All parents worry about their child's development. Why isn't she sitting unsupported yet? Why isn't she crawling yet? Why can't she use her sippy cup? My daughter Joanna is six-and-a-half months old, and in my narrow-minded, self-centered view, she wasn't developing as fast I would like. If she could talk (another concern), she would tell me to relax, be patient, and enjoy her development at her pace. On Saturday, she could barely sit, couldn't crawl, and couldn't drink from her sippy cup. That all changed Sunday. Phuong and I happened to be watching as she slowly and very deliberately got up on all fours, moved her knee forward, and thrust her arm forward without flopping. In other words, she started to crawl and continued to do so until it was bath time. After the bath, she sat and watched The Itsy Bitsy Spider video on my computer. Yes, she sat and watched it. She must have been thirsty from all the crawling and sitting because she also used her sippy cup. Not perfectly, but she tried and got some water down her throat. We capped our successful Sunday with some dancing to the Itsy Bitsy Spider. We're so proud of our little girl. Milestones like these provide memories for a lifetime. My daughter Jessica took her first steps while I was in a hospital in Delaware, and was walking when I came out. My daughter Caroline rode a two-wheeled bicycle in Lafayette, Ind., by herself at age 4 (amazing); My son Jack didn't speak a lot when he was little, but he focused so intently on everything he did that he wouldn't flinch if you clapped in his ear while he playing. We had his hearing tested and he was fine. And I remember my youngest son Alec being able to dance before he could walk. He would stand and shake his booty whenever music played. Actually, he's a pretty good dancer to this day.
I don't have many skills, but I could always catch a ball, Frisbee, pack of smokes, or anything else thrown in my general vicinity. And I have this skill despite small hands and horrible eyes. On Saturday, I made the greatest and most important catch of my life. I was changing Joanna's diaper on our couch and reached up to the top of the couch for some lotion I bought in the U.S. -- it helps prevent diaper rash. As I reached, Joanna rolled in a flash and was headed toward our very hard tile floor. It would have been an ugly collision given the height of the couch and the hardness of the floor. Phuong gasped and yelled "Joanna!" I looked and saw Joanna heading toward the tile, and then reacted faster than I've ever reacted in my life. I reached out with my left hand and grabbed Joanna's shirt to prevent her collision with the floor. Phuong gasped again, Joanna cried for about three seconds, and I was breathing like I'd just run a mile. An incredibly scary moment with an incredibly fortunate and happy ending. Oh baby, what a catch!
Tet holiday was Saturday, and we had a nice dinner with Phuong's family. I've gotten into the flow of Tet better this year than ever before. Family is wonderful; the food is OK; and the atmosphere around town is pleasant on Tet. Phuong's mom and family made about 300 bean-type cakes or Tet cakes that they sold and profited from. We gave one to the Thuy Nga coffee shop staff, but I'll be going to other coffee shops for the foreseeable future. The waitresses there watched a lottery woman try to rip me off, and did nothing as I asked for their language assistance. Maybe they didn't understand what I was saying, but they understood what was happening and did nothing to assist me. Zero. I tip these folks well and bring them candy and treats. Those days are gone. It's not the first time I've been abandoned in difficult circumstances here (and elsewhere). White elephants and the White Monkey don't forget.
Lido is back on the walking tour.
Phuong is recovering nicely from her C-section and is looking sleek again. She's always beautiful, whether she's nine months pregnant or ordering me to do another load of wash after I cook dinner and do the dishes. Honestly, Phuong is remarkably reasonable and understanding, and that's why I feel so lucky, fortunate and blessed to be married to her.
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