Are you Missing something?
Do you know why women over 65 shouldn't have babies? They'd forget where they put them. Actually, I don't really think it has to do with being over 65. I have a hard time remembering where my children are and I am NOT even CLOSE to being 65.
Every once in a while, I panic. I think "I must be missing something; everything is so quiet". When the kids were little, this usually had to do with the fact that they were up to no good. Now that they are older, it's more to do with the fact that I'm living in constant expectation that I have forgotten they were somewhere and I was supposed to pick them up or drop them off.
I remember being so tired as a young mom. Running around all day stepping on lego, and dollies wears on a woman. When it came time for napping, I was certainly ready, but the kids weren't. Oh boy the knock-down, drag-em-out fights we could have over my insistence that they have a nap because Mommy was tired. [Something like my mother insisting that we put a sweater on when she was cold. It only makes sense if you are the Mom.] I needed their cooperation. I was sure I'd fall over with exhaustion if they didn't COMPly with MOMMMy's request for a nAPPPP!~I would beg God "Please, dear God, I am SOOOO tired. I need them to be quiet...PPPPPLLLEEEaaassseeee"
Then suddenly, they would go quiet. Part of me would lie there unable to rest because I thought "Oh boy, I wonder what they are into". And part of me was so relieved to have a little peace and quiet, that I gladly drifted off into la-la land. As I did , I would mumble a little prayer "Please God, don't let them kill themselves or each other and whatever mess they make, I solemnly promised to clean up once I wake up, in exchange for some rest....EVen just 20 Minutes God!" I was always sure that a little nap would give me the energy I needed to in order to right whatever wrong had been done. God was merciful. I think the worst thing that ever happened was that one of them took lipstick to the carpet to see if it would enhance the carpet's tone. And the occasional haircut. But hair grows back and London Drugs sells a really good carpet cleaner (it's right next to the sleep medicine. Ok. not really, but that would make a good story)
Now that they are older, I find I have to do a daily mental count of bodies. If it is really quiet, I go through the list to see if I can recall who said they were going where, with whom, and for how long. I am embarrassed to admit, that sometimes I have no recollection at all. There was a time a year or so ago, when my husband called to see if he should pick up my daughter. Yep. Good idea. I continued on doing what I was doing. I am sure it was earth-shatteringly important. Several minutes later he called back to say he couldn't find her. Odd. She is usually pretty good at letting us know where she's going to be and if she changes plans. Hmm. I had to go to a meeting so I was a bit hooped. I asked him to keep in touch with me. I wondered where she could be. [ I don't begin panicking too early because I am not really built that way. ] But by the time I got to the freeway, I was beginning to worry.
Suddenly I remembered that she'd said something about having a dinner to celebrated somebody-or-other's something-a doody after school. Mystery solved. I actually had saved myself from one humiliating phone call to her cell phone to see where she was. But I still had to make another one to my husband to confess that I had forgotten where my child was. Oopsy doopsy!
[Side-bar: If I have a baby when I am 65, I will always check on top of my head, in case I left the baby there]
Every once in a while, I panic. I think "I must be missing something; everything is so quiet". When the kids were little, this usually had to do with the fact that they were up to no good. Now that they are older, it's more to do with the fact that I'm living in constant expectation that I have forgotten they were somewhere and I was supposed to pick them up or drop them off.
I remember being so tired as a young mom. Running around all day stepping on lego, and dollies wears on a woman. When it came time for napping, I was certainly ready, but the kids weren't. Oh boy the knock-down, drag-em-out fights we could have over my insistence that they have a nap because Mommy was tired. [Something like my mother insisting that we put a sweater on when she was cold. It only makes sense if you are the Mom.] I needed their cooperation. I was sure I'd fall over with exhaustion if they didn't COMPly with MOMMMy's request for a nAPPPP!~I would beg God "Please, dear God, I am SOOOO tired. I need them to be quiet...PPPPPLLLEEEaaassseeee"
Then suddenly, they would go quiet. Part of me would lie there unable to rest because I thought "Oh boy, I wonder what they are into". And part of me was so relieved to have a little peace and quiet, that I gladly drifted off into la-la land. As I did , I would mumble a little prayer "Please God, don't let them kill themselves or each other and whatever mess they make, I solemnly promised to clean up once I wake up, in exchange for some rest....EVen just 20 Minutes God!" I was always sure that a little nap would give me the energy I needed to in order to right whatever wrong had been done. God was merciful. I think the worst thing that ever happened was that one of them took lipstick to the carpet to see if it would enhance the carpet's tone. And the occasional haircut. But hair grows back and London Drugs sells a really good carpet cleaner (it's right next to the sleep medicine. Ok. not really, but that would make a good story)
Now that they are older, I find I have to do a daily mental count of bodies. If it is really quiet, I go through the list to see if I can recall who said they were going where, with whom, and for how long. I am embarrassed to admit, that sometimes I have no recollection at all. There was a time a year or so ago, when my husband called to see if he should pick up my daughter. Yep. Good idea. I continued on doing what I was doing. I am sure it was earth-shatteringly important. Several minutes later he called back to say he couldn't find her. Odd. She is usually pretty good at letting us know where she's going to be and if she changes plans. Hmm. I had to go to a meeting so I was a bit hooped. I asked him to keep in touch with me. I wondered where she could be. [ I don't begin panicking too early because I am not really built that way. ] But by the time I got to the freeway, I was beginning to worry.
Suddenly I remembered that she'd said something about having a dinner to celebrated somebody-or-other's something-a doody after school. Mystery solved. I actually had saved myself from one humiliating phone call to her cell phone to see where she was. But I still had to make another one to my husband to confess that I had forgotten where my child was. Oopsy doopsy!
[Side-bar: If I have a baby when I am 65, I will always check on top of my head, in case I left the baby there]
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