Pretty much the most ridiculous law suit ever. Minus the one where those girls tried suing McDonald's for making them fat.

A lot of girls seem to make the mistake of getting into a relationship with a guy simply to avoid being alone, or to be able to say that they have someone, despite not truly caring for him or being all that compatible with him. Settling on the guy just to have the relationship. I personally prefer to make sure I really like the guy and can see us lasting long term before become exclusive with him. Doesn't mean it will end up being long term, but at least has the potential to be based on our compatibility. Thinking he's just okay isn't enough for me, but it seems that a lot of girls think it is in the beginning and then regret it later.

Dating a guy just because she doesn't want to be alone, rather than taking the time to find someone she truly cares about and is compatible with.

Trust has nothing to do with what the person is ACTUALLY doing. You can trust him til the cows come home, but that doesn't mean he's worthy of it.

I wasn't talking about the trust factor, I just said that even if you're happy in the relationship, that's no indicator that it's a good relationship.

I do the same. Pick up any clothes lying around, put my kids' toys away, make sure all my makeup and hair stuff is off the bathroom counter.

Things like that can get away from me when I'm busy dealing with the kids, so when it's just us at home, as long as it's clean, I don't mind if it's a little messy.

I'm single, but not really looking. Still, I figured having a profile here wouldn't hurt. Never know who I might meet, even just as friends.

And forums are always fun. I'm a stay at home mom so it gives me some adult interaction when all I've got some days are 2 toddlers and a dog.

One thing that I want to touch on, that someone else said and that I COMPLETELY disagree with, is waiting a year to introduce your children to the man you're involved with. As a mother, I find that impossible. I can't keep those two worlds separate. I just can't. I don't know how I could let myself get that close to a man that I'd stay with him for an entire year, yet not let him in on such a huge huge HUGE part of my life (my kids). It just seems completely counter productive. I wouldn't be able to develop a solid, lasting relationship with someone while keeping my family hidden away.

Further, if the man doesn't have children himself, he's just not going to ever learn to accept life with mine if I make him wait an entire year, or close to it. He would get used to our time spent just the two of us, and when it came time to incorporate my kids, it'd be a big shock and I wouldn't blame him for having a hard time adjusting. He'd fall in love with ME not US, and while I don't want/need a father figure for my children (they already have that), we do come as a package deal. Gotta understand that an afternoon at the park or Chuck E Cheese's is what you do for fun when you have kids. And you can't just pick up and go whenever you want.

I've dated a lot as a single mom. My biggest rule is that they don't get to meet until we're in an exclusive relationship, not just "dating". And when they do meet, I prefer it to be in a kind of neutral place, like a park or a restaurant. I try to keep overnight stays (him staying over) for the nights when I'm on my own for a while, even after they've met and become comfortable with one another. I never ask or expect the guy to do anything for them... No diaper changing, no filling up a sippy, nothing like what daddy would do. And I make sure he very clearly knows he's never to refer to himself as daddy.

I'm sorry you're having a rough time :(

I've been there. I think we all have at some point. Even at multiple points. And even have probably done it to others, even if we weren't aware we were doing it at the time. It sucks, but it happens.

I don't think you did anything wrong. I don't think you moved too fast (from what you've said) and I don't think you could have done anything differently to prevent such an outcome with this guy. It's all on him.

Don't look at this in a "I opened my heart and look what happened" sort of way. Look at it in a "I have the ability to open my heart, knowing it may not end the way that I'd like, and I can survive if it doesn't".

It wouldn't really be cheating, because I'd end the relationship as soon as I found out.

I've had a long list on ways to save for a long time, and finally added it to my blog just now, rather than posting the whole thing here.
http://www.mamalaura.net/2009/05/ways-to-save.html

They can only work in the short term, and even then the definition of working varies. I think they only work in the sense that people can remain happy in them for a short period. That's not to say it's a good relationship, in terms of who knows what the other person is doing while you're not there and all of that.

She looks a lot like the little guy I adopted last weekend :)

The simple answer would be no, I don't consider it cheating. But I do consider it disrespectful.

A more detailed answer would go into the fact that everyone's idea of flirting is different. Some people might consider being really friendly flirting, and others might not thing that it gets into flirting territory until you actually start hitting on the other person, asking them out, maybe discussing "inappropriate" things.

I did back in high school. I had moved away from my hometown and the boyfriend I was with there, and we were still together. Neither of us had a driver's license and so we couldn't see each other much... I ended up cheating on him several times. He knows about it now, many years later, and says he still has trust issues because of it.

I've only cheated once as an adult. I was planning on ending the relationship I was in, and 2 nights before I actually did it, I cheated on the guy.

I still feel really bad about both, and definitely know that I was in the wrong. I've been cheated on and it feels horrible. It feels equally horrible to know that I've made other people feel that way.

Get a job at a daycare center.

I know you watched your nieces, but trust me, as a mom to 2 toddlers, babysitting is NOTHING like having your own. It's not 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, for a couple of months during the summer. It's 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

It's exhausting.

Ever have a long day and come home and just want to relax? As a parent, you can't do that.
Enjoy choosing when to go to bed? Not an option when you have to rock an infant for hours because they can't get to sleep.
Like being able to get up and go whenever you want? Try adding 30-60 minutes onto everything, allowing time to pack up a diaper bag and get a kid ready.
A 10 minute trip to the grocery store suddenly becomes 30 minutes.
Have an extra ~$800 a month for daycare, or does your BF make enough to allow you to stay home (with the extra mouth to feed)?
Do you have the space for everything a baby needs?
Good health insurance?
What happens if you have a child born disabled? Or the child becomes disabled later?

I know you said you're going to wait, and whether you do or not is your business. And I'd be lying if I said all of the hardships aren't worth it, because they so are. And you can never be truly ready because parenthood is unlike anything you've ever experience. I'm not telling you to wait, I'm just saying to REALLY think about everything before you do take that step. Hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.

Usually parked outside my house.

Otherwise... My high school parking lot. Down the street from my friend's house. In an empty field bordered with trees. A church parking lot.

Never got caught. People have seen and I didn't realize it at the time, but nobody ever like, came up to the cars I was in.

I totally agree with all of that (minus the hunter part - nothing wrong with it, I just don't do it).



And that.

My mouth is still partially numb from a cavity I had filled earlier today, so right now I'm just munching some veggies with ranch on the side that isn't numb. I probably won't have a true dinner for a few hours (but it's only 5:30 here anyway). Probably leftover spaghetti with a very meaty and veggie sauce.

I have fat friends who complain about men being "shallow" because they won't date a woman of their size. It really ticks me off. I'm no Kate Moss, that's for sure, and it doesn't bother me one bit of a guy doesn't like me because of my size. It's just a preference and we all have them. You shouldn't fault someone for what they find physically attractive. No different than me loving redheads, or freakishly tall men. You can try to go outside of your preferences, but if you're not completely attracted to your partner, it can be bad news.

Having other standards is just the same. When talking to a guy online, if he can't spell well, I lose all interest. If he can't financially support himself, or is living with mom and dad, I don't want him. Needs constant reassurance? Pass. Agrees with me all the time? No thanks. They're just things that I do and don't want in a partner, and there's nothing wrong with that. In some cases it can help to compromise, but it's not a requirement. It's your life and if you want to keep searching until you find your ideal, go for it.

You're actually off by like, 600 calories. A bacon, egg, and cheese croissant sandwich, medium hash browns, and OJ are 910 calories (carbs - 101, fat - 47, protein - 20). Is that still a ton of calories? Yes. But nowhere near 1500.