Just a Quick Note

There really wasn't anything unusual about my dad growing up, he was just superman. He knew the best games, could fix anything and wasn't afraid of anything. He knew every airplane, gun and tank. I wore camo, but he was actually an army man. He was simply the smartest, the fastest and of course, the strongest. I couldn't understand why other kids insisted their dad could beat up my dad and this inevitably led to finding out which son could beat up the other! When I was younger I wanted to be a pilot or a business man (or MacGyver if those careers didn't pan out) but what I really wanted to be was like my dad. It is little wonder that at the most terrifying moment of my childhood I found myself falling back into his arm.

Most guys probably think the same about their dads, so this isn't much of a surprise. What I never expected is that I would want so much to be like my sons. I know that parental pride blinds me, but I've never seen such good little boys.

Itai is amazing. He's been learning to walk the last few months. He finally worked up the courage to let go of the couch and venture out on his own. Every day he wakes up and eventually stands with his back against the couch until suddenly he's off. He takes one step, then another until he gets where he is going or until he collapses. He's still working at it, but he's really making strides. (Sorry about the pun, its the Rona influence.) I have seen Itai make so many attempts that ended with him on his face or twisted badly as he tried to catch himself only to end up sprawled in some unnatural position on the floor. Despite all this, he never gives up. How inspiring! I know, its a small thing, one that almost every child goes through, but I really admire that persistent little guy. I think of all the times I have tried to accomplish something, only to fail. I wonder how many times I have given up when if I had just put my back to the couch one more time I could have succeeded. I never thought that I would wish to be more like a one year old, but here I am thinking just that.

Avi is incredible. First off, I bragged about his potty training success on Facebook and was asked if I should really be posting that. I was surprised. Was that really the limit to the scope of his imagination? I felt I was showing considerable restraint by not taking out ads in the NY Times, USA Today and the SL Tribune. I didn't even put it on one of those gigantic banners that they fly behind planes or scream it from the rooftops. Not put it on Facebook? At least I didn't tattoo it! So. . .back to the subject. Despite some truly prodigious challenges Avi almost always maintains that devilishly handsome smile. I love his exclamations, "I did it!" after he uses his potty, or "Its beautiful!" after turning a blank sheet of paper into a flash of colors in lines, dots and circles. His calm nature is innate, but I wish it was something he could teach me. I have no idea how many times I have grumbled through a trial or covered the path of a tribulation with complaints. I imagine smiling through my troubles and looking to Heaven and saying, "I did it!" or even better "Its beautiful."

Life with these two really is.

Shortly after my grandpa passed away I wrote about him and how much I looked up to him. How I knew that I stood in a line of men who walked steadily and left big shoes to fill. I'm so pleased that my sons are like my grandpa and like my dad.