There is nothing more gratifying than just watching my son Dan, be a father to his daughter Audriana. To see the look in their eyes, the tenderness with how he holds her, the rough way he tickles her and the shear joy in her eyes when I drop her off at home and he opens the door.
What we are witnessing in real time is the genuine beginning of Audri's path towards becoming Daddy's girl. Not to be overlooked, is the awe Luisa and I have at Dan's role of being a dad. He was always kind and tender with kids, including with his brother Nick, though he did manage to push Nick's buttons one time a bit too far and get a well deserved clock in the head with a plastic hammer in return.
What is also incredible is the feeling I have of being able to witness this, as it helps remind me of what I felt as I went through that same evolution of becoming a dad. I always wanted to be a dad. I wanted to be able to share with my children my views of family values. Growing up with sisters, I thought all along I was going to end up with daughters, though seriously wanting boys.
My desire all along was to pave a path that they would follow. To inspire them to do what is possible, to be strong in their moral character and conviction but to be kind, gentile and genuine to every person they meet.
The memories I have of playing with the boys, in the same way that Dan plays with Audri makes me pause from my normal activities to reflect on those early days. Even Nick, who has always said he is destined to be a "dog dad", has commented on how he remembers the amount of fun he had with me when he was much younger.
Audri is only 15 months old at this point and too early to schedule her soccer, softball, dance, girl scout, karate, swim activities so at this point it is imagining having fake cafecito, imaginary meals with plastic hot dogs and hamburgers, singing and dancing to the wheels on the bus and We Don't Talk about Bruno.
But what she is already beginning to realize is that her dad will be her best friend and her first true love.
To me, my sons as well as my wife of course, are my best friends. The ones that know more of my secrets than anyone else. The ones that have seen my struggles and my successes and have been there from the beginning to celebrate those successes and to help me get up when I fell down and needed the support. The ones that have given me the reason to push harder and achieve goals that I did not think was possible but also the ones to keep me in check to ensure that the path I paved, was one they wanted to follow.
To Audri, Dan will be the perfect example of a man to which every boyfriend will be compared and measured against. A high standard indeed.
I believe in leaving a legacy and of all of the things I have done in my life, being a father to my sons is the greatest accomplishment I am most satisfied with. A goal achieved.
When talking with Dan, I see the same evolution that is only reinforced by his words indicating that he did not think he would love someone as much as he loves his little girl.
Dan, on this, your 2nd but in reality, the first where you have had the chance to enjoy a full year of being a father, I wish you only many more years of this feeling, memories to be created, goals to be set and life to be lived as a father.
Mom and I are very proud of the father you are to your daughter. But I am especially grateful of the father I became the moment you came into my life and for everything you do to keep me in check and support my goals. Along with your brother and mother, you are my support system and I could not imagine doing anything more important than being a dad. I am sure you feel the same. Happy Father's Day son.
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