Have You Seen my Brain? It Seems to be Missing.

-by Amy

I've recently come to the conclusion that I am an A.D.D. mother. 

Constantly, I forget (usually because I'm lost in thought) important tasks that involve caring for my child.  Isn't that terrible!?  It isn't by choice, I promise!  I WANT to be a good, on-the-ball mom, but MAN, I feel like my brain has oozed out of my ears. (probably liquified while pushing so hard during labor...ha!)   I feel like I can't keep track of the simplest things, and many times a day, I ask myself silly questions, such as: Did I feed Hayden lunch?  How long has he been asleep?  When is the last time I changed him? 

And, many times, I cannot remember the answer to these simple questions.

Poor child.  I hate it when he's running around and I notice pee is soaking through his pants, cause I'm the genius who forgot to change his diaper after his nap.

This forgeting freaks me out.  Early dementia?  Alzheimers?  And, what's going to happen when I'm 60?  Or 70?  If I'm already this bad, somebody better put a micro-chip tracker on me, cause I'll probably end up being the old lady who's skinny-dipping across town in a stranger's hot-tub.

In my bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom, I keep a stash of post-it notes with a pencil, so I can write write down important things to remember....things which I'm sure I would forget again if I had to go hunt for a post-it. 

The sad thing is, I've always considered myself an educated and decently intelligent human being. (except in math...)  So, it is quite humbling when I realize, I can't remember if I fed my son!  Oy. 

Once, I tuned on the water to let it get hot so I could make my son a bottle.  Then I noticed the bathroom door was open so I went to shut it (Hayden likes to chuck things in the toilet).  When I got there, I saw the used pile of towels on the counter, which reminded me I needed to start the washer.  So I grabbed the laundry and sorted the colors/whites, and started up a load.  I walked back into the kitchen, and too my surprise, saw that hot water was running.  Then *palm to forehead* I realized it had been running this whole time!  Let me tell you, the water was good and hot.

Stuff like that happens multiple times a day.  Not to mention missed appointments.  Or the fact that I probably wash my hair three times every shower, cause I can't remember if I already used shampoo or not.  (I just get lost in my own thoughts!  Most of my blog posts are composed in the shower...ha!)

Ok, wasting hot water and shampoo is harmless.  Missing appointments is inconvenient, annoying,  and a bit embarrassing, but there's not too much harm done.  But, what about the times my forgetfulness puts my son in danger?

One time, while leaving on a walk with a friend, I forgot to buckle Hayden into the straps of his stroller.  As we walked, he slowly slid out while we chatted away.  The worst part is, I didn't even notice till my friend hollered, "Oh my gosh, You baby is falling out!!!"  His legs and bum were slid all the way off the stroller, with just his back and head still in.  Poor boy!  Good thing my friend is more observant than me.

THEN, I did the same thing with a high chair at my parent's house!  I was talking to my cousins while we ate dinner.  When Haden was done eating, I pulled the tray off of his high chair to go wash it in the sink.  But, because the buckles are weird on that chair, I'd just plunked him in, without bothering to buckle (dumb move, momma).  He slowly slid out and one of my cousin's husbands grabbed him before he hit the floor.  I came back to see Hayden in his arms, and immediately I knew what happened.  My heart lurched--in a flash I imagined how the situation COULD have played out with my baby crashing to the floor.  I took him into my arms, hugging him tight.  I was so grateful, and horrified, and...to tell the truth, pretty embarrassed.  I thanked my cousin's husband, with my face flushing bright red, then rushed away.  I thought, "WHAT KIND OF A MOTHER AM I!?"

Ha, my cousins were probably wondering, "Is this woman capable of taking care of a child?"

And, since I'm putting this all out there, I'm so ashamed to admit several times I've strapped my child into his carseat, then forgot to belt it down to the car's back seat...or visa versa: belted the carseat down, then forgot to strap my baby into it!  When I park my car at home, and go to get my cute baby out of his seat, there he is without his straps on, wiggling and smiling!!!  YIKES!!!  All I can do is shake my head, be grateful we weren't in a wreck and and think, "Woman, you done LOST YOUR MIND!"

"MOM BRAIN."  source: www.rise365.com

Oh man, I'm gonna be that mother who drives off, leaving one of their kids at the gas station, while on a road trip.  I don't doubt that.  I just wonder how long I will drive before realizing it!

I sure hope my child reaches adulthood and survives having me as a mother.  Well, I may forget to feed him, but I sure love him.  :)

Friends, if you can relate to these stories, I'm sorry to say, you may be an A.D.D. momma...Join the club.  (We'd hold a get-together, but..ya, know, everybody would forget to come.)
-Amy

P.S. I'd love to hear your A.D.D. mom experiences...please tell me I'm not the only one!

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