Friday, May 8, 2009

Honey What'd We Forget Now



Happy Fatherhood Friday everyone! A special welcome to new and returning guests from dad-blogs.com.

I'd hope that this week would bring an opportunity to write about Big Brother's first tee-ball practice, but unfortunately it was cancelled due to rain. Hopefully we'll be able to chronicle the adventures of 4 year-olds with metal bats (DUCK!) next week. Assuming I don't forget.

You see, there's lots of names, depending on the stage of life and situation, for forgetfulness.

For young children, it's called an immature hippocampus.

For pregnant women, it's called "pregnesia".

For middle-aged folks, it's called CRS.

For the elderly, it's called senility or dementia.

For parents with multiple children, it's called "Honey what'd we forget now?"

I think it should be an official disorder. If the boss asks you why the report is late, you can say "I suffer from 'Honey what'd we forget now?' syndrome. I have a note from my doctor. But I forgot to bring it. Because I have a disorder."

I remember (at least I think I remember), the days when we could go to the grocery store, buy a week's worth of groceries, and get everything we needed for the WHOLE WEEK in one trip.

Even after Big Brother was born, we could still do this the vast majority of the time.

Sure, every now and then, you'd realize you needed an extra lemon for a recipe or something.

Then we had Little Brother...

...and apparently our level executive function took a hit, and we started showing signs of "Honey what'd we forget now?" syndrome.

We absolutely can NOT go to the store without forgetting AT LEAST 1 thing.

We have to pretty much go to the store daily for something.

On Sunday, we'll just be unloading the groceries at home, and I'll look in the pantry and realize, "Darn. We forgot to buy Fladdoodles," even though I swear we had Fladdoodles before we left.

On Monday, we'll use up the last bit of laundry detergent just as Little Brother paints his last pair of pj's with yogurt. Back to the store we go.

That night we'll realize Big Brother is now out of allergy medicine, and so it's another trip to the store on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, we'll use the last of the "chocolate juice". Hmm...protesting 4 year-old or another trip to the store. Tough call.

On Thursday, we'll run out of skim milk.

You get the idea.

It does not matter what we do--lists, detailed inventory, electroshock therapy, etc--
we still forget stuff.

I chalk it up to chronic fatigue from chasing after two high-energy boys under the age of 5 "Honey what'd we forget now?" syndrome. There's just no way to anticipate and remember everything we need.

I've gone to work (more than once now), wearing a black tie and navy blue pants, despite checking carefully (in the relative dimness of the closet) that the pants are indeed black.

It's amazing that we get everyone out of the house, dressed, breakfasted, and lunch packed before 8am. By the way, did I remember to feed the dog?

Fortunately, there is a cure for "Honey what'd we forget now?" syndrome.

It's called a vacation for Mom-E and Dad-E in St. Lucia.


We'd like to go for our 10th wedding anniversary. That is, if we remember to book the trip.

Have a good weekend,
Busy-Dad-E

11 comments:

  1. SO TRUE! I know I suffer from this. And also found that my symptoms got significantly worse after the birth of my second child.

    I wonder if there is something I can take for it? Maybe I'll ask my doctor about... wait, what were we talking about?

    ReplyDelete
  2. OH I so relate to this...thanks for identifying the disorder...I can sleep better now!

    ReplyDelete
  3. We can't leave our neighborhood without remembering that we forgot something at home. I agree: a vacation is the cure. Maybe I should start planning one myself! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I totally suffer from this. I've become so much more absent minded to things not surrounding my family...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes, I can totally relate. Even when I do make a list I still forget something on the list. Now, that is pathetic. We dream of a vacation alone without kids too. Unfortunately they are still young that I feel guilty leaving them behind.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Memory...whats that. Even before BabyKV I was clueless. Forget it now. Its over.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow, I've been really fortunate. My lists seem to keep me on track.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Don't feel bad, Dad-E. When the kids were younger I once noticed at work (at the END of the day) that I had my scrub pants on backwards. Another day I went to work with my ratty old garden walking shoes on instead of my much newer nicer more professional shoes. Many times I noticed at work that I had on a scrub top that didn't match my scrub pants...or that I had socks on that didn't match my pants. I was always in such a rush to get 3 kids to 3 different school and then to work on time. Just couldn't always be well put together. I had "Honey what'd we forget now syndrome" for sure!

    ReplyDelete
  9. That's sounds like a great prescription. I bet my insurance won't cover.

    ReplyDelete
  10. add that to memory fog caused by thyroid disease and you're in a bit of pickle! lol every time i go somewhere or do something, i ALWAYS feel like i'm forgetting something :-/

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh man....i know its going to get hard when we have another baby. We too want to get back to St lucia one of these years!-Aunt-E

    ReplyDelete