy that you’re actually making my life easier by being curious and willing to try anything. I try to give you any food that you might enjoy and you response by tasting it. Most of the time, you’ll like it. It’s food to try different flavors, my son. You’ll appreciate the richness of food when you get older so continue to to be adventurous.

I apology if I make you listen too much of Miles Davis. I hope you enjoy listening to him as much as I do since you don’t seem to complain. Sometimes you uttered the words mimicking the trumpet lines as if you could pick up Miles’s playing. At time you hold the bottle of milk in your hands like you’re holding a horn. How cool is that?

Well son, it’s one in the morning so I better catch some sleep. I will write more for you next time. Love you more and more each day.

I took you down to the basement to help me with laundry. I flipped up the light and let you walked. You walked toward your own shadow, got on your knees and touched your shadow. It was one of the cutest things I have ever witnessed. You were so innocent and I love that so much about you.

You still cry every morning when I drop you off at the daycare. When I walked out the door, I sat outside, tied up my shoes slowly and listened for your voice. It took about five minutes for you to calm down. You’re making good progress, buddy. Even though I was not around when you were in daycare, I always thought of you. Mom told me that you were dancing with your teacher, Ms Natalie, when she picked you. Ms. Natalie must be your favorite teacher. You didn’t want her to go on break so you stood at the door yelling when I came in to take you home. Ms. Natalie told me that you were holding a girl’s hand when she took you guys on a buggy ride. Good choice, boy. She’s a cutie with the big eyes.

A bunch of us, five couples and five kids, went camping over the weekend. All we did was BBQing, chit-chating, hanging out by the water, sleeping in the tent and watching the World Cup through my laptop. As you can see, Duke was having a wonderful time playing with the water. Here is an adorable rendition of “Hom Qua Em Di Chua Huong” by Susie, one of our friends’ daughter.

It’s about time the little guy starts to walk. Two nights before, Duke discovered that he could walk on the mattress instead of sleeping on it. Through walky talky, I could hear Duke and Dana laughed out loud instead of settling down to sleep. Yesterday he began to take some drunken steps while clapped his hands. He has been able to stand on his own for about a month now when he’s into something exciting and forgot to grab onto something.

Cu Dao still cries every morning at the daycare drop off. Fortunately, he only lasted for about fifteen to twenty minutes after I left. I came to pick him up last Wednesday and he was playing with his classmates until he spotted me. The teachers continue to be very patience with him. They also figure out his schedule or his eating and sleeping habits. Duke is getting into the groove of things except for the crying in the morning.

Cu Dao is very aware of his environment and he knows exactly what he wants. He would keep on pointing his finger until we give him what he has in mind. At meal time, he wouldn’t eat until he could get something on his hands to explore. The more complex the object the faster the meal gets done. He eats well and drink lots of milk. In fact, milk is currently his favorite food/drink. He could drink milk any time and under any circumstances. We are very glad that he loves milk.

Duke got kicked out of daycare yesterday after vomited twice and could not return in 24 hours. Dana had spent a whole week with him yesterday so I could do my work. She also picked up him yesterday at noon and spent the rest of the day with him. I got caught up with my work so I took the day off to watch him. I also need to catch up some sleep and recover from coughing and soar throat.

My day had been just feeding him, watching a bit of World Cup and relaxing with Miles Davis: The Complete Columbia Album Collection. I am currently listening to Davis’s live and unreleased materials. The more I listen the more I am hooked on the way he plays. He doesn’t play a whole lot, but what he plays worth waiting for. I told my wife I’ll open a “Relaxin’ With Miles” Coffee Shop so I could drink coffee and listen to Miles all day. Even Duke digs Miles. He is sleeping with Miles on and daddy is typing this while enjoying Miles Davis at Newport 1958 with his all-star band: John Coltrane, Cannonall Adderley, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb.

If you’re going to listen to Miles Davis, might as well invest in Miles Davis: The Complete Columbia Album Collection. It comes out to about $6/pop and most of Miles’s albums are classic even his unreleased records. I am really digging his fusion direction. The more I listen to Bitches Brew the more I love electric Miles. His executions on these tracks are beyond beauty.

This morning Cu Dao didn’t get up until 7:30. He was an hour and a half late, but I am still on vacation so we let him slept in a bit. After feeding him and all, I took him to daycare. He started to cry as soon as we got to the door. After checking him in, I realized that I forgot his food. So I went back home to get it. When I returned, he was still crying (though not as hard as in the morning) on one of the teachers arm while the rest of the kids gather around playing. I just handed the food and left without him knowing I was there.

Since Duke started daycare, he had more time off than being in class, which makes getting used to daycare a bit more challenging. I feel bad for the teachers and I hope that they are not frustrated even though they seem to be very patience. Even though I am still on vacation, I still need to send him off to daycare so that he could make the transition faster.

Besides, I need to organize the house, something hard to accomplish with Duke around. The place is now neat and clean as a result of a whole day spent. It’s time to kick back with Miles.

I am pleased to announce that Cu Dao had slept through the night for the past couple of weeks. The little guy put in ten hours straight without waking up. After more than a year of sleeping interruption, it sure feels like heaven again. He also has a very good appetite and willing to try anything we give him even though he doesn’t pay attention to food. As long as we have something for him to focus on (a remote control, the iPod Touch, or some sort of electric device), he is willing to eat until he gets bored of that object.

Although he hasn’t talk yet, he knows exactly what he wants by pointing to it. He won’t stop pointing until we get him the right one. He is also very alert. He knows exactly where things are. Whenever he goes into grandma’s room, he would go straight to her jewelry box, take out all the pieces, flip the box upside down, dial the winding button, flip it back, pop up the top so he could hear the music. Duke dances to the beat every time he hears a club beat song. He bounces every time Thanh Thao’s “Lien Khuc Nguoi Yeu Cua Toi” comes on. Every time he goes into the car. He has to do his dance before he let me sit him down and buckle him up.

Duke is no doubt a very hard-headed kid. He screams every time I brush his teeth. Even though he knows that he would not get away with it, he still doesn’t cooperate. Every morning and night, I have to hold him tight to brush him. He bites my figure so many times I am getting used to the pain. The same goes with daycare, he cries every morning when I drop him off. Monday morning, he started as soon as we walked into the room. Tuesday morning, he began as soon as we took the elevator to the room. Today, he began as soon as I got him out of the car. Tomorrow, he’ll probably cry on the way to daycare. Can’t blame him though because he only attended daycare every other week. I can’t wait until the day that Duke just waves goodbye daddy when I drop him off. I am sure that day will come.

Still I can’t be any prouder. Here’s Duke at 13 months. And here is Cu Dao rocking in his car seat, per mommy’s request.