Collage #25

This is the first collage of Nhỏ Con Rồng and Thiên Thần Tuyệt Đẹp, aka Drakeson and Millicent. I want to share with you why I have such long “nicknames” for you, if I can call them nicknames.

Nhỏ Con Rồng: Before you were born, your father researched the Vietnamese words for “little dragon” because you’d be born in the year of the dragon. He found “con rồng” for “dragon” and “nhỏ” for “little.” He put the two together as “nhỏ con rồng.” But he did it the backward way, the way Americans link their adjectives and nouns, as it should be “con rồng nhỏ.” But I liked it and I liked the fact that he wanted to learn the culture and language of my native country, so “Nhỏ Con Rồng” is what I call you.

Thiên Thần Tuyệt Đẹp: Moments after you were born, cậu Thal asked for your name and your father texted back “TBD” because your parents had not decided on your name. Later, I forgot that it was “TBD” he wrote for To Be Determined, I thought it was “TBA” for To Be Announced. I don’t even know if TBA is commonly used or if I had made it up. But it doesn’t matter now. When I thought he said “TBA,” I decided it should be The Beautiful Angel which means “Thiên Thần Tuyệt Đẹp” in Vietnamese.

I came to see you the second half of October. It was a very busy time for you all. Lots of happenings and lots of out-of-town visitors. It was an exciting time, for you and for me. You had a party with a piano recital. Nhỏ Con Rồng, you met many of your maternal relatives for the first time. Thiên Thần Tuyệt Dep, you made your appearance 17 days after the piano recital and brought joy to many and so, you share the same birth month with Ông. You all celebrated Halloween together in the Castle Grayskull before the month came to a close.

It is with pleasure that I present you with Collage #25. It should be combined with Collage #24 to tell the full October story, for the recital was then. But Collage #25 is the climax of the year and I am so glad I was part of it. Although I was not at the recital, I contributed to the Baby Book your mama made for you, Thiên Thần Tuyệt Đẹp. I hope someday you’ll read it with pleasure and know you’re loved beyond imagination. And Nhỏ Con Rồng, you are still the cutest boy of the 21^st century. You’re also loved ∞ + 1.