Friday, September 21, 2007
In which I lose my mind
We've all heard of pregnancy-brain, the condition on which many expecting women blame all their memory lapses and forgetfulness. But unfortunately the problem does not go away upon giving birth. On the contrary, I think sleep deprivation just serves to enhance the lingering hormones and makes you even more crazy!
I have been feeling really good, almost strangely so, since Baby R was born. Granted, she is a very 'easy' baby generally, but she's still up every three hours at night to eat. I think I would have every right to be exhausted, being a SAHM to three kids and up at night that often, and yet I'm not. I haven't napped since she was maybe eight weeks old, and I can't remember the last time I went to bed before eleven. I quite seriously am claiming this as a miracle and thanking the Lord every day!
However, I think my brain is making up for how good my body feels. I don't feel sleepy or 'foggy' or mentally impaired, but I have been doing the dumbest things lately!
Exhibit 1: I was visiting a friend and was getting all the kids ready to go out the door. I said goodbye, walked out the door holding A's hand, and she balked at going over the doorstep. Right before I was about to drag her along with me, my friend spoke up "ummm, she doesn't have any shoes on..." Right. Shoes.
Exhibit 2: I lead the youth worship team at our church that sings each Wednesday night at Bible Study. Several ladies take turns watching the older kids at our house while I go to church to lead practice. This Wednesday A was having serious problems letting me go, and I had to practically pry her off of me, crying, to get out the door. I got into the van, put it into gear, and realized...I don't have the baby with me! People, she was sitting right by the door! I literally stepped over her to get outside. So then I had to go back into the house and sheepishly grab the carseat and leave once more. (Oh, and of course A was perfectly fine two minutes after I left!)
Exhibit 3: Yesterday afternoon I had a meeting at work and wasn't going to be back in time to pick up Little G from school, so I had another mom pick him up and keep him at her house for a little while until I was back. When I went to pick him up, we ended up visiting in her entranceway for a while. Suddenly in the middle of the conversation I realized that it was my cell phone in my hand, not my keys, and oh my gosh, I think I locked the baby in the van. I practically flew out the door, already trying to remember the number for CAA, calculating how long it had been since she had eaten and what would happen if she woke up crying and pulled the blanket down on herself and suffocated, etc, etc. I got to the van, which was running with the doors unlocked, keys in the ignition. Because I was just picking Little G up. Didn't need to bring the keys in. I went back inside, got Little G and left, quite embarrassed at my very charming display of total panic in front of this woman I hardly know. I can only hope she's been there herself (she does have four kids, so I'm thinking probably!).
I won't subject you to any more examples, lest someone call Child Services on me. Suffice it to say that despite how good I am feeling physically, my brain is clearly not functioning quite up to par. I can only hope it wakes up before I start back to work in November, or I'm afraid there's going to be some funky-looking financial statements coming out of my office!
I have been feeling really good, almost strangely so, since Baby R was born. Granted, she is a very 'easy' baby generally, but she's still up every three hours at night to eat. I think I would have every right to be exhausted, being a SAHM to three kids and up at night that often, and yet I'm not. I haven't napped since she was maybe eight weeks old, and I can't remember the last time I went to bed before eleven. I quite seriously am claiming this as a miracle and thanking the Lord every day!
However, I think my brain is making up for how good my body feels. I don't feel sleepy or 'foggy' or mentally impaired, but I have been doing the dumbest things lately!
Exhibit 1: I was visiting a friend and was getting all the kids ready to go out the door. I said goodbye, walked out the door holding A's hand, and she balked at going over the doorstep. Right before I was about to drag her along with me, my friend spoke up "ummm, she doesn't have any shoes on..." Right. Shoes.
Exhibit 2: I lead the youth worship team at our church that sings each Wednesday night at Bible Study. Several ladies take turns watching the older kids at our house while I go to church to lead practice. This Wednesday A was having serious problems letting me go, and I had to practically pry her off of me, crying, to get out the door. I got into the van, put it into gear, and realized...I don't have the baby with me! People, she was sitting right by the door! I literally stepped over her to get outside. So then I had to go back into the house and sheepishly grab the carseat and leave once more. (Oh, and of course A was perfectly fine two minutes after I left!)
Exhibit 3: Yesterday afternoon I had a meeting at work and wasn't going to be back in time to pick up Little G from school, so I had another mom pick him up and keep him at her house for a little while until I was back. When I went to pick him up, we ended up visiting in her entranceway for a while. Suddenly in the middle of the conversation I realized that it was my cell phone in my hand, not my keys, and oh my gosh, I think I locked the baby in the van. I practically flew out the door, already trying to remember the number for CAA, calculating how long it had been since she had eaten and what would happen if she woke up crying and pulled the blanket down on herself and suffocated, etc, etc. I got to the van, which was running with the doors unlocked, keys in the ignition. Because I was just picking Little G up. Didn't need to bring the keys in. I went back inside, got Little G and left, quite embarrassed at my very charming display of total panic in front of this woman I hardly know. I can only hope she's been there herself (she does have four kids, so I'm thinking probably!).
I won't subject you to any more examples, lest someone call Child Services on me. Suffice it to say that despite how good I am feeling physically, my brain is clearly not functioning quite up to par. I can only hope it wakes up before I start back to work in November, or I'm afraid there's going to be some funky-looking financial statements coming out of my office!
1 Comments:
I would love to tell you it gets better. My youngest is almost 3 and I still have pregnancy brain. I will be talking and just use the totally wrong word. I left my wallet at the grocery store. I lose everything. I walk places in my house at a determined pace and then stop suddenly as I realize I have no idea where I was going, much less why I was going there. It is sad, and my family thinks I am hopeless. I just can't understand it. I used to have it all together. I was better when I only had one child, do they somehow take part of your brain when you have them?
Great post. Thanks for the smile.
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