This Is Your Brain on Kids

I used to consider myself a detail oriented person. I was always able to keep track of my work life and personal life without the need for a calendar. Life felt quite manageable. Then, I had kids. Now, I have to manage my life in addition to two other little lives. There are medical appointments, activities before school, activities for school, forms to be completed and pick-up and drop-off schedules that vary from week to week. It's no surprise that I forget what I am doing half the time. I'll go into the kitchen to get one of the kids a glass of water and come back with a hot pad. I'll go upstairs to get a pair of shoes and come back down with a pack of gum. It seems I have become a tiny bit absent-minded and it has not been easy for me to embrace this. I have my pride, you know?  Last Wednesday, there was a change in our usual morning drop-off schedule and Luisa took Miguel to school early and I took Zeca in later. Everything went off without a hitch but, later, I was driving around the city on home visits and I kept hearing this weird noise in the car. It sounded like a a large glass object shifting back and forth in the car and it was loud. I got out and looked in the back of the car but could not find anything. The noise continued for the next few days but it was only intermittent so I didn't think it was anything serious and didn't mention it to Luisa. Then, on Sunday afternoon, Luisa took the car grocery shopping and, when she got home, she said, "Would you come outside please?" She was all serious and cryptic which kinda freaked me out so I quickly put on my shoes on and went outside with her. She pointed to the top of the car and there, on the roof of the car, was the coffee mug that I must have placed there when I buckled Zeca into her car seat on Wednesday morning. For five days, I drove the car all over the city...on side roads and highways...with that damn coffee mug sliding back and forth on the top of the car.

The mug says, "I am therefore I belong", Minnesota Public Radio's little play on "Cogito Ergo Sum". Clearly, the mug should say, "I don't think therefore I drive around with coffee mugs on top of my car for days on end". Oh yeah, and looking at the picture, I realize that I need to get a car wash. I'm sure I'll remember that.