Jonathan is Here!
He arrived at 8:05am on Monday morning at Baylor Irving. He weighs 7lbs 3oz and is 20 1/2 inches long. Jonathan is doing great! He’s very good-natured and easygoing, rarely crying for long. He has a pretty good appetite and great blood sugar despite Jenny’s gestational diabetes. Jenny is still fighting some nausea and drowsiness from the painkillers but otherwise fine. Thanks to everyone for all the well-wishes, support, and prayers!
Here is a link to some pictures from his first day.
Jonathan:
Brenden:
Jonathan’s Room Remix
We made a few changes to Jonathan’s room. Jenny’s parents painted it green. We rearranged it significantly. Jenny made him a cool mobile and painted letters with his name on it, and I installed a shelf to hold the letters. I hope you enjoy the pics. Three more days!
Babymoon
On our last weekend before all hell breaks loose our second son is born, Jenny and I are planning a short babymoon. We’ll drop Brenden off at my parents’ house Friday afternoon and then spend the next 24 hours or so alone, the calm before the storm. Don’t worry, we’re not going far, just to a nice hotel in Dallas that has an indoor heated pool. That was Jenny’s main request because pools + preggoes = joy. We have no major plans other than to spend large amounts of time in the pool, get lots of rest, enjoy some good food, and maybe walk the Galleria like we did just before Brenden was born. So don’t expect any blog posts, Words with Friends plays, or texts from us. We are out of service!
Moly, Moly, Moly
I have moles. Lots of moles. So many moles that I look like a reverse constellation – white skin with dark spots. Some people call them beauty marks. Cindy Crawford sports the most famous mole in the world, except hers is called a “beauty mark” so she can remain a supermodel. If moles make one beautiful, I should be on the cover of GQ. (I’m still waiting for my call) My dermatologist jokes that I can keep my kids entertained for hours by letting them play connect-the-dots on my back.
He also says I make him nervous.
On top of my family history of skin cancer, the number and characteristics of my moles put me at higher risk for skin cancer, including malignant melanoma. I try to limit my sun exposure, which should help a bit, but the risk is already programmed into my skin regardless of sun exposure. Over time, some of my moles change in size, shape, and/or color, making them potentially precancerous.
To fight back, I visit the dermatologist twice a year, and each time he removes the two or three most suspicious moles. It’s a simple, quick procedure taking maybe 60 seconds each – anesthetic injection, removal by blade, electric cauterization. So far the lab hasn’t reported that any were actual skin cancer, but with some it was just a matter of time. After 15 years or so, I’ve had probably 40 or 50 removed. Mom nags me when necessary to schedule my next appointment.
The good news is that my moles have inspired me to compose a poem, my first in a very long time. I have entitled it, as you might have guessed, “Moly, Moly, Moly”.
Moly, Moly, Moly
Dang, my skin is moly
Like a white dalmatian, I
Have spots for all to seeMoly, Moly, Moly
Melanoma scares me
So I go back each
Six months for surgeryMoly, Moly, Moly
Which ones most displease thee?
Through the gift of Lidocaine
Thy cutting does not stingMoly, Moly, Moly
Still millions left upon me
Try to play connect-the-dots
And angry I will be.
Sorry for ruining a great hymn, but it had to be done. Someday you’ll be able to sing it normally again, I promise. =)
Accidental Hardball
As I mentioned in October 2008, we buy our electricity from Green Mountain Energy, which focuses on renewable energy sources like wind and hydroelectric. When we moved to Euless, I locked in a rate of 15 cents/kwh for 12 months on their 100% wind plan. I knew I could get cheaper electricity elsewhere, but I wanted to support wind power and was willing to pay extra.
Over time, I grew frustrated with their ironic refusal to offer paperless billing and began shopping around. An independent website, PowerToChoose.org, gives Texans an easy way to compare electric rates and plans for power companies across the state. I found plenty of better deals and swore to fire Green Mountain once my contract ended. Once our massive December electric bill arrived (through the mail, grumble grumble), I realized I could save money by breaking our contract and paying the early cancellation fee. Reliant (you know, the one that employs “Tom”) was offering 10.5 cents/kwh. I could recoup the cancellation fee in the first month.
I called GM and said I wanted to cancel, so they transferred me to the “cancellations department”, also known as retention specialists. In many cases, they have powers to bend the rules that normal phone reps do not. I’m sure they get evaluated on how many customers they can convince to stay. I explained my situation to Jose. Like magic, he offered me a new rate of 11.5 cents/kwh with no cancellation fee. Sure, it wasn’t quite as good as some of the other companies’ rates, but it was much better and let me avoid a $200 extra hit right after a month with no overtime shifts for me. Plus it let me keep using green power. I said yes.
Although some people threaten to cancel service mainly as a negotiating tactic, I honestly planned to cancel until Jose convinced me to stay. The lessons here?
- Pay attention to your bills and to the competition so you know what price is fair.
- If the competition offers a better deal, don’t be afraid to tell your company and see how badly they want to keep you.