Tuesday, November 25, 2008
I'm an author!
OH MY! I was just chosen as an author for WonderDads! I will be published soon and how exciting is that? SO busy now but will blog later!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The grass is always greener . . .
It's true that the grass is always greener on the other side. I know this but sometimes you have to experience it for yourself, right? I definitely will appreciate being "just a mom" more now after a brief fling with a kind of job. A fling that left me feeling used, abused and lied to!
Anyway, I love hanging out with the kiddos and having nothing more in life to do but take care of them. Who needs money anyway? I need to suffer with the others in this piss poor economy! So, look for more funny blogs from me :)
Anyway, I love hanging out with the kiddos and having nothing more in life to do but take care of them. Who needs money anyway? I need to suffer with the others in this piss poor economy! So, look for more funny blogs from me :)
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The difference in raising our children
There is an old Chinese proverb that describes how a mother reacts when her child drops their pacifier on the floor. (Okay, so it's not Chinese but that makes it sound more appealing than saying some random mom at the park said it). Anyway, the saying goes like this - when your first child drops their pacifier on the ground you pick it up, sanitize it properly and hand it back to them. No germs for your pride and joy! When your second child drops their pacifier on the floor you pick it up, run it under some water and hand it back to them. You're pretty sure the water got most of the germs off. By the time your third child drops their pacifier on the floor you pick it up, spit on it and rub it on your pants to dry, and hand it back to them. Germ scherm! Who's got time to worry about such trivial things!
Those with only one child, please stop your 'it will never happen to me' thoughts because, well . . . . IT WILL!. Most moms change their parenting style the more children that they have. We get more laid back and relaxed than we thought that we ever would.
The first change in our parenting style occurs with our children's milestones. With our first child we read our official 'First Year' books which are placed prominently in our bookshelf where they are easily accessible. We look ahead at every month to make sure our child is exactly where they are supposed to be. If they are walking, talking or even blinking ahead of schedule we tell the whole world. We're bragging to grandma, our friends and even the clerk at the grocery store! If they are even a week behind in what they are supposed to be we are in a panic. By the time we reach our third child things have changed a bit. That official 'First Year' book is now buried behind an “Us Weekly” magazine. You have no idea when your child is technically supposed to roll over or sleep through the night but are smart enough to know it's somewhere between three months and a year. And (thank goodness!) you are so much more relaxed when your child grows at their own rate and not little Jack's down the street.
Following milestones by a close second are naps. Your first child always slept in their crib. Your entire day was planned around their nap schedule. You left the zoo in plenty of time to get home and place them in the crib before they would drift slowly off to sleep. Your second child was a little different. You might leave the zoo a little later, so they fell asleep in the car. If you're lucky, they will stay asleep as you transfer them from their car seat to their crib. And if they wake up during this transfer, oh well, they just had a shorter nap today. Now, by the time your third child comes around your trip to the zoo does not include nap plans. Your third child will take their nap in the stroller for thirty minutes without missing a beat and you will not think anything of it.
Another way us moms get more relaxed is with what tv programs our children are allowed to watch. Your first child probably only watched one or two of those 'Baby Einstein' videos to enhance their brain development. The ones and twos were spent watching the educational Sesame Street or Blue's Clues. By the time your third child came around they quickly skip over all of those younger shows. They want to watch Sponge Bob and Hanna Montana from the age of 9 months. It's not that you've planned it that way, but seeing their big sister or big brother watching those cool shows makes them want to watch them also. And the house is so quiet with all of your children watching tv that you don't see the point in arguing.
Moms, don't fret if you see yourself in any of these situations or have many more of your own. It is these relaxed ways which make our subsequent children more adaptable. I, for one, (a second child) am a much better person for it!
There is an old Chinese proverb that describes how a mother reacts when her child drops their pacifier on the floor. (Okay, so it's not Chinese but that makes it sound more appealing than saying some random mom at the park said it). Anyway, the saying goes like this - when your first child drops their pacifier on the ground you pick it up, sanitize it properly and hand it back to them. No germs for your pride and joy! When your second child drops their pacifier on the floor you pick it up, run it under some water and hand it back to them. You're pretty sure the water got most of the germs off. By the time your third child drops their pacifier on the floor you pick it up, spit on it and rub it on your pants to dry, and hand it back to them. Germ scherm! Who's got time to worry about such trivial things!
Those with only one child, please stop your 'it will never happen to me' thoughts because, well . . . . IT WILL!. Most moms change their parenting style the more children that they have. We get more laid back and relaxed than we thought that we ever would.
The first change in our parenting style occurs with our children's milestones. With our first child we read our official 'First Year' books which are placed prominently in our bookshelf where they are easily accessible. We look ahead at every month to make sure our child is exactly where they are supposed to be. If they are walking, talking or even blinking ahead of schedule we tell the whole world. We're bragging to grandma, our friends and even the clerk at the grocery store! If they are even a week behind in what they are supposed to be we are in a panic. By the time we reach our third child things have changed a bit. That official 'First Year' book is now buried behind an “Us Weekly” magazine. You have no idea when your child is technically supposed to roll over or sleep through the night but are smart enough to know it's somewhere between three months and a year. And (thank goodness!) you are so much more relaxed when your child grows at their own rate and not little Jack's down the street.
Following milestones by a close second are naps. Your first child always slept in their crib. Your entire day was planned around their nap schedule. You left the zoo in plenty of time to get home and place them in the crib before they would drift slowly off to sleep. Your second child was a little different. You might leave the zoo a little later, so they fell asleep in the car. If you're lucky, they will stay asleep as you transfer them from their car seat to their crib. And if they wake up during this transfer, oh well, they just had a shorter nap today. Now, by the time your third child comes around your trip to the zoo does not include nap plans. Your third child will take their nap in the stroller for thirty minutes without missing a beat and you will not think anything of it.
Another way us moms get more relaxed is with what tv programs our children are allowed to watch. Your first child probably only watched one or two of those 'Baby Einstein' videos to enhance their brain development. The ones and twos were spent watching the educational Sesame Street or Blue's Clues. By the time your third child came around they quickly skip over all of those younger shows. They want to watch Sponge Bob and Hanna Montana from the age of 9 months. It's not that you've planned it that way, but seeing their big sister or big brother watching those cool shows makes them want to watch them also. And the house is so quiet with all of your children watching tv that you don't see the point in arguing.
Moms, don't fret if you see yourself in any of these situations or have many more of your own. It is these relaxed ways which make our subsequent children more adaptable. I, for one, (a second child) am a much better person for it!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
The Best Advice You'll Ever Get
So, you are a new mom and overloaded with advice? Veteran moms tell you to breastfeed, bottle feed, sleep with your baby, don't sleep with your baby, use a pacifier, don't use a pacifier and we could go on and on. Well, new moms, listen up for just one more piece of advice and it's gong to be the best one that you've ever heard.
Start a monthly girls group! Yes, you heard me right, a mandatory once a month girls night out (or in)! Let me tell you, those friends that you went to college with or grew up with will soon become hard to keep up with. Phone calls will become few and far between. The phone calls that you do have with them will end with 'we'll have to get together', but you may never find the time to do it. Pretty soon, you'll run into Sally (or wait, is her name Susie?) that you used to be so close with and you won't even recognize her. And you'll end that conversation with saying 'We should get together!' But you know that you won't. Y'all know what I'm talking about!
Why do you need to talk to your girlfriends so often? Because they get you. Oh, your husband may be your best friend, but does he roll his eyes when you want to over analyze Meredith and Derek's relationship from Grey's Anatomy? He can be a dear and will listen to you when you tell him how bad your cramps hurt, but does he truly have an idea of what you are talking about? Your mother is great to go shopping with, but can you let go and tell her the nitty gritty problems of your sex life?
Your girlfriends keep your secrets and tell you how life really is. They celebrate with you when you have a baby and mourn with you when you lose a parent. They will always tell you how great you look and share their secrets on how they look so great. They love you unconditionally.
About six years ago one of my smartest friends had the most genius idea to begin a monthly card group. To this day, eight of us get together once a month at someone's house. We leave our kids, husbands and worries behind. We fall off of our diets, eating snacks, appetizers, dinner and a lot of desserts. We drink our favorite wine, beer or drink of the night.
But the best part of our girls nights is the conversation. We talk about our kids, our husbands or our neighbors. We talk about whomever didn't show up that night. We talk about tv shows, current events and a lot of topics that would not be appropriate for a little Blog such as this.
We come from all different sides of towns and don't complain about the long drive. If it weren't for this group, I don't know that I would even see any of these girls. Our joke in our girls group is that someone is always pregnant or nursing. And that trend still continues to this day.
Oh, and I should mention that we play cards too. Euchre, Texas Hold'em or Bunco, depending on how many of us could make it. There is a small pot for the winner and a small prize for the loser. Just enough to make it interesting.
And trust me, if you want to be the best mother that you can be, a girls night out may be just what you need. It is something that you can't get from a book, a class or hear on tv. That's why I love girlfriends.
So, you are a new mom and overloaded with advice? Veteran moms tell you to breastfeed, bottle feed, sleep with your baby, don't sleep with your baby, use a pacifier, don't use a pacifier and we could go on and on. Well, new moms, listen up for just one more piece of advice and it's gong to be the best one that you've ever heard.
Start a monthly girls group! Yes, you heard me right, a mandatory once a month girls night out (or in)! Let me tell you, those friends that you went to college with or grew up with will soon become hard to keep up with. Phone calls will become few and far between. The phone calls that you do have with them will end with 'we'll have to get together', but you may never find the time to do it. Pretty soon, you'll run into Sally (or wait, is her name Susie?) that you used to be so close with and you won't even recognize her. And you'll end that conversation with saying 'We should get together!' But you know that you won't. Y'all know what I'm talking about!
Why do you need to talk to your girlfriends so often? Because they get you. Oh, your husband may be your best friend, but does he roll his eyes when you want to over analyze Meredith and Derek's relationship from Grey's Anatomy? He can be a dear and will listen to you when you tell him how bad your cramps hurt, but does he truly have an idea of what you are talking about? Your mother is great to go shopping with, but can you let go and tell her the nitty gritty problems of your sex life?
Your girlfriends keep your secrets and tell you how life really is. They celebrate with you when you have a baby and mourn with you when you lose a parent. They will always tell you how great you look and share their secrets on how they look so great. They love you unconditionally.
About six years ago one of my smartest friends had the most genius idea to begin a monthly card group. To this day, eight of us get together once a month at someone's house. We leave our kids, husbands and worries behind. We fall off of our diets, eating snacks, appetizers, dinner and a lot of desserts. We drink our favorite wine, beer or drink of the night.
But the best part of our girls nights is the conversation. We talk about our kids, our husbands or our neighbors. We talk about whomever didn't show up that night. We talk about tv shows, current events and a lot of topics that would not be appropriate for a little Blog such as this.
We come from all different sides of towns and don't complain about the long drive. If it weren't for this group, I don't know that I would even see any of these girls. Our joke in our girls group is that someone is always pregnant or nursing. And that trend still continues to this day.
Oh, and I should mention that we play cards too. Euchre, Texas Hold'em or Bunco, depending on how many of us could make it. There is a small pot for the winner and a small prize for the loser. Just enough to make it interesting.
And trust me, if you want to be the best mother that you can be, a girls night out may be just what you need. It is something that you can't get from a book, a class or hear on tv. That's why I love girlfriends.
Friday, May 2, 2008
The Bigger The Better
I'm not sure what happens to us after we have children. Suddenly, size does matter. We want it as big as it can be! Now, get your head out of the gutter because you've got it all wrong!
Our fascination with size all begins while shopping in that ginormous baby store searching for the perfect stroller for our pint size baby. We spot that tiny stroller in the corner that would effortlessly fit into a normal sized doorway. Nope, that won't do. Next we look at that medium sized one with just a little storage. No thanks. Where would we put all of our stuff? But that extra large one that is almost as big as a Volkswagen Bug. We'll take it! That stroller has a cup holder, a key holder, a big storage compartment on bottom for bags, purses and any other random items we feel the need to carry. Not to mention plenty of room for our baby. In the biggest stroller our baby will be able to lay down, sit up, side straddle, stand up, criss cross applesauce and even perform Cirque de Soleil moves!
While we're shopping let's head over to the diaper bags. Before children we carried purses so tiny that we could barely fit a cell phone and credit card in them. These post-baby bags have got to be as big as Texas! Because they're called diaper bags we have to put in diapers and wipes. But that is not all our babies need. They also need bottles, sippy cups, toys, snacks, a change of clothing, diaper rash ointment, books, pacifiers and a partridge in a pear tree!
Next on our list is our vehicle. Just try to fit one car seat into a two door car and you'll know why. Those gas guzzling full size SUVs and Minivans that you always made fun of now seem very appealing. And they can't just seat seven. There at least needs to be an option to seat eight people. Never mind that we only have one child and they don't even have any friends yet. Mucho amount of storage is a must too. The seats have to hide in the bottom or be taken out to allow for even more storage. You never know when you might want to haul a refrigerator.
While we're at it, who can resist an extra-large television? It's got to be at least 30 inches and take up every last inch of the entertainment center. And that's just the one we keep in the bedroom! The t.v. in the family room has to be as wide as we are tall. No, wait it has to be bigger than that. Let's make it wider than the Jones's. By a foot. We want to watch those important reality shows and feel like we are right in the middle of all of that bickering.
Last but certainly not least is our pride and joy. Our home. Before children we were content with our three bedroom, one and a half bath ranch. You could clean that entire house in one afternoon. Ah, the good old days! So, why did we move again? Well, everyone needs their own room and then a guest room is a must for visits from grandparents. You now need a basement to keep all of your toys. The grown-up toys that is. And the kids need a playroom, a walk-in closet, their own bathroom, a play set and a gps tracker so you can track them down in such a massive castle. The garage even has to have places to park three cars to allow room for those big vehicles.
So, the next time that you are shopping for an item, see if you are drawn to the larger option. I bet you will be. And for some strange reason you'll just have to buy it. Because we like it big now.
Our fascination with size all begins while shopping in that ginormous baby store searching for the perfect stroller for our pint size baby. We spot that tiny stroller in the corner that would effortlessly fit into a normal sized doorway. Nope, that won't do. Next we look at that medium sized one with just a little storage. No thanks. Where would we put all of our stuff? But that extra large one that is almost as big as a Volkswagen Bug. We'll take it! That stroller has a cup holder, a key holder, a big storage compartment on bottom for bags, purses and any other random items we feel the need to carry. Not to mention plenty of room for our baby. In the biggest stroller our baby will be able to lay down, sit up, side straddle, stand up, criss cross applesauce and even perform Cirque de Soleil moves!
While we're shopping let's head over to the diaper bags. Before children we carried purses so tiny that we could barely fit a cell phone and credit card in them. These post-baby bags have got to be as big as Texas! Because they're called diaper bags we have to put in diapers and wipes. But that is not all our babies need. They also need bottles, sippy cups, toys, snacks, a change of clothing, diaper rash ointment, books, pacifiers and a partridge in a pear tree!
Next on our list is our vehicle. Just try to fit one car seat into a two door car and you'll know why. Those gas guzzling full size SUVs and Minivans that you always made fun of now seem very appealing. And they can't just seat seven. There at least needs to be an option to seat eight people. Never mind that we only have one child and they don't even have any friends yet. Mucho amount of storage is a must too. The seats have to hide in the bottom or be taken out to allow for even more storage. You never know when you might want to haul a refrigerator.
While we're at it, who can resist an extra-large television? It's got to be at least 30 inches and take up every last inch of the entertainment center. And that's just the one we keep in the bedroom! The t.v. in the family room has to be as wide as we are tall. No, wait it has to be bigger than that. Let's make it wider than the Jones's. By a foot. We want to watch those important reality shows and feel like we are right in the middle of all of that bickering.
Last but certainly not least is our pride and joy. Our home. Before children we were content with our three bedroom, one and a half bath ranch. You could clean that entire house in one afternoon. Ah, the good old days! So, why did we move again? Well, everyone needs their own room and then a guest room is a must for visits from grandparents. You now need a basement to keep all of your toys. The grown-up toys that is. And the kids need a playroom, a walk-in closet, their own bathroom, a play set and a gps tracker so you can track them down in such a massive castle. The garage even has to have places to park three cars to allow room for those big vehicles.
So, the next time that you are shopping for an item, see if you are drawn to the larger option. I bet you will be. And for some strange reason you'll just have to buy it. Because we like it big now.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
I've been meaning to tell a lot of my friends about some news but somehow it is never the right situation to bring a serious subject up! Sometimes typing is the only way to tell people information that has a lot of details. So here goes - several months ago, I was seeing an esthetician in a dermatologists office for some laser skin treatments when what I thought was a pimple popped up on my left cheek and did not go away. I asked my esthetician about this bump and she had a dermatologist look at it who told me to make an appointment if it hadn't gone away in a month. So, to make a long story short that "pimple" was actually squamous cell carcinoma skin cancer. Of course, I immediately had it removed. Now, please don't panic because squamous cell rarely spreads like Melanoma does so this is not a life-threatening situation. Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common form of skin cancer, with over 250,000 new cases per year estimated in the United States. Squamous cell is a form of skin cancer usually caused by repeated exposure to the sun. Here is a link where you can read more information on squamous cell and the other forms of skin cancer. http://www.skincancer.org/squamous/index.php
After the initial shock of hearing 'cancer!' wore off, I am doing fine. In addition to having the bump removed, my dermatologist prescribed a topical chemotherapy (Aldara) that will attack any pre cancerous cells on my face. My reaction to this is quite mild which is a good indicator that I did not have much. I have some spots which I am covering up (as best I can) but this is mild comparing it to pictures that I've seen on the Internet! I will also be using Retin-A (commonly used for wrinkles and acne) when this is completed and will be looking in to other preventative measures. I will also be seeing my dermatologist frequently for checks for suspicious spots and will be doing checks of my own every month.
And of course, I will not be going for a tan in the summer. Luckily, we live in a age where spray tanning is available because who likes to be pale all summer? I'm going to avoid the sun as best as I can, especially at midday when the rays are the strongest. However, being a SAHM of three young kids I will be out during those hours from time to time. I've purchased some wide brimmed hats, some clothing with spf in the fibers and last but certainly not least, lots of sunscreen! My dermatologist says that with all of these preventative measures by the time I am her age (50's) I will be ahead of the game and I agree!
The reason for sending out this message is twofold. The first is to update everyone. Please don't hesitate to ask questions or talk to me about it. I am completely open to talking about it. The second reason is to pass along the very important message of seeing a dermatologist for any changes to your skin. My bump was small and did not look like any of the pictures of skin cancer that I have seen on the Internet. I have to thank God that I was going to a dermatologist office to begin with and pat myself of the back for getting my butt in the office pretty quickly!
Another important message is to keep sunscreen on yourself and your children. As adults, we pay for all of the sun damage done when we were children.
I'll see you all this summer, with my floppy hat sitting in the shade!
After the initial shock of hearing 'cancer!' wore off, I am doing fine. In addition to having the bump removed, my dermatologist prescribed a topical chemotherapy (Aldara) that will attack any pre cancerous cells on my face. My reaction to this is quite mild which is a good indicator that I did not have much. I have some spots which I am covering up (as best I can) but this is mild comparing it to pictures that I've seen on the Internet! I will also be using Retin-A (commonly used for wrinkles and acne) when this is completed and will be looking in to other preventative measures. I will also be seeing my dermatologist frequently for checks for suspicious spots and will be doing checks of my own every month.
And of course, I will not be going for a tan in the summer. Luckily, we live in a age where spray tanning is available because who likes to be pale all summer? I'm going to avoid the sun as best as I can, especially at midday when the rays are the strongest. However, being a SAHM of three young kids I will be out during those hours from time to time. I've purchased some wide brimmed hats, some clothing with spf in the fibers and last but certainly not least, lots of sunscreen! My dermatologist says that with all of these preventative measures by the time I am her age (50's) I will be ahead of the game and I agree!
The reason for sending out this message is twofold. The first is to update everyone. Please don't hesitate to ask questions or talk to me about it. I am completely open to talking about it. The second reason is to pass along the very important message of seeing a dermatologist for any changes to your skin. My bump was small and did not look like any of the pictures of skin cancer that I have seen on the Internet. I have to thank God that I was going to a dermatologist office to begin with and pat myself of the back for getting my butt in the office pretty quickly!
Another important message is to keep sunscreen on yourself and your children. As adults, we pay for all of the sun damage done when we were children.
I'll see you all this summer, with my floppy hat sitting in the shade!
Monday, April 21, 2008
The food police
Okay, I admit it. I am the Food Police. I am a very picky shopper. I won't buy anything with artificial colors, artificial flavors, high fructose corn syrup or trans fats in it. I try to stay away from pesticides or anything that is not all natural as much as I can. My kids generally don't eat "fruit" snacks, Lucky Charms or colored Goldfish (though the regular ones are a staple in our house).
This rigid philosophy always goes out the window when I have one of my older children with me. (My one year old does not count as she doesn't know all of the temptations of a grocery store yet). Just yesterday I set off to Marsh with my baby and my 4 year old with me. My 4 year old likes to walk and push a kid cart. We were doing just fine until we passed those summer frozen Popsicles that they stick right in the center of the aisle. "Mom can we have these?" I hear from behind me and knowing exactly what he was talking about. I turn around to the cutest face and smile in the world. "Okay," I sigh and keep on walking, silently cursing out those food companies that don't care about anything but a profit.
You get the idea. And so on and so forth, although I did manage to say a firm no to the donuts! By the end of the shopping trip we have Cheetos - and not the Natural kind that I usually buy, though I did manage to convince him to buy baked. Cheetos contain artificial colors and not only are those bad for you, but that orange stuff gets on their hands, clothes and always ends up somewhere in your house. We also purchased some kind of scooby graham snacks (trans fats & high fructose corn syrup) and Gatorades (artificial colors & HFCS).
The lesson here is DON'T TAKE YOUR CHILDREN TO THE STORE WITH YOU! If you can help it, that is. I generally don't, between weekends and preschool, but sometimes it happens. If that stuff is not in our house then they (or I) don't eat as much of it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to eat some of those darn good Cheetos!
Okay, I admit it. I am the Food Police. I am a very picky shopper. I won't buy anything with artificial colors, artificial flavors, high fructose corn syrup or trans fats in it. I try to stay away from pesticides or anything that is not all natural as much as I can. My kids generally don't eat "fruit" snacks, Lucky Charms or colored Goldfish (though the regular ones are a staple in our house).
This rigid philosophy always goes out the window when I have one of my older children with me. (My one year old does not count as she doesn't know all of the temptations of a grocery store yet). Just yesterday I set off to Marsh with my baby and my 4 year old with me. My 4 year old likes to walk and push a kid cart. We were doing just fine until we passed those summer frozen Popsicles that they stick right in the center of the aisle. "Mom can we have these?" I hear from behind me and knowing exactly what he was talking about. I turn around to the cutest face and smile in the world. "Okay," I sigh and keep on walking, silently cursing out those food companies that don't care about anything but a profit.
You get the idea. And so on and so forth, although I did manage to say a firm no to the donuts! By the end of the shopping trip we have Cheetos - and not the Natural kind that I usually buy, though I did manage to convince him to buy baked. Cheetos contain artificial colors and not only are those bad for you, but that orange stuff gets on their hands, clothes and always ends up somewhere in your house. We also purchased some kind of scooby graham snacks (trans fats & high fructose corn syrup) and Gatorades (artificial colors & HFCS).
The lesson here is DON'T TAKE YOUR CHILDREN TO THE STORE WITH YOU! If you can help it, that is. I generally don't, between weekends and preschool, but sometimes it happens. If that stuff is not in our house then they (or I) don't eat as much of it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to eat some of those darn good Cheetos!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
I've forgotten it all
I recently made a trip to my doctor for a very serious disease. I have been suffering from this for about 7 years. Coincidentally, it began right about the time I became pregnant with my first child. I knew that as soon as I had my diagnosis that I immediately had to share it with my fellow moms. No one should suffer. There is no known cure. This is scary stuff. Let me tell you all about it.
Here were my symptoms: It all began when I was pregnant. I was craving my nightly mint chocolate chip ice cream when I went to the freezer to get it out. It wasn't there. I kept checking everywhere in my kitchen. I finally found my melted quart of ice cream in the cabinet. I pointed my swollen finger at my husband. How could he misplace my favorite stuff? He looked at me like I was crazy and at that point I knew. I had placed my beloved mint chocolate chip away in the cabinet instead of the freezer. I was quite literally losing my mind.
It all went downhill from there. After my son was born I forgot everything. I forgot where I put my keys, when I showered last and when it came time to find my car in the parking lot let's just say that I walked off ten pounds of that baby weight! At this point, after having three bundles of joy, I can't even remember what I did yesterday. I've been known to get in my van and begin driving and five minutes into my trip realize that I have no idea where I am going. After several years of this behavior I knew that I needed to see a professional.
My diagnosis – MOMNESIA! My doctor told me that Momnesia is the mental fuzziness and memory lapses that set in shortly after childbirth. I could give more details on her boring diagnosis or I could tell you in a way that only a mom can understand. Our children are stealing our brains! You see, with each and every child that we have, a little more of our brain goes with them. They are making us forget everything that does not include them. Apparently, it is natures way of making sure that our children are our first priority.
It is also known to get worse with every child. I have three children so if I see you on the street and forget your name please forgive me. Those moms with four or five children can be forgiven for everything from forgetting to show up for your wedding (yes, even if they are your bridesmaid) to forgetting what happened five minutes ago.
The treatment – Every mom has a system that they try to work for them. Some like to tie a string around their finger. This only works if you remember what the string is for! Some place post its all over their house. This is great if those little brain stealers don't rip them off the wall. Some invest in a big “Mom” calender with columns for every member of their household. These can be confusing to even look at. While all of this can help, our brains will never be the same.
Yes I said never. My doctor informed me that Momnesia never really goes away. So, even if your children are in your teens you're likely to forget what month it is.
I am so saddened by all of this so I am going to deal with this information in the best way that I can. And that is to forget about it! Forget about what – you ask? Boy, that was easy.
Here were my symptoms: It all began when I was pregnant. I was craving my nightly mint chocolate chip ice cream when I went to the freezer to get it out. It wasn't there. I kept checking everywhere in my kitchen. I finally found my melted quart of ice cream in the cabinet. I pointed my swollen finger at my husband. How could he misplace my favorite stuff? He looked at me like I was crazy and at that point I knew. I had placed my beloved mint chocolate chip away in the cabinet instead of the freezer. I was quite literally losing my mind.
It all went downhill from there. After my son was born I forgot everything. I forgot where I put my keys, when I showered last and when it came time to find my car in the parking lot let's just say that I walked off ten pounds of that baby weight! At this point, after having three bundles of joy, I can't even remember what I did yesterday. I've been known to get in my van and begin driving and five minutes into my trip realize that I have no idea where I am going. After several years of this behavior I knew that I needed to see a professional.
My diagnosis – MOMNESIA! My doctor told me that Momnesia is the mental fuzziness and memory lapses that set in shortly after childbirth. I could give more details on her boring diagnosis or I could tell you in a way that only a mom can understand. Our children are stealing our brains! You see, with each and every child that we have, a little more of our brain goes with them. They are making us forget everything that does not include them. Apparently, it is natures way of making sure that our children are our first priority.
It is also known to get worse with every child. I have three children so if I see you on the street and forget your name please forgive me. Those moms with four or five children can be forgiven for everything from forgetting to show up for your wedding (yes, even if they are your bridesmaid) to forgetting what happened five minutes ago.
The treatment – Every mom has a system that they try to work for them. Some like to tie a string around their finger. This only works if you remember what the string is for! Some place post its all over their house. This is great if those little brain stealers don't rip them off the wall. Some invest in a big “Mom” calender with columns for every member of their household. These can be confusing to even look at. While all of this can help, our brains will never be the same.
Yes I said never. My doctor informed me that Momnesia never really goes away. So, even if your children are in your teens you're likely to forget what month it is.
I am so saddened by all of this so I am going to deal with this information in the best way that I can. And that is to forget about it! Forget about what – you ask? Boy, that was easy.
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