When I was pregnant with Hayley I started noticing that I would become forgetful or do silly things, like the time I took a package of hot dogs and put them in the cupboard instead of the fridge (and luckily I realized my mistake right away instead of wondering what that smell was three weeks later). I figured it was just because my brain was too busy being distracted.
When she was born, and then when Breanna was born, I would do similar dumb things like walking into the same room three times before remembering what I wanted to get. I chalked it up to being sleep deprived and in a constant state of confusion due to only getting three or four hours of broken sleep each night.
It’s not pregnancy brain. It’s not sleep deprived brain. Hayley is four and a half years old, Breanna is 16 months old, and I’m still doing things that make me dig for excuses for why I am a moron.
In the past month or so I have done the following things:
- One night I was going to make pork chops on the indoor grill. I took it out, turned it to five minutes on the timer to allow it to warm up properly, and set about seasoning the meat. The timer dinged, I opened the lid and dropped the first pork chop on it. Instead of sizzling as usual, it just sat there. I looked behind the grill and realized though I had turned it on, I had sadly neglected to PLUG IT IN.
- I have waited forever for a pot of water to boil before realizing I have not actually turned the burner on.
- Ditto the kettle for coffee or tea.
- Last night I went to make myself a cup of tea and remembered to plug the kettle in. While getting the tea bag out I wondered if I wanted a bowl of cereal or a piece of toast. Because my brain was pre-occupied with thinking about toast I then dropped my tea bag directly and purposefully into the toaster instead of a cup. Luckily it got stuck so I didn’t have to unplug the toaster to dig it out.
- Possibly the most embarrassing took place last week. I decided to have one of those individual frozen pizzas that you heat in the microwave for two minutes. I unwrapped the pizza and placed it on my plate, then walked towards the microwave which is on the buffet beside the bread box. (Do you see where this is going?) I then opened the bread box and put my plate inside on the shelf and closed the bread box up. That’s bad enough but then I stood there, humming as though I were waiting for it to cook. AND THEN I realized, duh, I hadn’t pushed the buttons to set the timer and turn it on so I actually stared at the front of the bread box, LOOKING for the buttons. When I finally snapped out of my fog-like state I was horrified at my mistake and quickly took it out and stuffed it in the microwave but what I should have done was run to the bedroom to lock the door and take a nap for at least three days. God.
I’ve often hoped that it would clear up and I would stop with the pregnancy/placenta/sleepless brain tomfoolery but it appears that it’s still hanging in there. I visited my parents recently and I never noticed my mom pouring coffee into the plants or accidentally eating her napkin while thinking it was a sandwich so maybe there’s hope that my brain will return to normal when the girls are in their late 20s and early 30s. Let’s hope I don’t get confused and wander into traffic before then.
I’ve done the same type of things many times. 1/ More times than I can remember I’ve walked from one end of the hall to the other only to be unable to remember what I going to do when I got there. 2/ I also have discovered that the coffee maker, the toaster and the range have to be plugged in and turned on in order to work. I’d like to think you are in good company … but I don’t want to scare you. At least Hayley hasn’t said, “What are you doing THAT for?” … or maybe she has. lol
It starts out as Pregnancy Brain and then turns to Mom Brain. And from what I hear it continues until they are grown and then eases maybe. I know it eases up just a little when they all start school, from my experience. It’s caused by the fact that we always seem to have at least 7 things on our minds all at once, even if we don’t realize it.
On more than one occasion, my husband has found the FULL coffee pot in the fridge, with the milk jug left on the counter to sour. I find myself using my mom’s trick of repeating to herself the item she means to retrieve. I clearly remember when I was a teenager and my mom would come bounding down the stairs (to the pantry shelves) chanting “brown sugar, brown sugar, brown sugar”. It became a bit of a parlour game to try and mess her up!
Lori – That’s hilarious! I’m going to start chanting too so that I don’t have to walk back to the bedroom three times to remember that I wanted to get a pair of socks.
I have the same thing happen to me all of the time. But did you notice that your examples only had to do with food? Do you find this happening at other times as well?
I just blame my “flakiness” on my best friend. I had it together before I met her. Now I’m falling into pieces. And don’t let her tell you that we met just after my oldest was born. That’s not why.
I wholeheartedly believe that having a baby kills brain cells permanently. There is no other excuse for my behavior. But oh, I do hope I am wrong!
I’m hoping that someday I get my brain back. I hope yours comes back, too. Good luck!
Ohmygod, I nearly choked on my lunch!
I chant too! Sometimes I finally complain about something to my husband and he comes up with the simplest solution that I really could have thought for myself. DUH! Hate feeling so dumb!
No big deall, it’s caled being human.
Too funny.
My theory is that the placenta is actually brain material. Once you deliver that, it’s all downhill from there!
Found you through Carnival of Family Life. 🙂
I have bad news for you. My children are 9 and 17. They were adopted. I’m 56. I’ve already been through menopause. There is absolutely no excuse for my putting canned baked beans in the cat food bowl and canned cat food in a saucepan. And turning it on. And wondering what smelled so weird. You wouldn’t believe the look the cat gave me. I could give you a list of other things, but I don’t want to discourage you.
Lill
I literally spewed soda on item number five. You are truly a real mom and hilarious! Unfortunately, the news is not good..I have a sixteen year old daughter & twenty three year old son and it does not get better.
Now I will rush in to a room to get something that I obviously needed and then will stand there wondering what was so important.
*dies laughing* OMG That is hilarious! I could write you a list, too 😀
I now try to remember to use the timer on my stove for everything I cook. I’m prone to moments of distraction, and an annoying timer gets on my nerves less than the smoke detector. ;0) One day last week I went to make my usual single slice fo toast to go with my coffee, but had to throw away the stale one from the previous day first. It was still in the toaster slot. I call these things senior moments. You have so many delightful stages to enjoy in the coming years!
I’m a late visitor for the Carnival of Family Life.