It's official! Kids really DO make you stupid.

Finally! Researchers have found blah blah blah moms blah blah forgetful blah blah mental fuzziness blah babies blah blah poop. (Well, it doesn't really have anything to do with poop, but it's hard not to talk about poop when talking about babies.) They -- the brilliant researchers who no doubt received hundreds of thousands of dollars for this study -- call it 'momnesia.' It's when you have a new baby, you don't get a lot of sleep, you're totally focused on keeping said baby alive and nourished and you forget to put on your pants when you answer the door and the UPS man is standing there with this shocked/horrified/somewhat hopeful look on his face. Momnesia. It's when you run into your ex-boss at the grocery store and you mistake her for your hairdresser and try to tip her a little extra to slip you in on Thursday. Momnesia. It's when you are standing in the shower and you have absolutely no idea how long you've been in there and what you've washed. Momnesia.

I've been suffering from momnesia since 2001 so I can't really tell you much, well, about anything. I'm sure I've done my share of really stupid, momnesia-induced acts (see above). Any that you care to share, if you can remember?

Comments

[lilah]

I must start by saying that I, too, have had this "condition" since 2002. I wouldn't call it momnesia though. I am just a freakin idiot since the kids were born. At times I can barely complete a sentence without some sort of mistake in it. I believe that tonight I asked E to please put his curtains in the sink. Almost daily I ask S to kindly get into the tub when I really mean car. The sad part is that the children correct me, rolling their eyes and move on to the next thing. So it is obvious to me that I do this sort of thing often. I also find myself virtually unable to follow adult conversation. I am sure that people may think I am rude, but it is just so terribly embarrassing that I am starting to avoid all contact with intelligent adults. Does anyone remember that episode of Seinfeld when Elaine stops having sex and turns into a complete moron and is easily entertained by the most juvenile things. That's me.

[Julie]

Lilah, I do that, too. It's like my mouth is running, but there is no connection to my brain. I always say things to the kids and they look at me, like "huh?" I attribute it to major multi-tasking. I think my mind is constantly adrift, thinking of something I need to be doing, instead of focusing on what I should be doing at that very moment!

[jill]

Once I was at the bank and couldn't remember the date. I asked the teller. He laughed and told me, "It's the 16th." I was so embarrased when I then had to ask him what month it was. I just couldn't remember. Now I keep a perpetual calendar on my desk at home.