Monday, November 2, 2009

My Super Mommy Powers

After 30 (and two children), the memory starts to go. That on top of my less than stellar organizational abilities make for some daily challenges. I do my best to keep myself in line by using my BBerry for all its worth. There are still a few post-its stuck to my monitor for the phone calls that need to be returned, but I generally organize my life through my Outlook.

We have a running joke in our department that if you ask us about a project we worked on previous to that day, our answer is generally, "I've slept since then" and we'll have to go through our email folder before we can answer any questions on the matter.

I used to memorize every line of a script, not just my lines, but I can't remember someone's name if I don't have their email in the body of my reply. I have accepted that my memory is gone.

I have to leave my keys in the same place or else I won't know where they are. I need my routines.

Still, I can tell you on any given day what my children are wearing. Sylvia looked for her phone last week for two days, and I found it in 5 seconds. Riley couldn't find a certain pair of shoes for a week, and I found them in 20 seconds.

How is it that I have to look up my sister's cell phone number every time I call her (even though she's had the same one for six years), but I can answer any "Mommy, where's my ___" question before they've finished asking?

Of course, there are huge pay-offs to these minor miracles that I accomplish without really trying. The girls' faces light up and they say, "thank you so much, Mommy!" and give me hugs and kisses for finding their long-lost whatever.

I don't tell them that I have no idea how I do it.

11 comments:

Cat said...

Yeah, I definitely think that since having a child parts of my brain have repurposed themselves.

"Hey, brain cells! The ones in charge of college level philosophy coursework! Forget everything you know about Durkheim and start studying up on proper latch technique!"

I feel you.

dadshouse said...

I'm mid 40s, and my memory is totally shot!! :-) Actually, I still remember random facts about pop culture. Helps my blogging. But I couldn't tell you what I blogged about yesterday. Onward!

Kori said...

I agree with CAt; we remember just as much, if not more, than we EVER did, but it is just a totally different kind of remembering. And I would love to be the perfect little mommmy blogger and say, "WE only remember the REALLY important things now!" but I think we got shafted sometimes. Just sayin.'

MindyMom said...

Heh, 'supermommy powers'. :)

Why can't they extend to getting our kids to clean up after themselves - or the bills to pay themselves. It is very rewarding to hear the 'I love you's' from the kids though.

Unknown said...

The aging memory is a strange thing the way it comes and goes. Funny, I can remember things right down to the tiny details from the past (5+ years) but I can't remember conversations from a few days ago and like you said, phone numbers, etc.

Sometimes I think we're just so swamped with information day-to-day and that's the reason for the loss?

Loth said...

YOu can remember stuff like the location of shoes BECAUSE you don't remember the other stuff! Your brain only has a certain amount of space so something has to fall out, usually work stuff and phone numbers. Personally, I can never find my car keys but can recall the lyrics to every single song that was a hit in the 80s. It's swings and roundabouts.

Mama Smurf said...

The brain can only hold so much information. Mine is overflowing. As one thing enters the brain something always falls out.

Laski said...

April--I get it! I do. So, so true. I left the keys in the car (battery died). I can never remember where I left my bra (long story--not really, I just really don't know where I left it), I forget to eat, I can't remember dates, phone numbers--no way. But, I'm like a flippin' memory machine when it comes to my children.

And you know, even though I'm walking around bra-less without a clue as to what today's date is, I know exactly how much JR had for breakfast, what CARS socks he has on, and the number of pee pee diapers I've changed for Little A.

Excellent post.

Oh, and you need to e-mail me. We need to have a discussion :) laskigal AT gmail.com

won said...

I wanted to tell you...

hmm, never mind....I forgot what I wanted to say.

But I can relate!

Kristen said...

Could you come to my house and find my kids' cell phone? My mommy super powers seem to have deserted me. ::sigh::

Shiona said...

How cool. I have my moments but when it comes to other things I'm on top of it so I SO understand.