Ok, Nicole I have no time but I want to get my two sense in too.

It really sounds like your daughter wants you to raise Maria. What a tough decision to make. I agree with everyone else in saying that you need to ask her if she wants you to adopt Maria and then she can go to school or if she wants to be a mom, and she can still go to school just not go away to school. It is overwhelming to be a young parent especially without a significant other. I know that I WOULD NOT have done it on my own. So maybe it is in the best interest of Maria and your DD. But she needs to seriously think about that and make a decision. And remember that this is FOREVER.

I will try and get back in here later today!

STAY POP!

(((Nicole))) Tough decision...you, I am sure, have already posted it, but how old is your daughter?

Hey guys!!

Kristinx- I am the same way. I am 25 and recently married… I want to have kids so bad, but cannot and WILL not get pregnant at this weight. My back is already killing me daily!

Hoochie- Been there don that with the hair. Back in my dating days (hehe) I would change my hairstyle after each break up. Then while dating I would grow it out. Break up, chop it off and dye it darker… a MEAN cycle!

Jillian- things getting any better today? I hope…

Amylou- moving the darn ticker higher is awful, I am dreading doing it myself.

Nicole- From what you said about Maria wanting to “go home” it’s almost like she wants to forget everything that’s happened and start again. I am sure she regrets those moments of passion that led to the baby, and wants to move on. Unfortunately you are all attached to the baby and adoption at this point is out of the question. I know of a girl that had a baby at a young age and left him with her parents while she went off to school. The parents were raising the child, but she was still his “mom.” I don’t know details, but that 6 year old had some emotional problems. Are you up to adopting the baby? I think if you do, you and DH are mom and dad and Maria need s to be the sister. It seems like she is now anyway. You sounds like an awesome mom, Nicole, and I think you know deep down it’s best for the baby if you take her. Good luck with this…

I think I have finally kicked this awful cold I had for the past week. Now it’son to planning! I have been planning and looking up recipes and ideas for WW all week, so I am finalizing today and going food shopping tomorrow.

I am a little nervous right now, DH is on an interview. A good one too. We’re still not living together because of his job,and this would put us together. It’s in MD, in Bel Air which is where I wanted to move to eventually anyway. I have to finish school in NJ though, so we’re thinking of living in Newark DE until I am done school. That gives him a 30 minute commute and me about 40 mins. I don’t care as long as we’re together! And I know, I get it all the time… “I would love to not see my husband…how cute, young love… “ I am trying not to be jaded. I know we’ll grow apart like everyone does, but give me my honeymoon period!!!

Have a great day guys!

Quick question what do you count Laughing cow cheese as?

And another question those of you on WW do you do online or go to meetings? Which package do you buy?

Online, and so far it is working great for me! I am down 5 lbs since Friday! They only have a couple packages. One is really a better deal than the other.

LOL at all the DH talk. When I was in the hospital with the baby I was going to have my mom stay with me and DH was going to go home with Bradley so he wouldn't feel like the new baby was getting all the attention. Well, that didnt happen. I cried and cried because I missed DH so much and he ended up spending the night with me the second night! (FYI, we only live a mile or less from the hospital so it wasnt like he was miles and miles away!)

Cecil - I count laughing cow cheese 2 wedgies (he he) as 1 dairy.

Cecilia - I usually count one wedge as 1/2 dairy, I think. (I'm assuming it's the light?)

On the subject of DH's and "alone" time - I don't think that pregnancy and hospital stays count! My DH had BETTER be with me if I'm in the hospital, darn it - LOL. And, I did find myself missing him when I went away on an administrators retreat this summer, I guess I can relate.

Nicole - why is it that you are not a HS counselor? Your insight is amazing. I don't think that DD shoud be forced to be unhappy at all, and yes, she did make a big decision to keep Maria. Deep down, do you think that she wants you to "forever" be the Maria's mom? It sounds like it, otherwise I'd think that she would go to school in STL and have you continue to help her out. It sounds like she is trying to put on a brave front. I see a deep heart to heart talk with her in your future.

Also, she shouldn't bank too much on her old friends staying in Wis. This is the time of life that everyone moves on, sad but true. A lot of her friends might be going to school out of town. I went to college in my hometown and still felt lonely the first year or so.

Anyway - you continue to be my hero. I can't imagine having to deal with what you do everyday. It is so hard!

Oh really! Wow! Thank Julie and Kimberly for the quick responses. I am having a really hard time getting back on plan and not having a cheating feast every night when I get home from the gym. I don't know what to do. I am pretty much fine all day I eat on plan. Not getting my veggies in but I am not eating off plan. Then I get off work and go to the Gym for about an hour. Then I get home and I want everything I am not supposed to have. It is like sabotaging the whole day? What the heck?

So I have chips and salsa and I don't stop with just one bowl. Then Ice cream, I mean it is baked chips and half the fat ice cream but still. I am up 6 lbs from my lowest weight according to LA. That makes me sooo sad. I am beggining to think that I didn't make this a life style change. I need help!

Sorry for the negativity! But I am seriously feeling bad about the gain I have had. I want to get back on track. I bought the TO juice and I think I am going to do it on Mon and Tuesday, if anyone else is interested please join me!

Cecil - Do you go to the gym after dinner or before? On gym nights I plan to have an easy dinner and larger lunch, so I don't have to deal with it when I get home. Salad w/chicken or tuna, etc.... Then I come home, eat, and drink my water. Just get out of the kitchen. I find that I am sooo tired that I don't feel like going there.

Kim- I should eat dinner after the gym but it gets so late, like 8:30 by then I just want snacks and then bed. I guess I need to plan something easy to have after as well. But what? I have noticed when writing down my food recently I am going over on starches by like 4 a day. OMG! I am addicted to starch again! At least it's not SALT right Dan? HA!

Cecil - I think me and you are experiencing the same thing as far as being starving after the gym and I think Dan would say we need more protein (lean protein)... let's try that :)

What are you going to Try Julie?
Just Chicken? Because seriously I can barely do it anymore.
It's like I am burnt out on all the foods that used to work for me. For example, baby carrots, chicken, tuna with ranch. UGH! I am in a rut!

That's about right Julie...

C - You should never wait to eat dinner that late.. What I do after a late workout is have a small serving of protein (like one grilled chicken tender) and some fruit. This way, the calorie burn continues, you help your body recover faster and you don't go to bed hungry..

Just remember to have a lighter dinner before you workout.. Besides.. No one wants to see someone yak on the treadmill!

Where did you have chips and salsa? at home or out? The simple way to avoid eating them at home is to not have them in the house.. That's the only way I can keep from doing it...

As for laughing Cow.. It's a processed cheese and that's a no-no, at least according to the plan when I was on it.. So while I guess it would count as a dairy, I'd recommend little use of it.. Just my thoughts..

Aw Dan - you're a buzz kill! I picked the laughing cow because it was low cal and only 4grams of fat per serving... I didn't even think about the "processed" part of it! only that it was delicious...

Cecil - I'm going to try to have my protein bar closer to my workout... lately I've been ripping into it right after lunch time, but I think that's just a craving for chocolate! I am also considering bumping up my protein at breakfast to 1 whole protein (2 eggs) or maybe at lunch to 1 1/2 proteins. for a total increase of 1/2 a protein a day... Working out tends to make me feel like I've earned eating - crazy, right???