I Can't Remember SQUAT

Move over, preggo-brain! Here comes mommy-memory or, rather, lack thereof. There are other fun terms I like to use to label my forgetfulness: a short-circuit, brain fart, whoopsie, doo-doo for brains, Elvis has left the building, the lights are on and no one's home, etc. Some days I feel like I can't remember SQUAT and I wonder why my mind seems to misfire. What could be the cause? Could the culprit be lack of sleep, poor diet, not enough water, aging, stress or all of the aforementioned?

I have yet (yet) to do something awful like forget one of the kids at home and drive away but nevertheless, I worry. I have a lot more on my mind these days. I have to think of other people's needs besides my own which, after 18 years of parenting, I'm still growing accustomed to. To date, one of my "dependents" is an infant and another is still relatively small and helpless. I have two diaper bags, two car seats, and two schedules*, well...sort of (see asterick, below). What if I forget something really important? Where the heck did I leave my wallet? Does someone have an appointment today? Has anyone seen my cell phone? Did I just feed the neighbor's cat instead of ours? There's a lot to be done daily and even more to remember.

If you feel like you have one cookie short of a baker's dozen, here is what can help:

• Keep running lists of what you need to buy and what you need to do.
• Try to prepare what you will need for the next day. 
• Keep diaper bags, purses, back packs, lunches, wallets, etc. organized and ready to go.,
• USE A CALENDAR! I can't stress this one enough. Try to use the same one for everything.
• A cell phone with programmable alarms, an alarm clock or a kitchen timer can come in handy.
• Keep a bag, box, or basket by the door for things like library books, rented DVD'd, outgoing mail, that blouse you borrowed...anything that needs to find it's way out of the house.
• Ask for help and accept help whenever possible.
• Don't sweat the small stuff, you don't have to remember everything-just the real important stuff and for goodness' sake, try not to beat yourself up when you do forget. 

*As for my "two schedules" at least I still have one golden hour after lunch when there is an 80% chance that both boys will be napping and I can rest and prepare for the next round. So as I go back outside to retrieve the coffee cup that I left on the roof of my car, I give myself a pat on the back because today I remembered my vitamins and to take the ground beef out of the freezer. I will survive another day.

"I love it when mothers get so mad they can't remember your name. 'Come here, Roy, er, Rupert, er, Rutabaga... what is your name, boy? And don't lie to me, because you live here, and I'll find out who you are.'" -Bill Cosby