The Holidays

Well, our white Christmas has come and gone. However, if you came to Laughing Waters Trail you could still find patches of ice in our driveway and snow in our grass. Yes, we live in the shade...so we have had the pleasure of enjoying our winter festivities for a few extra days. Although, the 'word on the street' is that we are going to get another round of snow tomorrow. No worries, though...Keith and I are both off this week, with no where to go. Additionally, we have MORE than enough cleaning to do around the house. Christmas decorations to be put up, laundry to be done, and Christmas presents/stocking stuffers to enjoy for the second time before they find a home around the house.

Our holidays were really wonderful. Of course, they were not quite the same without Debbie, but we were thankful for her gift of snow. Seriously, though...I have lived in Texas for 29 years, and never had a White Christmas. Ironically, it was Wednesday afternoon and Keith and I were driving around McKinney from a doggie play day, where we were enjoying the 75 DEGREE weather and slushies at Sonic. I commented to Keith how every Xmas I would wake up and look out the window in hopes of seeing snow, and never did. Well, it happened! It was a magical night and morning, and I didn't take a moment of it for granted. Also, Keith and I took a ton of pictures, and will be sure to show Eli pictures of his 'first white Christmas'...kind of. I did take a moment to recognize how cool it is for all of the babies that have been born to our close friends this year that were celebrating their first snowy Xmas.

Eli did have a great Christmas! He got outfits, toys, books, and tons of great things. It was so wonderful to have an extra reason to celebrate. And, Eli has such a wonderful and loving family that really cares for him! Eli got precious and thoughtful gifts from his future grandparents, aunts, and uncles. In addition to his awesome and wonderful family, his 'mom' continues to be on the 'crazy side'. Yes, I have to admit that I couldn't resist to take a ton of photos 'with Eli'. I attached the ridiculous ones to this post,for you to understand what I mean. And, 'yes' it was nearly impossible to keep a straight face during these. They include: 'the starring at my belly' shot, 'sexy belly grab shot', and 'Eli is your Christmas present' shot. I do actually think that Keith and I are going to take some professional maternity photos before the big day. So, you might actually see me eating my words later on, as I reenact the poses for real.

32 Week Appointment update: Keith and I had an appointment this morning. So, instead posting a whole new blog post, I thought I could just 'add on'. Everything with Eli seems to be going great. So, we are pretty excited, and just trying to stay optimistic that everything will stay that way.

Total weight gain: 22lbs

Belly measuring: 32 weeks (32 cm)

Position: Head down

Arrival time: no clue (just as likely he could come early or late) I guess we will see if we have a February or March baby.

Baby Brain

Really just needed to send out a 'shout out'! Ok, not really recognizing anyone, but 'shouting out' to my 'baby brain'. While, some might think this implies that I am scattered brained, forgetful, and clumsy...that is not what I mean. However, for the record, I am ALL of those things, as of lately. But, my definition of 'baby brain'...is that I am 100% obsessed with baby stuff and Eli!

I can't get enough of it.... I can't fill enough hours of my day with it....I am in love with baby stuff...I am in LOVE with Eli! I don't know if this is part of the 'nesting' phase, but I have not obsessively begun organizing, washing, reorganizing, washing, reoganizing his things yet. Also, I am not cleaning the grout in my kitchen with a toothbrush, yet (yes...I have heard preggos get crazy while nesting).

Maybe my big 3-0 milestone has kicked me up into a 'higher gear of readiness...or craziness'. I am so excited to see his little face, hands, and feet. I can't wait to talk to him (all the time)...and be his crazy/wacky mommy who makes stupid jokes and stupid faces at him. (Yes, anticipate me being over the top). And with this excitement, I would love to spend every waking minute in his room just 'taking it all in'.

As part of my job, I spend a day or two around the major holidays 'surveying' grocery stores. (This allows us to see what kind of execution we are getting for Sam Adams displays.) So, yesterday I spent my entire day 'in and out' of grocery stores around Dallas. And, yes, I was their to check the beer. But, just simply walking past the baby isle gave me this since of euphoria. I would glance down the isle, in passing, to admire the formula, diapers, toys, and bottles....Weird...I know!

I have found one way to supplement this obsession....Craig's List! It started out as a fairly simple search, and has escalated into an addiction. It started with the desire to find a Bumbo (because I could not justify myself/or anyone else paying full retail for it.) Slowly, this has become a hobby(problem) of mine. It is too much fun to select the 'baby' section on the Craigs List homepage and 'take it all in'. I am finding unbelievable deals, though, and slowing picking away at registry items. However, I don't feel too bad, because we still need so much stuff. But, I just need to be patient and wait until it gets closer to February to starting rounding out our list of 'must haves'. In the mean time, I will continue to click on ads and admire pictures.

So, that is 'me...as of late' (eventhough, I just posted the other day). I just felt the need to share, for anyone else that may be going through this right now, or perhaps has in the past. Or, perhaps, you might think that I am crazy...but could have thought that for a long time now, and this just helps you further with your conclusion. :) Just wanted to pass it along...cause frankly it is hard not too, when that is all that occupies my brain.

What...? 30 weeks!?!

Yes, the big 3-0! The number is huge, I can't believe I am here. I guess when I first found out I was preggo I just assumed that 30 was basically the end. However, I am aware that I am so close to end, but it still seems so far away. Perhaps it is because we are still living in 2009, and Eli won't be born until 'well into 2010'! I know...I know, I'm being sarcastic (doesn't read real well).

Still though, I think the transition of 2009 to 2010 has given me this real false reality of having more time than I expect. Additionally, I have been scheduling my work calendar out, and I feel like I still have an eternity of work days and weeks left. Trust me, if you want life to feel like a slow crawl, just add work to the picture. However, after the holidays come and go I think I will be in for the shock of my life.

So, what is life like in the 30's? Well, my back freaking hurts! Yes! I think I need to go see a chiropractor. I have always had underlying 'issues' that have been stirred up like a bunch of hot coals on a simmering fire. Also, maternity tops and jackets are nearly a MUST at this point. I can't quite get away with my regular tops like I used to. Sleeping has also become more difficult so I have turned to my new love...'The Snoogle'. It is everything you would want a pregnancy pillow to be, and it has been so much more rewarding than I could ever have anticipated.

My progress? Well, I am visiting my midwife every two weeks, and things are progressing well. My stomach is measuring right on par with where it should be (30 cm). My weight? ugh..... yes, I hate to discuss, but I am +20lbs. They say that I am right where I should, and will most likely finish out with +25 to +32 total weight gain. Eli? Who the heck knows...ha ha! He is moving all over the place. He was breech a few weeks ago, but my midwife thinks that he is in the right place, now (he still has time to figure out how he is going to settle down). I swear that I feel kicks coming from all over my belly, so I assume that he is doing flips and turns inside. He is still kicking and moving like crazy.

Keith? He is doing good. As of this week, he got a new job!! Yay! He has been working so hard on the interview process for the last month or two, and jumped through a TON of hoops to make it through all of their tests, ect. He starts on January 4th, and we couldn't be happier. I know he will do fantastic! Also, Keith has been quite the 'teachers pet' in all of our baby classes. Keith is extremely responsive, interactive, and accurate. The teacher loves him and I think he is a wonderful-involved partner/coach! (He has also started reading to Eli at night...so cute!)

The rest? Keith and I have been attending weekly 'birthing classes' and spent this last weekend in baby CPR. All of the classes have been very wonderful and informative. We have learned how to conduct baby cpr, how to give Eli a bath, and all of the fun little details most first time parents don't know about. In our birthing class we have been learning breathing exercises, pain distractors, and comfortable birthing positions. We are also learning all of the 'nitty gritty' of the birth process (in all of its graphic nature), and a lot of information on medicines and procedures. (Yes, I have had moments of anxiety and fear at several points during this class...perhaps it will be another post, ha ha).

Well, I guess I had more updates than I realized. Not a whole lot of pictures to include this time, but I will leave you with my latest 30 week belly shot (absent of make-up). Oh, FYI...my belly button has not popped yet. I have 'the world's deepest belly button'. Keith and I have an inside bet on its eventual outcome (Keith= Pop, Leigh = Not Pop). You can bet that I will keep you updated on its progress..

The Babymoon

Yes, this is over a month past due. I really wanted to update everyone on our trip, but other posts have cut in line for various reasons. So, I will do my best to remember the highlights of the trip for the sake of story telling.

As some of you may know, we were originally planning on going to Portland, Oregon. Random, I know. However, I have miles on Southwest, so needed to stick within their 'fly area'. Additionally, we were looking to travel in the October/November time frame. Therefore, that limited us even more, because we weren't too keen on going somewhere cold. So, I selected Portland simply because I heard it was beautiful, and we had never been there before.

Well, shortly before our trip, Keith decided to end wake boarding season with some 'gnarly

tricks', and managed to break his ankle. So much so, that it required surgery the week of our trip. Canceled! Luckily, the hotel and flights were all refundable...'thank you Jesus!' Then, it was back to the drawing boards on our 'last hoo-raw destination'. Like a light bulb, my mom recommended San Francisco, BINGO! So, I booked the trip (for a 5 days vs. our only 3 in Portland) for the week of my b-day. So, the trip doubled as a celebration and last vacation pre-Eli.

It was wonderful! We stayed down by Fisherman's Wharf. Our first night was spent walking around the wharf, eating chowder out of sourdough bread bowls, and listening to squawking sea lions in the dark. The next day was my birthday, and I got to do whatever I wanted...which clearly involved eating ! :) Because we were in such a 'highly populated tourist' area, there was a ton of stuff for my stomach to choose from. Before it hit noon, I had already eaten a chocolate covered banana, candy covered apple, and strawberry crepes! After gorging myself on random stuff we took a bus tour of the city and saw 'the sights'. We completed the day with a WONDERFUL Italian dinner in Little Italy.

The next day was spent at Alcatraz in the morning, and back on our bus tour in the afternoon.

We saw different parts of the city, including the Golden Gate bridge and Sausalito. We also did a night tour that was complete with warm blankets and a cup of hot chocolate from the hubbie.

The highlight (outside of my birthday feasts) was on Thursday. At first I thought I may have

made a mistake by wishing to rent a car and drive down the coast to Carmel. However, I was WAY wrong. It was a pain to get the rental and get on the road, but it was totally worth it. Keith

and I drove down highway 1 and enjoyed the sites. We would stop along the road and take

pictures or walk onto the beaches. When we got into the Carmel area, we hit up a state park that was wonderful. We walked along hiking trails, admired more

squawking sea lions, and grabbed scenic pictures. That day concluded with a peaceful stroll around Carmel, some

shopping, and a romantic dinner next to a fire.

The trip finished with a peaceful night in the most quaint bed and breakfast that was so picturesque. It was complete

with a comfy bed and fireplace in the room. The next day, I had planned a quick route back to the airport for our flight home, but Keith opted to take the scenic route back on Hwy 1. He really enjoyed the views and casual ride. The ride back was fun, because it showed us pictures form a different view,

roadside surfing, and more wildlife.

All in all, the trip was fantastic! I can say that we

enjoyed every element of our 'babymoon', and will be satisfied with any duration of time that

goes by without taking another trip. However, I know that Keith has already been 'in talks' with Eli regarding Disney World and his first snowboarding vacation.

The toughest week so far...

I could never have anticipated having to write this post. Not only did I not expect to ever have to write this, it saddens me to know that it comes before the announcement of Eli's birth.

On Thanksgiving afternoon, we lost a wonderful woman, my mother-in-law. Debbie Bailey is Keith's biological mother and inspiration. I married a wonderful man with unbelievable manners, respect, and the kindest heart. I know that Keith would not be half of the man that he is today without the wonderful mother who raised him.

Debbie suffered from emphysema for several years, and has not been living the kind of quality life that she deserved. Her heart and desires were in a place that exceeded beyond her human abilities with the disease that was killing her. While it is sad that she has left behind many loving family members, we all know that she is truly in a better place. She no longer has to struggle with limitations that have been placed on her in the past years.

I must also add that 'Blogging Baby G' was inspired by Debbie. She was physically stuck an hour away, and could not be a part of the pregnancy like she would have wished. Therefore, she inspired me to start a blog to help share this experience with her. She wanted nothing more in life, than to meet her new grandson. She was so proud of her future grandchild, and we hoped it would be enough to inspire her to get better. While she won't be on this earth to share in the life of Eli, Keith and I are joyous to know that Eli truly has a guardian angel looking over him.

I do want to take a moment to thank everyone that has said prayers and called with their well wishes. It has meant a lot to have such a strong support system.

Despite the week's unfortunate events, Keith and I did manage to find some joy, yesterday. I have had an appointment scheduled at a 3D/4D ultrasound office for several months, and we did not want to cancel it. So, we went ahead and followed through with our appointment. It was certainly worth it, and we got some great pictures. We couldn't believe that we got some of the shots we did, surreal! I have attached them below, so you can share in the fun and games. Who do you think he looks like?

3rd Trimester!

I know, I know...I am behind! I actually have two blog posts that I have been needing to post. One is called 'The Babymoon" and the one is "A working girl's guide to pregnancy'. Naturally, one of them is about our trip to San Francisco/Carmel. The other post is pretty much about all of the things that I have encountered in the work world that has been interesting and funny.

However, I can't let either of those derail me from the all important 'THIRD

TRIMESTER"....absolutely it deserves to be in all caps. At least, that is how those two words look inside my brain. Actually, go ahead and enlarge them about 50 times and give them a spinning motion, and you will get the idea. I just can't believe it is here. Where did the time go!?! I kept talking about how slow pregnancy was moving, now it doesn't seem to be moving slow enough. I have a few conclusions that have come to me in the last few days regarding this time period.

A) I feel like I just got pregnant! Ok, I know that is not possible...nor is that how it 'went down'. But, I suppose since I just started to show a belly between 23-25 weeks, it just started getting real. Also, Keith and I are now registered and awaiting our first baby shower. I suppose 'reality' just kicked in the last few weeks...so naturally it feels like the pregnancy did too.

B) I am so thankful to have friends that are going through this at the same time! For those of you that do not know, I have quite a few friends that are pregnant, or have been during the time of my pregnancy. Not only is this the case, but I have managed to get sandwiched into the mass of ladies with my February due date. So, that means that I have a nice group of girl friends that are preceding me with advice, and a nice group of ladies that will be behind me to impart my wisdom on (yeah, right...haha). Regardless, I don't feel 'alone', and when I start to get scared, I just think about all of my wonderful friends that I am in this with (well, kind of).

C) I think having a boy will be the best thing for Keith and I. This is not to say 'they are better', but I just think Eli is best for us, right now. It excites me to see how excited Keith is to be a dad to Eli. In addition to this, I think he has more confidence in himself, which has given me more confidence. I know it sounds crazy, and we would be just as great with a little girl. However, I think the Eli has given us a little bit of a safety net.

D) I suddenly feel like I am back in college. Ok, not really at all..... because there is no similarity. However! I had an internship in between my junior and senior year of school. I had a very official corporate marketing position, to which I worked 8 to 5 day in and day out. Well, despite how much fun I had during my internship, it taught me to appreciate my life as a student. So, when I returned to school in the fall, I took advantage of every fun event, every afternoon nap, and college party that I could enjoy before I had to 'grow up'. So, I feel like this last trimester is my senior year. I have a few more weeks to enjoy sleeping in, have some personal time with Keith, and get prepared 'to grow up'.

Well, I think that is is for my 'epiphany's' for now. So, I will leave you with a few more updates.

Nursery: All of the nursery artwork is completed! Also, we got a great shelf that matches the rest of our furniture. It looks great, and is a perfect home for monkeys, books, and toys. I put in a pictures, but just know it is only a 'mock up'. I will take official pictures when it is all said and done.

Also, Keith and I ordered our glider the other day (like the picture with no cording). We were told it can take between 6-12 weeks...so we are hoping it will be close to 6, than 12.

Belly: Yes, it is still there! I still can't get over where it came from?? I look at 23 week pictures, and no belly. Then I look at 25 week pictures, and belly! I think I picked it up in California, because I know that I didn't have one when I went their. I can actually still remember the moment when I saw it for the first time. Keith and I were in our Carmel bed and breakfast when I caught my profile in the mirror. I took a moment and realized "holy crap, where did this come from!"

Big things to come: I take my gestational diabetes test tomorrow (11/24), which I am very nervous about. Also, our big 3D/4D ultrasound is this weekend! So, we will get our first peak at baby Eli!

Here it is at week 27:

25 Weeks (updates and lots of pictures)

Hey hey! I feel like it has been forever since I posted a blog, sorry. I am sure most of you know that Keith and I went on our official 'Baby Moon' last week to San Francisco and Carmel. In addition to the baby moon, it was a birthday celebration of my big 2-9. Don't worry, the next blog post I publish will have details and pictures from our trip. But, I can say that it was really wonderful! This post is really to play catch up with everything we have had going on.

Movements:

Eli is in full swing right now, literally. I am going to assume that he has set up some swing apparatus in my belly and practices his Cirque Du Soleil around the clock. Ok, well, not 'seriously', but he is moving all the time. I hear that they are most 'active' during this time because they have the most room to move around (due to the expanded uterus), not to mention we have the ability to now feel all of those movements. However, in a few more weeks it is going to start becoming a little cramped and less roomy for him to practice his karate in.

Like usual, I feel him mostly when I am laying down or a little bit more spread out. I don't know why, but when I am sitting upright it is a little more difficult to feel him. However, that certainly isn't the case all of the time.

Every single time he moves it makes me happy. I usually smile or just take a moment to appreciate the 'action'. The only shame in the situation, is there is no way possible to 'capture' the feeling. You can't take a picture, video tape, or DVR the moment...you know? Wouldn't that be great if we had a permanent DVR/TiVo that we could record and replay some of our favorite moments? This would certainly be one of them. Not to mention, it is pretty difficult to describe, as well. I suppose down the road when I am trying my hardest to remember the feeling, I will just have to imagine my stomach or bladder growing legs and moving around.

The Nursery:

Things are really starting to pick up on the nursery front, yay!! My mom is all ready to go on the bedding, and all of the fabrics have been picked out. I think she is going to get started soon, and we will have pictures posted shortly after that. There still isn't a huge rush, as she has a few more months to be on the safe side. But, I am really excited, and can't wait to show everyone the finished product!

Also, before we left for California I had got started on some artwork for Eli's room, and just finished it last night. I had designed some pieces that went with the bedding and 'offical monkey' theme of his room. If you didn't know, I have been collecting monkeys for years, and have more than an ample amount to decorate a room (or a castle). Here are the pictures of what I have done, and keep in mind that I still am working on three pieces that will spell out his name to go over the crib. I also went ahead and threw in a few more photos for you. One of them is a great shelf that we got from my mom, and Keith painted to match the color scheme. There is also a picture included of a cute little sock monkey jack-in-the-box we picked up (too freaking cute, and matches perfectly!)

And...one more visual treat, of my monkeys....can you tell what is strange in the picture? It is like the scene out of E.T., is it not? And yes, this is how I found her one night when I couldn't find her around the house.

The Belly, or should I say 'Whoa Nelly'?!?

I have no clue what happened! Seriously, I must have 'popped'! Check out the 'Pregnant Ladybug' pictures, and I was 23 weeks, and suddenly in 2 weeks Eli has made himself known! I could tell in Cali that I was starting to have a more pronounced 'shape', but not like this...geez! I am still getting used to the idea, ha ha. Also, my belly button (World Record holder for deepest belly button in the continental United States), has still maintained it's depth and glory. Yes, I have this obnoxious canyon in the middle of my growing belly just to become enough of an eye sore to prevent a nice 'rounded look'. Oh, well....I have still got several more months, so we will see how things go from here.

Pregnant Ladybug

So, you like the new format? Every time I would check out Eli's blog I thought it looked a little girlie. So, I went with a small change. I also think the new background is cooler looking and a bit more 'Leigh'.

Well, Eli and I had quite an eventful weekend...exhausting really. Saturday was our 4th Annual Halloween party, and I went as a pregnant lady bug. Well, technically that wasn't what the package said, but the ladybug got pregnant. I didn't intend to wear a 'skimpy' outfit exactly, just something to show off my belly. See, I have a belly, but it still isn't huge, so I have to give myself any extra little 'umph' that I can (so that I don't just look fat). Here is a picture, below. We had a total of 5 pregnant attendants at the party. We were all costumed as: a ladybug, a Harlem Globe Trotter (complete with pregnant basketball belly), Juno, a pregnant nun, and a Snuggie. Well done ladies!

Also, Sunday was Eli's first Cowboys game (in the new stadium), and we won!!! Go Cowboys! So, Eli has officially (actually, unofficially) been to a Red Sox game and Cowboys game. Not to bad for a little guy, huh? Something else that happened at the Cowboys game? I managed to waddle out of 'Jerry World'. Yes, that is right....WADDLE! I don't know if it is necessary that I walk like that, or it just comes with the territory. (I think there are a few pregnancy rules. 1. You must grab or hold your belly when you are standing around. 2. You must waddle when you walk). I just can't imagine that my body needs to waddle to be in a forward motion, but whatever! I suppose I need to get used to it, because I still have 3 more months of it.

Yes, I know....only 3 more months!?! The craziest part is that it is going to FLY. We had our party, then onto Halloween, then my birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and then Eli! That seems like a lot of stuff to happen between now and then. However, time seems to go in fast forward around the holidays for everyone. So, I imagine it will only get faster this year.

Last thing. I got started on Eli's nursery artwork! I am so excited and can't wait to start painting it. I will keep you updated on the progression of it. I worked on it this evening, and it is going according to plan. Yes, it has monkeys on it. :)

To come: Keith and I are traveling to San Francisco for my birthday (the big 2-9, yikes!). The trip will also be our 'baby moon'. So, I will be sure let you know how that goes, plus show you some pictures.

I'm Pregnant!

No duh...huh? Well, I just had to share, because I am starting the 'full swing' of pregnancy. I know, I know....I have a far way to go. I just thought that I would report 'from the trenches' that this is, by far, the most pregnant I have felt so far. Heck, I would go as far as to say that I feel like I have finally joined the elite club.

Why do you ask? Well, for several reasons:

A) My belly is starting to arrive! After 21 weeks of waiting, it finally started to arrive last week. I am 22 weeks now, and I don't exactly look like that. However, there is certainly a belly, and it is very identifiable in tight t-shirts or tanks (you guys know how much I love the skimpy outfits j/k).

B) Eli is kicking and moving a lot more frequently. I feel him everyday, and often, multiple times. It happens often enough that I have taken on the '...there's Eli' attitude. It is the neatest feeling, because it is like have a big secret. When I am in a work meeting and he is kicking up a storm, I think to myself 'no one else in the room has any clue that I have a baby that is break dancing in my belly right now'. You can imagine how much more fun it has made boring work functions.

C) I had an 'alien moment'. Ok, I haven't seen the "elbow glide across my belly", yet. But, I actually saw Eli move inside my stomach last night, and that was a crazy feeling!! I was checking his heart rate yesterday for fun, when he took the "get up off me" attitude, and started kicking it away. Soon, I was seeing the monitor bouncing up and down, so I put it down. Then, after intently staring at my stomach (yes, it can make you go cross eyed)...I saw the little guy kick up my belly with a foot or one of his monster claws. :) I have to admit it reminded me of the ending scene in Space Balls....anyone know what I am talking about?

D) Keith felt Eli kick! It happened last week, and a few times since then. Keith anxiously grabs my growing belly, in hopes of catching a feel.

E) I have a complicated stomach (what in the world does that mean?). Well, it's complicated! ha ha...ok, clarification. Whenever I eat an average size meal (that any normal person could consume), I feel like I have just ate Thanksgiving dinner. Seriously, it sucks! I have to have 'child like portion control', which is nearly impossible. Clearly I am not very good at it, because I am stuffed all day long. So, Eli has started to rent out 'food space' in my belly. Also, I think I have experienced my first spell of heartburn...or is it indigestion? I don't know for sure, but it was uncomfortable.

F) I have to go to the bathroom all the time! It is bizarre, because I don't remember consuming that much water or beverages....but somehow it remembers me. I don't usually have to use the restroom at all during the night, and now find myself taking frequent trips to the potty.

Well, I will finish the post out now, and leave you with some updated belly shots. Also, I will give you the teaser that I have picked out my Halloween costume! I didn't pick out anything that was 'preggo specific', because I don't have the belly for it. But, I believe my costume will do a fair job of showing off my figure.

We have lift off...!

Keith felt Eli kick this morning on October 13th, and I am 21 weeks preggo! In a small twist of irony, 10/13 was our original picked wedding date. So, the day always manages to stand out in my mind, a bit. But, was it really significant before today? No, not really.

This morning like all other mornings and nights, I laid in bed for a bit and concentrated really hard on my stomach. I feel around to see if I can feel him in my belly, and see if he is moving at all. Well, I must have woke him up, because he started giving me little kicks (probably punches). I scooted closer to Keith and put his hand on my stomach. I suppose after about 2-5 or so minutes we started to notice some faint feelings. I asked Keith if he felt it, to which he identified the source of the activity, and I confirmed! It was pretty cool that Keith was able to feel him inside my belly. Eli gave us a few other jabs, and then rolled over to go back to sleep (like I would have loved to have done this morning!).

I do have one thing to add, regarding 'what the kicks feel like'. I know everyone that has experienced pregnancy has a different definition or description. At first they felt like little rain drops hitting the inside of my stomach. Now, they feel a lot like gas bubbles, nearly to a 'T'. But, I can also describe the feeling as a 'muscle spasm'. You know, when your eye twitches....or your calf muscle will spontaneously decide to do its own thing? Eli's kicks remind me of a muscle inside my stomach that had just decided to start twitching. I know that is vague, but next time you have a muscle spasm or gas bubble, just imagine it located in your abdomen, and you will get a close idea of what it feels like to have something the size of a coke can kicking inside of you.

20 Week appointment

Well, the 20 week appointment finally came! We are over half way to Eli's birthday...can you believe it!?! God, I just remember how far away it seemed in the beginning. Heck, 12 weeks felt like an eternity. I also remember trying to imagine what it was going to be like to finally find out the sex of our baby. But, surprise, surprise...we found out early! I can't believe we got lucky and found out at 16 weeks. Heck, to be honest we really had a 90% certainty Eli was a boy at 12 weeks. We were certainly part of the lucky crowd that didn't have to wait. I think I would have been clawing paint off the walls in anticipation before the appointment (although, I love surprises...believe it or not).

So, everything is looking good..great, actually! We had our ultrasound first thing, followed by the follow-up 20 weeks appointment where we ask a bunch of questions. I have gained a total of 8lbs so far (take that for what you want). I still don't have a belly 'really'. Yes, you can easily see a pooch, and depending what I am wearing..you will see more of it than other times. However, I suspect that I am still looking like I am about 14-15 or so weeks preggo? I'll post pics and you can be the judge.

The ultrasound went well, and Eli didn't have the hic-cups! He was active at times, but not uncooperative. There was a moment where I swear he looked like he was running in place. Also, the technician took close-ups of his hands and feet. Can I just tell you, our baby some how managed to obtain orangutan hands from somewhere deep inside Keith and I's family trees... ha ha...they are huge! Check out the picture.

I swear we aren't naming him after Eli Manning, but if his hand remain in this proportion to his body he could conceivably be a quarter back or perhaps something else that requires your hands to be the size of a poodle. :) Seriously though, everything on him looks good. He weighs 12oz, and was approximately the size of a coke can during the appointment. According to the research, he is about to hit a big growth

spurt in the next few weeks. I anticipate this growth spurt will also bring on a spontaneous belly and weight gain, on my end. Although, I am thinking that the Braum's double dip ice cream cones and chocolate cake might also help contribute to that arena, as well.

I do have to add. After the appointment Keith and I did go get our flu shots. It kind of became a mad dash to see who still had the vaccines available, but we finally found them at Tom Thumb. Now, we just twiddle our thumbs and wait for the Swine flu shot. We also made a quick stop by the store to get something in celebration for Eli's Pre-20 week birthday. Opting out of the clothes options, we went with this really cute pair of shoes...aren't they precious!

And speaking of shoes...the 'kicking front' is still seeing minimal action. I certainly will feel him ever so often (nearly everyday). However, Keith has still yet to feel the little guy in action. This all goes back to where everything is located inside my belly. Eli has a perma-buffer preventing me (and Keith) from getting the full force of his blows. But, as always, I promise to update you when things change.

Randoms

Sorry that this is an uneventful post, but our 20 week appointment is tomorrow! So, I suppose this is just the 'filler'. However, it is very sincere, because every night when I am laying in bed, I always think about the random stuff that occurs during pregnancy, and how I should write about it. I don't know if I can think about them all now, so this might turn into a growing thread. But, here are the ones that come to mind...

Super Human Pulse:

I can pretty much feel my pulse anywhere in my body at any moment. It is kind of freaky, actually. I feel my pulse in my neck, legs, and stomach. One of the most interesting moments is when I will be laying in bed with my hand on my pillow. Suddenly, I feel my pulse in my fingertips! I know I am going to sound crazy, but I feel like a super hero that is about to launch laser beams from my fingertips. Ha ha (just confirmed my crazy status in so many minds).

Eating:

I get so freaking full, so fast! I swear that I feel like I have just eaten Thanksgiving dinner after every meal. I am in a food coma for several minutes-hours after every meal. Argh! Sure enough, the minute it wears off...I am already hungry again.

Pregnancy Glow:

Ok, so I am not literally glowing, nor has anyone said that I am glowing. But, I have to admit that last week I felt like I was beaming. I felt like the pregnancy finally started last week. The first 18 weeks were so slow and uneventful, now it is fun and going! The nursery is painted, I am doing 'registry' shopping, and just getting excited.

I am still not 'totally' showing. In fact a lot of people that I work with still don't have a clue I am pregnant. It is not obvious to anyone, but I know he is there. However, I am really looking forward to showing more, and feeling him kick more. Although, I can say that I did have one encounter of someone asking if I was pregnant! I happened to be wearing a maternity top that gave me a lil' extra bump. So, one of the workers at a store asked 'are you pregnant?' You would have thought she asked me if I would like to win $50,000! I nearly shouted (with a big grin), 'YES, yes I am!'. It was pretty neat.

Well...that is all of it for now. If I think of more random stuff, I will be sure to share. But, stay tuned for the 20 week appointment and nursery updates!

Movements

I am sure a lot of you have been waiting for this. I mean 'babies first kick' is one of those huge moments you are supposed to remember and journal about. Well, I guess it is not nearly has glorious, in reality. Mostly because us 'first timers' don't realize for several weeks that we are actually being kicked. Sorry for the let down. But, I am hoping the first time that Keith feels him move with will one of those momentous occasion.

I will go ahead and put in the record books that Eli's first kick, was actually a 'first punch'. I mentioned the story in a previous post about the ultrasound. We had gone in for our 16 week follow-up ultrasound. In addition to his hic-cups, Eli was moving all around. All of a sudden he just straight arm punched me! It was the funniest thing...he looked like a puppet. I do remember feeling the 'slightest' little tap, and I realized it was him. So, with the sense of sight, I was able to hone in on my sense of touch. It was a hilarious moment that I really wish we had on camera...maybe next ultrasound we will video!

After that ultrasound I have noticed little bitty movements or taps. Sometimes it feels like rain drops, and sometimes it feels like gas (sorry if that is too much information). I have tried to get Keith to see if he can feel, but Eli is still being pretty exclusive to me. I suspect it will be another few weeks before Keith gets to join in the fun. (Too much information warning) The doctor said that the placenta is actually in the front of my abdomen. Therefore, Eli could be doing jumping jacks behind it, but the placenta is acting like a barrier. So, it may have taken longer to feel him, or his kicks/punches are not quite as pronounced. (A lot of mommy friends have told me there will be a day it is 'not so cute anymore' and down right painful. Hopefully the handy-dandy placenta will help shield some of the discomfort).

There have been a few cool moments, oh, and a 'bad mother moment' (which I can't believe I am being so candid) :). I'll start with the bad. I have been waking up at 4am and not sleeping well. So, yesterday while at IHOP I treated myself to an iced coffee (For the record, I drink caffeine about a few times a month in very limited amounts). Well, I asked the server for some water which she never brought me...so before long I was downing my coffee as a 'thirst quencher'. Before I knew it I nearly drank the whole thing. Yikes! I felt awful all day, and started researching caffeine/pregnancy intake levels. The conclusion is that Eli will be fine, however he was seeming to move around A LOT more yesterday than usual. Poor kid is probably coming down from his caffeine high today.

So, for the cool moments. They usually come at night or in the morning when I lay on my back and pay real close attention to him to see what I can feel. One morning I swore he kicked so hard that my fingers moved (but that could be in my head). However, yesterday it was really neat. I was feeling around my belly when I discovered a hardness towards the top of the uterus. I thought to myself "man, my stomach is really getting hard"....suddenly, at that moment the hard-mass moved! It was Eli! I just thought that was so cool, because I had 'touched' him! It had to have been his little head or back that I touched. It was one of the first times that I realized he was REALLY inside, it was almost like getting to meet him.

From this experience, I have had an Epiphany (if you want to call it that). Keith ultimately describes my thought best with the phrase "big fish in a small pond vs. small fish in a big pond". Forgive me if I have a hard time explaining. Basically, I have given Eli a personality already. Just his little movement yesterday of 'Get off me!' made me realize that he is inside 'ruling the roost'. I have turned him into a little man with a big attitude, 'doing his thing' inside my belly. But, once he actually gets here and is in the real world...suddenly he becomes this helpless, innocent little newborn baby. You follow what I mean? :) I just thought that was neat though to make the comparison of perception vs. reality. Granted, it won't be long before he gets back to a sassy or funny attitude, but I was just entertained with comparisons.

Updates (names, cravings, shopping)

Ok, so I totally need to type about Eli's movements and stuff, but I also have some other 'odd assortment' updates to fill you in on. I don't know if any are worthy of their own thread, so let's throw them all together.

Names:

Well, we are still sticking with Eli (so no changes there). However, a few new discussions have come up regarding the middle name and the 'proper' first name. Technically, Eli is short for 'Elijah'. While we first fell in love with 'just Eli'...the name Elijah is pretty cool, as well. So, it is something that we are at least considering. I think it is pretty and looks really cool. However, Eli was the original name of choice, so we might just stick with that.

Also, the middle name 'Grey' is back in the running, yay! I really have loved that name from the beginning, and I think it works great with Eli (or Elijah). I kind of kicked it out of the 'name pool' when we realized his initials would be E.G.G. Keith said that he didn't care about those initials, and I didn't either...so 'game on'. I actually think it is kind of cute! Keith and I also laughed about how technically Eli started out as an 'egg', so why not stay one (ok, lame joke...).

Eating/Cravings:

Well, I have officially resorted to the appetite of a 5 year old. Throw class and sophistication out the window, and bring on the mac and cheese! Seriously, that is how I eat now a days. For instance, my meals usually consist hot dogs, mac and cheese, pickles, chicken fingers, or chips.

Yesterday morning I was craving pancakes from IHOP, and this morning I ate grapes and goldfish (I'm not joking people). I even went so far as to hunt down the ice cream man in my neighborhood. I am not exaggerating when I use the word 'hunt'.

Keith and I were getting out of the car and I saw the neighborhood kids munching on their new ice cream treats from the ice cream truck, when I couldn't stand it any longer (ice cream truck ice cream is a delicacy..not to be found just anywhere). Keith went in the house and I jumped back in the car and took off. I stopped on corners with kids eating ice cream and asked them 'where did he go?' They simply pointed in a direction and made a few of their favorite recommendations (snow cone was the most popular). Finally, with my windows rolled down I hear the sweet cry of the ice cream song, turned a corner and found him. After tailing him and flashing my lights...he pulled over. Of course, I went with the kids recommendation of snow cone and threw in a Pink Panther pop for the extra hard work.

Shopping/Registry:

So, after Keith gave into my desire to go to IHOP and eat a wonderful breakfast, we were headed home. We had a little extra time and decided to stop at a baby store I had heard good things about. Keep in mind Keith and I had not been to one of these store before. After we walked in I realized how difficult crutches can be with a shopping experience.

We breezed through the isles quickly, and were projected to be out of there in about 5-10 minutes....when we ran into our friends. The thing that is so funny about this, is their frequency in baby store shopping trips. Keith and I pretty much assumed they spent all of their free time in baby stores, and this 'chance run in' just helped to conclude our reasoning.

Well, once we ran into them the trip took on a whole new light. Suddenly we were testing mattresses together, looking at strollers, travel systems, highchairs, ect, ect. It was surprisingly really fun. I will also add that Keith seemed to be enjoying himself too! He really liked the strollers and things! So, we are excited to get stuff picked out for the registry and 'test drive it'. :)

The one down side to this, is my obsession. I have probably already logged about 3-5 hours of computer time since our baby store trip researching brands, prices, locations, ect...ect. I have a very nice 'handy-dandy' spreadsheet that is helping me to keep my thoughs organized. But, needless to say it has become a 'fun' new obsession. I will be sure to update you on the items that I select later on, if you are interested.

Nursery:

No 'big update' for now. Except that we have chair rail up and paint colors picked out. We were originally going to be 'do it yourselfers', but then Keith had his ankle surgery. That put a small dent in the plan. So, we have a paint crew that is coming to paint the nursery this Wednesday! I will post pictures after it is done. When they came to give us a quote, they recommended a 'chair rail' guy. He arrived at our house a few days later at 1:30 to give us a quote, and by 2:30 he was packing up his truck with the job completed! Woo hoo, gotta love that!

Sleeping:

This is brief, because I can't sleep. Well, I take that back. I can sleep until about 4-5am, and then wake up. After that, I lay in bed for an hour or except my fate to just wake up. So, this has become a new problem that I am hoping will go away. Otherwise, I am going to be a very cranky individual. (I know, I know...you are all thinking "Well, when the baby gets here you won't be sleeping at all". I know, that is exactly why it is so important for me to sleep now. :) )

Coming soon...Movements!

Yep, I think little Eli has been making his presence known a little bit more lately through subtle movements, while not via a belly bump.

I will be sure to share some of those moments and my thoughts on the issue. :)

The Bump has arrived...well, kinda.

Ok, so for those of you that haven't seen me recently, I am guessing you might notice some small changes.  Yep, I have the slightest little bump.  To be honest, it is not really noticeable to 'the public', but only to the people that are close to me.  I have held off with posting pictures, because there hasn't been a lot to report.  But, for those of you that are getting anxious, I will go ahead and show you some 'progression pictures' so you can see for yourself.  By no means, have I 'popped'....but I am starting to notice the presence of something there.  I am guessing in the next 3-5 weeks I will start to have a much more noticeable belly to show off. :) 

7 weeks

14 weeks

18 weeks

The Nursery!

Well, we finally did it!  Keith and I started making preparations around the house for Lil' Eli's bedroom.  We live in a spacious house, but it only has 3 actual bedrooms...of which two have been occupied as a guest bedroom and office.  Hmmm....how do we make this work?  We need a guest bedroom (just in case), not to mention we have a queen bed that we can't exactly put in the closet.  Additionally, I work from the house, so nixing the office isn't exactly possible either.  So, we had to figure out how to make this whole thing work, so that Eli wasn't going to sleep in the bathroom. :) 

Thank God for Ikea!  Yes, Ikea ultimately helped us bring our problem to a quick resolution.  We needed to combine our guestroom and office into one.  Well, thanks to Ikea we were able to get matching furniture that combines all of the rooms!  Our original apartment furniture (now guest bedroom furniture) is from Ikea, and comes in birch.  Well, they also make a small desk in birch, as well.   In addition to this, Ikea also makes a baby crib in the same material.  (Don't worry...!  This crib got an 'A' in consumer ratings for baby cribs).  So, now we have managed to combine the office and guest bedroom, and done so with matching furniture!  Additionally, we also have a fully furnished nursery with crib and dressers (the dressers used to be our 'guest bedroom' dressers).  We are pleased with the way everything turned out.  This worked out exceptionally well for two reasons A) a huge cost saver B) helps us avoid having to find storage for a bed and two dressers!

So, what does it look  like?  (The first photo is before, and the second is after)

What does Eli's room look like?  Well, so far, this......

So, we have to have an 'ultimate vision' for this room.  Don't worry, it won't stay white and birch.  My mom has been very excited to help with the nursery bedding.  Our hope is to have some really neat custom bedding that she will sew together.  She and I spent an entire day (in the rain) running from fabric store to fabric store to find 'the ultimate' bedding for Eli. 

Can I just point out how few options there are for little boys!  If I was having a girl, I would be running through miles of fabrics and options trying desperately to pick 'the perfect ones'.  On the other hand, mom and I drove miles and miles just to find a few good options.  We would find great fabrics that had pinks in them or stuff like that.  Or, we would find beautiful fabrics in blues, greens, and browns...but the pattern was flowers...(Argh, the frustration).  Of course, we could always fall back on 'airplanes', 'trucks', or 'clowns', but that is not our style.  So, after a full day we found the perfect fabric that lends itself to plenty of options.  

Here is the picture....you will have to imagine the rest.  Also, the wall color will be a two-tone version of the blue green that you seen in the dots and solid fabric.  We will be doing a lighter blue green on top, an antique white chair rail, and a darker blue green on bottom.  

FYI...this is going to take awhile to piece together, so be patient with us.  But, I will have pictures as the project progresses.

Enjoy!

Coming Soon....The Belly Bump!

I will be updating photos soon of 'this bump'. :)  Keep an eye out for it this week.

IT'S A BOY!

Well, it's official, Baby G is in fact a Baby B....boy, that is! :)  

Keith and I were preparing for what we expected to be two normal (and uneventful) appointments yesterday. Howeve

r, I started to call around to my offices to see what the appointments included, as I had growing concern about the 

fibroid I was told that exists on my uterus.  I was seeing if we were planning to monitor it or look into it further.  Come to find out the office that did the NT Scan 4 weeks ago, had us down for an ultrasound to 'check it out'.

So, our first appointment was with the midwife.  We got to hear the heartbeat, ask a ton of questions, and measured my stomach (really just made sure the 

uterus was where it was supposed to be.....it was).  After one successful appointment, we anxiously waited for our ultrasound at 2:30.....

We got to the office, had some blood drawn, and were escorted to the back room.  We were told that 'Valerie' would be in shortly.  When Valerie got there, she was a rock star!  She immediately got to work and showed us Baby G.  She ask

ed us ahead of time if we wanted to find out the sex, and we told her yes.  (Yes, we know that it was 

originally suppose to come in the form of a surprise party.  But, our nerves and excitement got the best of us, and we ditched that idea.  Not to mention, we really wanted to see the 'evidence' for ourselves'.)

There was Baby G!  Bigger than last time, and

 perfect! :)  Valerie started 

snapping pictures right away, arms, legs, profile, and 'the money shot'.  There was no denying it... Baby G, was in fact a boy.  He had no problem showing off the goods.  He was very uncooperative with Valerie, though.  He was moving a lot, had the hic-cups (again), turning over, and doing a lot of crazy stuff.  Keith looked at me at one point and said, "you don't feel that"?  I laughed, and said, "no".  Valerie did explain that based on where the placenta is located (in the front of my abdomen), it was actually acting like a buffer...so it might take me a bit longer to feel stuff.  However, ther

e was a point that he wailed out and threw a bunch.  It looked like one of those 'sock it bop ems'...or better yet, the old time fights from the old 'picture shows' with no sound.  Baby G, just straight arm punched me.  I was pretty positive that I certainly felt that!  I think seeing it on the monitor helped 

put the sensation into perspective fo

r me.  So, after that I could swear I felt other little hits throughout the day.  I can only describe them as a pin ball machine, or better yet..like rain drops.  Just random little 'pings' all around my stomach, with no rhyme or reason.  They hap

pen so quickly that I have to think twice about if I actually felt anything.  ha ha...I'm getting a kick out if.  But, I am yet to report the big 'first kick' post...or I guess in his case 'first punch'. 

So, Valerie's job came to an end, and she left us with a handful of photos!  Seriously, she was a rock star.  Then, the doctor sat down, and s

tarted doing a very thorough examination.  He checked EVERYTHING out (brain, spine, face, heart, ect..ect).  Baby G got a clean bill of health, so we are very excited!

Now that we had all of this amazing information, how were we going to share it with the world?!?  Well, first off, it appears that we pissed off a lot of people with our decision.  I guess it wasn't a good idea to tell everyone we knew, but weren't telling them.  We were just trying to buy time to come up with some creative.  

At the end of the day, I didn't give myself enough time to do anything over the top, so I fell back on the 'cake re

veal'.  It was still cute and fun, though.  Around 4:45 I decided to do the cake, so quickly baked it...dyed it blue, and let it cool.  Then around 6:00 I was quickly throwing icing on it, and trying my hardest to cover up every stinking' little blue crumb that I could find.  I was meticulously checking for any blue specks that I left on the counter, in the sink, ect...  

Due to the last minute nature of our 'reveal', we weren't able to have everyone over that we would have liked for the 'cake cutting', but it still became a fun event.  Also,  it became more interactive in the facebook world, than I would have imagined.  With the simple white cake on display for everyone to see, I think it was driving people crazy.  Finally, we cut, and our secret was out.....'it's a boy!"

Baby Bargains

Praise the Lord! I read on my pregnancy forums that there is a miracle book on the market called 'Baby Bargains'. This book combines consumer reports, consumer feedback, and cost saving measures to make recommendations.

I have owned this book for only a few days now, and I feel 10 x's more knowledgeable and prepared than I was. Don't worry...I still have a long way to go. I also bought the 'Baby 411 - For your baby's first year' book, as well...which got equally awesome ratings on Amazon.com.

From Baby Bargains..

'The Four Truths That No One Tells You About Buying Baby Stuff for Baby'

1) Babies don't care if they're wearing designer clothes or sleeping on designer sheets.

2) Your baby's safety is much more important than your convenience.

3) Murphy's Law of baby toys says your baby's happiness with a toy is inversely related to the toy's price.

4) It's going to cost more than you think....first year of a baby's life --> $7,040!!!

"7 Commandments of Baby Bargains"

1) Safety is job one.

2) Focus on the basics.

3) Weed out the fluff.

4) Two words. Free money.

5) More freebies.

6) Shop at stores that do NOT have 'baby' in their name.

7) Online shipping savvy.

http://www.windsorpeak.com/babybargains/default.html

http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Bargains-8th-Furniture-Maternity/dp/1889392332/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252342640&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Bargains-8th-Furniture-Maternity/dp/1889392332/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252342640&sr=8-1

Sweet Thing

I have no facts to base this statement off of....but I believe Baby G is going to be a sweet, patient, and calm little thing.  May the heavens not strike me down for putting that out in the universe, but it has been more than wonderful up to this point!

I am 15 weeks pregnant today, and had a very fortunate and easy pregnancy so far.  Granted, I still have another 25 weeks for things to change (God forbid), but I am been so lucky up to this point.   I almost feel as if 'Baby G' is just sitting so quietly inside just being so sweet and peaceful.  

Why?  Well, first, I didn't have any morning sickness.  So, they hardly made a 'fuss' at early development or shake things up.  Second, they were so cooperative with the ultrasound tech at the 12 week scan.  They so patiently posed just right for the camera, except for the poor lil' hiccups. Third, I haven't even started to 'show' yet.  Granted, there is an occasional little 'pooch' that pops up on occasions, and I know that is hardly Baby G's doing...but I am just saying. 

I just feel like the first 15 weeks have been very pleasant.  So, I hope that I am not jinxing myself for saying that.  I am also hoping that there are no 'nay-sayers' out there that are wishing Baby G to be disruptive or wild in payment for the way Keith and I acted when we were little.  So, if that is what you are thinking.....get those thoughts out of your head! :) 

I guess that I just ask everyone to keep praying for Baby G, Keith, and myself as we go down this road.  Pregnancy, labor, and little babies can be crazy times for everyone.  So, if you can continue to send out well wishes and prayers for us, that would be greatly appreciated.  We feel so blessed up to this point, and look forward to a year from now when we are celebrating our babies 6months with the family. :) 

The Picasso of Food

So, when I first told me close friends and family I was pregnant I had one friend give me a call one day.  After a long discussion between her and her spouse they concluded that I would be someone that had 'unique cravings'.  She said that she could see me eating some funny stuff, simply because I think so 'creatively'.  I told this to Keith, and his response was... "Why didn't she just come right out and say you were weird!?". :) ha ha...so true.

But, the purpose of this post is to confirm that she was actually right.  There have been no 'pickles and ice cream' for me.  (However, I did read in one of the pregnancy books that pregnant women's cravings aren't as weird as you would think, and often don't lead to middle of the night trips to the store).  Although, I can confirm if Keith had been a offering, I would have been a 'taker' on a few ocassions. 

So, this isn't really to write about the weird things that I have 'craved', versus more about the weird things that I have eaten.   Keith is pretty watchful over my diet, so was pretty upset with me when he came home one night to see that I had just eaten scalloped jalapeno potatoes and a can of peaches for dinner.  There was another day that I managed to eat a fudge pop with saltines for breakfast, cake with whip cream, pineapples, and cherries for lunch, and a bag of carrots with ranch, kettle popcorn, and sour patch kids for dinner.  Oh, don't worry...about 11 that night I felt guilty for my day of eating and made a grilled cheese sandwich for substance.   I can't say that I pick these items out in advance to eat, but they simply sound good to eat at the time. :) 

Those have been some of the odd 'combinations' I have managed to assemble. But, outside of that I find that I always lean towards anything from my childhood.  Therefore, there have been lots of Capri Suns, lunchables, squirt cheese, fudge pops, and bomb pops.

That is really all about that for now.  By all means, if I think of other oddities, or have some more 'bad run-ins' down the road, I will be sure to update this.