Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Mommy Memory? Blame it on the kids!

Last week when I was lamenting all the trivial facts that I have been forgetting lately (I did take a moment to check, and I'm happy to report that I still know my own name, address, and phone number, whew!), it didn't even occur to me that I should blame the situation on the obvious culprit:  my 9-year old son.  And I'm not just talking about how mothers routinely have to multitask--a glamorous term for such mundane chores as supervising homework while cooking dinner while unloading and reloading backpacks and simultaneously...I forget what else...what was I doing again?  No, I mean that Derek has actually stolen my brain.  Now before you dismiss this as being a little too X-Files, consider the evidence:

I sometimes have difficulty recalling Derek's math teacher's name.
Derek can tell you, without taking a breath, the names of the last four Heisman Trophy winners, which university they attend, the number they wear on their jersey, and their position.  (He can also probably list their major, class attendance record, and GPA.  I'm only exaggerating on the last part, by the way.)

I couldn't tell you the Orioles starting outfielders names (maybe 2 out of 3)
Derek brings up games we saw at Camden Yards not only this year, but in years past.  He mentions the weather, where our seats were located, what he ate (and believe me, this fact alone would fill my memory banks), who the O's were playing, the starting pitcher (for both teams), the final score, who hit home runs, whether there was a "save" recorded, etc. (Note to Baltimoreans: if pressed, I'm sure he could tell you who won the Crab Shuffle on the Jumbotron...but I don't want to stress him out.)

I'm sure you can see the problem: the more he stores away in that scary little mind of his, the more vital bits of information slip away from me. (Of course it couldn't be disorganization, or scattered focus on my part; it's definitely Derek's fault.) But, to look on the bright side, I hear chocolate is good for various things these days, so maybe it applies to memory (did I actually read that, or make it up?  oh well, who cares!).  It's worth a try--I'll be in the kitchen, searching for the Ghiradelli squares...if I forget to come back, someone come find me, please!

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