十年

COVID19 - School Closure - Day 157 School Reopens - Day 229

十年, 眨動間， 就十年.  

Astoundingly... the things I remember the most from 10 years ago were... Jackson coming over at 11PM to housewatch while we hurried to the hospital cuz contractions were hurriedly coming.  We were watching "The King's Speech" on a Netflix DVD at the time.  I remember... coming home on the morning of May 1st... to see Mami having breakfast with Nui nui.... and telling them 弟弟has not arrived yet.  I remember... 小華 coming out from Mommy's womb and having the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck.  The moment I uttered "Praise God", the OB doctor on call and the nurse gave each other a look. 

After 10 years... we finally watched Star Wars, Episode 4 - A New Hope.  Much to my disappointment but much to my expectations... he did not like it.  It's a 40+ year old movie.  The graphics are old.  The dialogue is cheesy.  And the plot is overused.  Me... I found a new appreciation for the art... and how beautiful Carrie Fisher looks.

At night... as I was tucking them to bed... I asked 小華 his top 10 memories from his first 10 years.  In the order of which he whispered it....

1. Florida Trip - to Disney World
2. Today 10 day - finally able to watch Star Wars
3. Yesterday - his first and only birth day party hangout
4. The first time he saw snow - which I frankly don't even remember
5. His first day of school at Heritage as a Kindergartener
6. His first day of school after COVID
7. The first time meeting Alexander and Noah his two best friends since Kindergarten
8. Learning not be ticklish
9. Beating family 10x in a row in Super Smash Bros - New Year's eve of 2020 when we were finding every which way to have them stay awake.... and the only way was for the family to play a Nintendo Switch Game together
10. Going to Mexico and not having to ride in booster seat anymore

Quite different from NN's top 10 moments when I asked her the same question on her 10th birthday.  

What really strung my heartstrings... was the fact that... I don't know what top 10 moments I would claim with my son.  With NN... I have so much, that 10 can't possibly contain it. But with 小華.....? It's so hard being a 2nd child.  It truly is.

Happy birthday, Son. You can't possibly know how much joy you have brought into our lives... into this world... with your coming. 

Haiku

Ten years in a blink

A shadow of my own self

My beloved son