Harwood Men--Saturday, June 18

The morning began with Jesse and I tiptoeing around in the nursery trying to avoid waking our out of town guests.  Once all were awake, Jesse and I fixed a mountain of pancakes and bacon and we reminisced about college experiences with our friends over breakfast.  My old roommate is one of those few friends that I can go a long time without seeing and instantly pick up exactly where we left off.  Our company left just before noon.

It was such a late night last night for Jesse, Jackson, and I; we were all ready to crash.  The three of us took a much needed nap this afternoon before driving to Jason and Chrissy's for a Father's Day dinner.  I've been wanting to get a picture of all the Harwood boys for over a month, and I finally gathered them all on the front porch this evening.  I felt so much like my mother making everyone pose and taking numerous pictures as the cousins squirmed and fussed.  This was the best photo of the bunch:

Since I did not (and will not) change my last name after getting married, I debated over what to call Jackson.  We went back and forth between hyphenating, having two middle names, or just going by one of our last names.  Honestly, I was hesitant even after writing Jackson Lee Harwood for the birth certificate.  I think I am finally happy with his name and am really proud for Jackson to carry on the Harwood name and be part of the family.

Today would have been Mom's 62nd birthday.  Tomorrow is Father's Day.  I am missing my parents something awful.  Not the resentful, melodramatic sobfest that took place on Mother's Day.  More like a bittersweet, contemplative kind of feeling.  Jesse's mom was holding Jackson tonight and his dad was kneeling on the floor singing to Jackson.  It was the sweetest thing ever and I got teary eyed thinking of my father singing remixes of Hank Williams songs.  I love watching my father-in-law interact with Jackson.  That's one of the main reasons I want Jesse to teach next year so Jackson will be able to spend each day with his grandfather.  I never knew my grandfathers and obviously Jackson only has one living grandfather so I really want Jackson to be close with his PaPa!

Here it is after midnight and I am once again wide awake.  I've got to stop taking naps and start going to bed early.  Just when I fall asleep Jackson is going to be ready for his middle of the night feeding.  I think I'm too anxious thinking of how to make Jesse's first Father's Day perfect.  At this rate, I don't know that I'm even going to be able to get up to fix him breakfast.  Time for bed!