A few days late

I didn't want to let Father's Day slip completely by without writing something about A. He really is the most incredible father and husband, and I don't know what I'd do without him.

A is the most patient person I've ever met. He's a kind and thoughtful friend and people are drawn to him everywhere we go. He's the kind of person that people just trust right away. Strangers walk up to him and ask for his help constantly or tell him their life story. And he listens and helps. He's an excellent teacher because he has a very calm, easy-going manner. But he's not a pushover. He's strong and smart and holds his own.

He's incredibly talented and always has lots of creative ideas and projects whirling around in his head. He went to culinary school and is a fantastic chef (he chose not to enter the restaurant business, so he just does all the cooking at our house). He's currently developing his skills at fine chocolate-making. He collects ancient Roman coins and loves to study Roman and Greek history - and astronomy. He makes jewelry, binds his own books by hand, and started a model rocket club with his friends. He loves music (that's how we met), plays the guitar, and has a great singing voice (although he doesn't use it much). He enjoys good food and good wine. Give him a big hunk of aged cheese, some hard salami, a bottle of a strong red wine, and a loaf of bread, and you'll make him happy for days.

All of these qualities and more help make him the father and husband that he is, and why I love him so much. This former bachelor who used to live with a bunch of his friends and go out nearly every night to hear rock, ska, and reggae bands is now a part-time stay-at-home-dad.

From the day R was born, A took on half the work. He never once balked at changing diapers, cleaning up spit-up and drool, getting up in the middle of the night before R had a good sleep schedule.

He takes such good care of R, and his patient, calm nature has been a huge part of why R was such an easy-going baby and now boy. I know staying home with R when he was a baby was a hard transition for A, but he made it work. He and R do so many fun things together - riding the subway, going to museums/playgrounds/parks/the library. A even makes grocery shopping fun for R. They have their routine on the days they are together, and it works really well for both of them.

Now, they spend time taking things apart (like flashlights), flying kites, launching rockets, building marble mazes, and just talking. I always tell R how lucky he is to have a daddy who spends so much time with him because A and I didn't have that when we were growing up. And, most important, A tells and shows R how much he loves him.

I'm so thankful for the two "boys" in my life: for A, who is the most wonderful man I've ever met and who has carried that through as a husband and father, and for R, who is turning out to be just like his dad (with a little of me mixed in). :-)