Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Attack of the Brain-Eating Babies

I can vividly remember a few {*cough* many *cough} years ago, talking with another one of my unmarried, childless friends about a mutual acquaintance from high school, who had just had her second child.

"I mean, it's like having babies ate her brain," I quipped. "Seriously, is it that difficult to remember to make one measly phone call? I just don't understand how someone so smart and intelligent could suddenly become so flaky. It's like she just can't multi-task any more, poor thing! She seems so overwhelmed! Bless her heart, she wrote me an email the other day and misspelled 'exception' repeatedly...she used to be such a perfectionist about spelling!" And then my unmarried, childless, friend and I both laughed, because it was true. We loved our our mutual acquaintance, but she had become flaky, and we just didn't understand why or how.

Years later, I had Lizzy, and puffed up with self-righteousness because even after a baby, I could still remember things. I could multi-task. I'd see someone at the store, and they'd ask me to send an email out about photography, and I'd remember by the time I got home. People asked how I'd find time to blog, or read, and I'd reply, "I just make the time." Looking back, that sounds terribly self righteous and holier than thou, but it was just my reality then. Having Lizzy changed our reality some, but not a ton.

And then I had Becca, and I realized that the second babies must come equipped with some special brain-eating feature that no one told me about. Because y'all? I cannot remember anything. I can no longer multi-task. I AM that mom that I poked fun at before. Heck, it took me five tries to correctly spell "acquaintance" from earlier in this blog post.

A few days ago, Justin saw my to-do list that I'd left on the table. I hadn't gotten around to physically crossing off anything that I'd accomplished yet, so Justin was calling things out to me and crossing them off for me. Our conversation went a little like this:

Justin: Did you clean up the living room?
Me: Yes, even though you already can't tell.
Justin: Did you take Lizzy to swimming lessons?
Me: Yes.
Justin: Did you prep dinner?
Me: UGH! No! I totally forgot to pull meat out of the freezer.
Justin: That's okay--pizza night! Did you update the church website?
Me: I forgot again. I need some time to do that tonight.
Justin: Did you call Kaitlin's grandma back?
Me: Oh no! I forgot again! Crap!
Justin: Did you order a new remote for the new dvd player (don't ask)?
Me: For the love! No. I forgot.
Justin: Did you put Lizzy's fitted sheet back on her bed?
Me: Um, it's now sitting in her room instead of the living room floor.
Justin: Did you do Bible Study?
Me: I moved the books from the bedroom to the kitchen table...and then got distracted by a crying baby.
Justin: Did you pay the water bill?
Me: I have no idea. I already can't remember.

I STILL haven't remembered to update the website, order a new remote, or call back Kaitlin's grandma. Of course, I only seem to remember these things between the hours of midnight and 3am. Don't let her big old grin fool you folks, Becca is a straight-up brain eating baby. And I have become a straight-up frazzled, can't remember anything mama.

 It's worth it.

12 comments:

  1. At least you write it on a list. Maybe it will get done eventually instead of never :)

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  2. OMG, those smiles can melt hearts. And brains too I guess! I don't mind being a little mindless, at least we have a good excuse for it and I don't think we'd have it any other way. :-)

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  3. Girl, I am STILL like this. And my kids are 4 1/2 and almost 3!

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  4. Haha, I could have wrote this post myself. I was just telling my boyfriend yesterday how it's so frustrating that I cannot remember anything.

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  5. Here is my reality--I could NOT, NOT remember anything if it weren't for SIRI and my reminder app on my phone. I literally pick that thing up 239482093829038 a day and say, "Remind me to _____ at 2pm"..or whatever. Absolutely brain-eating. They are. SO CUTE THOUGH.

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  6. My kids ate my brain and motivation. And I agree...it was worse the second time around.

    However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! It wasn't until Gabby hit the one year mark that I actually started to feel human again. I was just talking to Julia (My Life in Transition) about this the other day too - that we actually become MORE productive and organized after becoming a mom because we HAVE to. I was a frazzled, tired mess for a LONG time but I got my mojo back about 6 months ago. You'll get yours too :) For now, enjoy the ride!

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  7. Story of my life right now. Lists have become my best friends. Sigh.

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  8. I am so glad i am not the only one.

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  9. I'm so happy to read this. We've only been home a week and I've become the most forgetful person.

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  10. Hooray!! I thought I might be the only one... I am mindless. I was typing the other day and actually thought "well if I keep trying different letters I might get close enough for spell check to figure it out..." and that is how I spelled the word correctly. Just close enough.

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  11. Haha oh so true. Should we talk about the time I completely blanked on the word 'wagon'? I had to describe it to Matt. 'oh...you know...that thing with wheels...and you can pull stuff around in it?'

    Yow!

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  12. Love this - I can totally relate. But your last sentence is the real kicker - it is TOTALLY worth it.

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