when i was little

i remember my dad and mom having birthday parties for me every year when i was little. i think the first one we had when i was 4 years old was at a chinese restaurant. my dad's idea was to expose little preschoolers to the chinese cuisine. he told everyone that we were going to have a "royal meal." the funny thing was, most of the kids didn't get the idea of trying new foods, and kept asking for french fries and hamburgers (instead of fried rice and spring rolls!) every year after that, i had my birthday party at the Ground Round instead, an American restaurant with clowns and video games. :)

i also remember one year, i think i was turning 10 or so, when my dad took me and my 4 best friends into Manhattan for my birthday. he took us to FAO Schwartz and Central Park to feed the crazy pigeons. it was so much fun.

i also remember one time when my dad and i bought bikes, and for some reason decided to ride the bikes back home and leave the car at the bike store (not sure if it was just for fun, or because the bikes wouldn't fit). so me and my dad rode a few miles through the traffic-filled streets of Taiwan so that we could get out bikes home. he was the one that taught me how to ride a bike in the first place when i was in second grade. i remember he kept saying i could do it, even though i wanted to give up, and finally i did it! and he was right there with me.

my dad was such a good father. he was always there with me whenever i needed to learn something new or go somewhere new. hopefully i will take a lot his parenting skills with me the day that i have my own kids...