this can't be right, right?

I've read through the helpful posts and have tried to learn about MFP settings, TDEE (this one still confuses me when used with MFP), BMR and CICO, deficits, eating back calories . . . and found myself a little discouraged yesterday. When I initially started using this app to log what I was eating and record exercise I had it set to lose 1 pound a week, on a lightly active setting. I found that too hard to maintain (I did it for a while, and then just got too hungry) and reduced to 0.5 lb/week so I could eat more. At lightly active and 0.5 lb/week I was allotted ~1600 calories a day, and more with exercise. I've found this to be somewhat comfortable (some days I'm truly famished and eat back all my exercise calories).

After reading some of the threads in the forums, I discovered that my activity should be set to (sigh) sedentary. I sit at a desk all day working from home, while also caring for my younger children - in addition to the typical "puttering around the house" activities. I do exercise, but not at exceptional levels. I am almost done week 5 of a C25K program I started after several weeks of daily, brisk walking, and enjoy jogging three times a week. I continue to walk for 40-60 minutes on some of my "off days" at a very fast pace (+4.5 mph) and have also experimented with Pilates and circuit training (not yet a fan of these two).

When I "fixed" my activity setting (lowering from lightly active to sedentary) MFP spat back a 1400 calories goal to lose .5 lb/week. When I changed my goal from weight loss to maintenance I get 1600 calories. I think my eyes started to water at this point. I mean, I thought I would be able to eat quite a bit more than 1600 calories for maintenance (I'm 1 pound from my goal [135 at 5'8.5" <- yes, the .5" matters!] and am so hungry from the reduced calories (1400) today I'm convinced I will hit my goal weight tomorrow). I thought I'd have at least 1800 calories to work with and perhaps on jogging days 2000!

Am I naive? Is it normal to be this hungry all the time? I haven't really paid any attention to calories consumed for nearly a decade, and in that time frame I've been blessed with four lovely kids and 10 vanity pounds. I would be surprised if I ate under 2200 calories before I started logging food in MFP, based on what I have learned from keeping records now.

Have I misunderstood what I've read in the forums and how to use the program? I guess I'm nervous heading into maintenance territory, I worked really hard to lose those (almost) ten pounds and feel proud of what I've accomplished - especially getting more active. Is it true - to maintain my loss I can only eat 1600 calories on days I don't exercise?! That can't be right, right?

To be honest, I was considering "five more pounds" (over the next 3-5 months), but not if it means eating only 1400 calories a day. I am in awe of people with goals of 1200 a day, that's some serious, serious willpower.

Thanks for taking the time to provide constructive feedback and guidance, I appreciate it.