1 week Bandiversary and down 17 lbs from my highest pre-surgery weight!!!

Hi everyone!  Hope you all had a terrific holiday.  Here in Connecticut we are digging ourselves out of 18 inches of snow. 
I can't believe it was a week ago that I was almost being wheeled into the OR.  What a week it has been!  I was really having a rough time for the first couple of days and the recovery was definitely much harder than I anticipated.  However you were all right and it definitely got better!  Today was my first day of mushies - although I could have started earlier according to my surgeon's instructions and I dabbled with some sweet potatoes the other day.  I actually like the protein shakes so I don't mind drinking them and it has been easier to just have those.  Honestly I have been a little afraid to move on but I know that I needed to and so I did. 

Today's menu:

7:00 am protein shake
10:00 am pureed cottage cheese with pineapple
1:00 pm fat free refried beans with low fat cheese
4:00 pm protein shake
7:00 pm pureed southwestern chicken soup with reduced fat cheddar

It feels like I ate so much but it was less than 1000 calories and full of protein.  Those of you who were banded around the same time as me - what are you eating? 

It just feels so great to know that I can do this!  I am truly hopeful for the first time in such a long time. I keep thinking about how good I am going to feel as I hit each milestone - especially Onederland which I have not seen since July 2004.  I have been reading so many of your blogs - catching up on your weight loss stories and each one is so inspirational.  It is great to read about how you felt during my stage and then fast forward to see how wonderful you are doing now.  Especially during the holidays because everyone tends to reflect where they were a year ago.  You should all be so proud!   In thinking about where I was last New Year's. . . it was on my mind that the following week we would need to have our pictures taken for my company's annual report.  I was desperately trying to lose some "bloat" and remember being about 5 lbs heavier than where I am now.  Little did I know that I would gain another 10 lbs as the year progressed.  The prior year I got away with using a great picture from 2002 last year but they said everyone had to take updated ones.  Thus - that horrible picture by my name - I will change it soon - it was just the first one that I found and didn't like it being blank. 

On the home front has been pretty quiet - as quiet as it could be in our house. :)  On Christmas Day we visited my nieces and took them for Hibatchi - miso soup and green tea for me.  They are 11 and 13 and my sister and brother-in-law are pharmacists and both work on Christmas since it is not our holiday - giving others the time off.  My cousin lives nearby and so she stopped by and it was nice to see her.  

Yesterday it started snowing around noon here so we just hit the supermarket and then were home the rest of the day watching movies.  I can't tell you how many times I have seen Toy Story 1, 2, and 3!  Our Au Pair had 2 of her friends over and my husband cooked them a Spiral Ham for a post -Christmas dinner.  It ended up to be a really nice night.  The boys and my husband love having three pretty Swedish girls around :)

Today the gymnastics camp I signed my two older boys up for was cancelled so spent the morning being lazy and then late afternoon we all went to see Yogi Bear.  Between the tickets and popcorn it was $86 for 3 adults and 3 kids.  Totally ridiculous! I have to remember to look for the 2D version of movies because my kids don't even like 3D. 

I am off from work this week and it is so relaxing.  In my business - finance - not much happens the week between Christmas and New Year's and most people take off time to be with their families.  It really was a great time for me to pick to get the band.  Things will pick up again in January and I will be off to Bermuda again the week of the 10th for management meetings.  I will need to be really careful as the meetings involve breakfast, lunch, dinner.  I might just go the protein shake route and if anyone asks I am just trying a new diet.  And I should be able to have soup.  It will be tough not to have any wine.  

Other random thoughts. . . 
Jeans - I can't wait to wear jeans again.  I refused to buy jeans in a size larger than 20.  I have 2 pair of James Jeans plus size that my sister found at Off Saks for $40 each - they are regularly $200 in the store.  I had her get me the 18 and 20 and am going to bring them in to get shortened tomorrow.  I think the 20 fits and hope the 18 will soon. 

Shoes - my total addiction.  When I was thin in the late 1990's/early 2000's I was a huge shoe addict - my biggest weakness at the time was Manolo Blahniks (when not paying for childcare I was able to afford them).  As my weight creeped up I really had difficulty wearing any kind of heal - let alone a skinny one.  First Memphistos became my new friend, then Dankso, and for work when I can't wear my Dansko I wear Taryn Rose but they are so expensive.  I just can't wait to be able to wear nice shoes again for longer than 5 minutes. 

I guess that is all for now.  Have a good night!