February in Massachusetts

It has been a few months since I have posted and the standard set of delays in life have made it hard to be consistent. Work, WW and AWB. It was as if all flood gates held for the holidays were unleashed.

WW
I suppose that is the biggest news. I have been doing fine and I think even better than the last time around. I choose to go to the Cambridge meetings on Sunday morning because I just didn't like the one in Arlington. Plus Mondays were going to be difficult since my quilting class starts in March. The Cambridge meetings are MUCH better. I really like the leader and there is a nice mix of people.

So I had an epiphany at Whole Foods on Day 1 of the Plan. AWB and I were going to have lunch and I choose brown rice California rolls over the standard. And I was preparing myself for the yucky taste only to find none. I was so surprised. And then I think I had a salad and enjoyed it. I remember last time, fighting the food every step of the way. I didn't want to eat veggies, I hated having to buy diet food, etc. But I ate a salad at Cheesecake Factory and it was delicious. I was stunned. So I was encouraged by my reaction to the healthy food. Of course, it isn't just those foods, all veggies which I had previously shunned were now tasting fine to me.

I think the only down side to all the fiber was the gas. The amazing amounts of gas. It is better now but the first week's carrots took a toll on my intestines. And I am a bit mortified that my co-workers were able to hear my farts.

In my first week and at my first weigh-in, I lost over 6 pounds. So thrilled and proud. That didn't last long because the second week, I had gained 0.2 pounds and I was so mad. In any case, it has been a slow process. At today's weigh in, I lost 3 pounds but I was waiting for that.

I also decided to exercise in earnest which is not something I did last time. Well, not very seriously that is; I only took walks. So running is now in the game and hopefully that will help me with some of the food issues. I will be able to swap activity points for food points.

AWB
One of the reasons I haven't posted in a while is that we had a tough time at our interview at Lesley Ellis. AWB threw 3 temper tantrums and I was mortified at her behavior the very first time in my life. I think it took me over 2 weeks to get over my embarrassment and while I was never mad at AWB, I was so disappointed in her. I was upset by this incident and struggled to find what my true feelings were about it and could not put words to them. It is only now that my own reaction has calmed with the passage of time that I am able to note that this happened to us. The letter came on Saturday that we were wait listed but HKB was mean and teased that this may be their way of letting us know that we were not accepted.

AWB's speech is still limited and she does prefer bringing you physically over to a place to show you what she wants rather than just telling us. But her speech ability is improving. Not in the communication manner but in the mimicry. She will repeat turns of phrases to you from her movies and DVDs and also words she has heard. But they are not in any context or of a limited sort. A "where are you going" turns into a "where are you going, Rabbit". I find it strange.

She has also started putting her hands on her chins in another form of mimicry. She sleeps with her hands tucked under her cheeks, like a princess. Another odd thing she is doing these days is to slip her hands into her diapers and scratch. We have gone back to daily baths as a consequence of this act.

HKB
Continues to struggle with the loss of his dad. He told me that images of his dad before they cremated him, crop up at odd moments in his day. I think that his dad's passing will affect him for a long time. I related to him that to this day, when speaking about my dad, I still tear up and feel sad. Even this morning, I was driving to WW and I thought of my dad and felt a longing for him.