A man and a boy

From time to time I get the chance to sit back and watch Sasha, the man I fell in love with, interact with his son. I knew when I met Sasha that he was a man that was far and few between. Meaning, I hadn't met anyone quite like him, and I knew that there weren't very many like him out there. I knew that he was a good man, respectful, loving, responsible, intelligent, and most of all - he was complete.

But watching him with his son is remarkable in the sense that he becomes a child again. This is something that so many of us as adults have long forgotten how to do. Our imaginations have dulled from the once vivid, bright, exciting fantasy that we made them when we were innocent from the responsibilities of the 'real' world. Sasha and Milan will giggle together, a sound that is more beautiful to my ears than even the sweetest soung. Daddy will sing countless versions of every song he knows while holding his son in his arms, kissing the top of his soft, fuzzy head. When Sasha puts Milan to sleep at night, something that seems to be a feat in itself at times, he'll come down the stairs with a victorious smile, his chest puffed out a bit. It's so cute.

The proud father has said on more that one occasion how excited he is for Milan to start playing with G.I. Joe's and other action figures, usually at the same time that he is making rocket-ship sounds zooming Milan around the room. Already, it's becoming increasingly obvious that Milan is enjoying a little bit of roughhousing, of course the most careful sorts at this young age.
Being Milan's mommy, I am privy to many moments when it's just the two of us. We share play time, quiet time, happy time, sad time, nap time, snack time - you name it and we do it together. Sometimes we share secrets together too. I make sure to tell Milan how lucky he is to have such a daddy. I tell him that one day he will be a bit older and he'll be able to notice that some of the other kids he plays with don't talk or boast about their daddies, or that perhaps they don't even have daddies. He doesn't know it now, but daddies like the one he has are priceless, just like Milan himself. It may be a long time before Milan can appreciate his daddy, but one day he will be able to look back at all the memories that are sure to be made and he'll know. Milan might even become a father one day himself and one thing I am sure of, he will easily be able to model himself after the man and father that Sasha is.

It's easy to want to give Milan brothers and sisters with a daddy like Sasha - there is just so many happy moments filled with love and joy to enjoy, memories and traditions to be made; moments that should be shared with a large family.

I leave you with a quotation that I find perfectly appropriate for a blog entry dedicated to fathers and their sons.

It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.

~Johann Schiller