Chip off the Ol' Block

Week 18 has arrived and the little one has reached a very appropriate stage in regards to his/her mama: large potato size. Laurie and Cort both thoroughly enjoy baked potatoes whether white or sweet, and potatoes that are mashed, roasted, French fried (although those are currently VERY limited during the pregnancy), or prepared in nearly any way imaginable. But, mom prefers one style of potato over any other by a wide margin: chips.

So, this week, the little one shall be called Chip for a boy or Pringle for a girl. Pringle slightly edged out Ruffles this week in the female department. Chip seemed like a no-brainer for a boy. There are very few chips that Laurie will turn down, but she is especially partial to Sweet Heat BBQ, Cheddar and Sour Cream, and occasionally she gets a hankerin' for dill pickle-flavored ones. Outside of Spud-dom, she crushes corn-based nacho cheese Doritos with reckless abandon. Cort is more of a cheddar Sun Chips fan, but secretly pines for obscure flavors like cracked pepper-and-lime Lay's and Guacomole Doritos.

Lately, there have been some products that are trying to horn in on classic chip territory. Cheezit Air Crisps, Wheat Thins Crisps, and the like, market healthier alternatives to classic potato and corn chips. Can these even be included in the "chip" conversation?

Furthermore, chips-and-salsa present a particularly difficult conundrum. They are purposefully left out of the conversation because plain tortilla chips have a hard time standing alone. They are more like edible scoops. In fact, chips and salsa can serve as a small meal in a pinch. Eating regular potato chips as a meal just seems wrong.

So, where does one draw the line on what is a "chip" and what is not? When does it cease to be a chip and fall into the more pedestrian and dreaded "cracker" category? Where is Hoffa? Did we really land on the moon? Predestination or Free Will? These are burning questions that need answers.

FYI, only one more week of boy/girl names remain. If Chip/Pringle cooperates, we should find out the sex of the baby in 11 days on Fri, Aug 25. Please keep us and the baby in your prayers as we approach the upcoming ultrasound visit.