This is a fictional club that my mom and I started back in 2002. We're the charter members, but we have some other great members, like my grandma Sonia and my friend Amanda. In order to be a member you have to have done, and continue to do, pea-brained things. For example, my grandmother used to invite people to dinner and forget. All the time. If you were at the house and the doorbell rang around dinner time, there was always complete panic-- "Who did I invite? What will I serve them?!?!" Lucky for her, she is sweet enough and enough fun to be around that no one seemed to mind getting lousy dinners on those nights.
Amanda most recently extended her membership in Pea Brains Anonymous (PBA) by trying for several minutes to swipe her credit card in the turnstile at the subway station in New York City. Needless to say, she missed that train!
I am currently working overtime to maintain my membership in the club. I'm not sure if it's mommy brain or what, but last month we missed Molly's son Nate's birthday party, and then today I arrived at the dentist at 10:30 for my appointment, only to find my appointment was at 11. Since having the boys, I've also had mishaps at work (the worst was when I changed a client's appointment time at her request, promptly forgot, and then was late to the session. I would have KILLED my therapist if she'd done that. My client is, fortunately, nicer than I am). Eric suggested that whatever system I am using to organize myself might not be working and perhaps it is time for a change. I completely agree it's not working, but I am not sure what else to do!
Part of the problem is that I used to have an excellent memory. You could tell me something once, and I would absolutely not forget it. Not only would I remember what we talked about, but I would remember what day we had the conversation, and what I was wearing at the time. No longer. Now, if it's not written down, it doesn't exist. So you would think writing it down would be enough, but now I am forgetting to check what I have written down (this is what happened today with the dentist). As I type, I am realizing that I am not sure when I have supervision this week, but I think it might be at the same time that I am scheduled to get a haircut. Argh!
I also know it is because I am tired. My brain just doesn't work as well without sleep. Some nights this is my fault, staying up too late, but other nights it is because my boys have woken, and even if I don't get up to feed them, my sleep is interrupted. Oh, and Eric snores. But I don't see any of that changing soon, so I have to figure something else out.
Any suggestions to help me organize myself are welcome, but feel free to tell me if you'd like to join our club, and what you've done that merits membership!
I am a 30 year-old mother of 7 month old twin sons (I love following your blog to see what fun is up & coming for me & my boys!) but I should have sent you an application for this club from the moment I got pregnant. I used to have a great memory....no longer. I forget to pay bills on time, miss appointments and, just like you, if it's not written down, it's just not going to be remembered. I even did the same thing as you - for the boys 2 month appointment I showed up to the doctor's office just to find out that my appointment was on the same day, at the same time........the following week - wrote it down wrong. The way things are going you can count me in for a lifetime membership!!
ReplyDeleteI have become so busy at work, the same thing has happened to me. At work, I have a scheduling program. But at home, I use the dayplanner/ calendar function on my iphone. Everything, I mean everything goes in there. Including birthdays, which I am getting fabulous at forgetting. I am sure your phone has a similar feature? Before the advent of iphones I had an actual dayplanner.
ReplyDeleteOh my! I need to join too! What is it about becoming a mommy that causes your memory cells to wither and die? I've shown up early and late to doctor's appointments, forgotten meetings I had scheduled at work, misplaced my debit card numerous times, and forgotten to get a sub for work on a day I had a training!
ReplyDeleteBabies suck your brains out your boobs! It's a fact! I can stand at the bottom of the stairs and not remember if I was going up or down. Google calendar works for me, along with a lot of note writing.
ReplyDeleteCan I join the club?? I've done all the things you mentioned - screwed up client appointments, doctor appointments, forgetting simple things. Other moms promise me that it gets better...eventually...
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