Category Archives: kids

Is There Such A Thing As Daddy Brain?

I was at the grocery store the other day, racing down the aisles, attempting to grab everything while my daughter was still enjoying her mid morning nap in her carrier, only to realize as I approached the check out counter that I forgot my purse at home. So this was basically a dry run. I put the groceries back (yes, I actually walked around the store returning all the items where they belong because I am neurotic like that), and then headed home. At least when I went to the store later that day I was able to shop in half the time; I didn’t have to search out the special marinade, or try to decide which type of bread we will be trying this week.

I know I have mommy brain a lot, and right now I am doubly blessed with mommy brain and pregnancy brain. Double whammy. I have been privy to some very annoying behavior on my part lately, mostly concerned with forgetting key things at the most inopportune times. Recounting the last few months, with all their whimsy, I wonder, does daddy brain exist?

I can’t help but wonder, does my husband also run around half the time not remembering where he is going, or why he was going there in the first place? Does he leave his keys on the kitchen counter and then stand in front of his car wondering how to get into it?

I have not observed any such behavior from him, at least not to any extremes. He claims to be frazzled every once in a while, but with such nonchalance I am not sure I believe it, despite the fact that he takes care of and spends time with our daughter just as much as me. The way our little Munchie runs the gamut of, well, everything, I would think he should be in the same zombie state as me. Either he is really good at covering it up, or mommy brains is really just for mommies.

What do you think? If you are a man have you experienced any of this? Do you know anyone who has?

4 Things Motherhood Has Taught Me

When you have children you learn basic things, such as taking care of your kid, changing a diaper, how to get an itsy bitsy onesie on an itsy bitsy baby, and so forth. However, there are some life lessons your kids will teach you that you may not have anticipated. These are some of the things motherhood has taught me:

Patience

Before you say “I already have loads of patience,” let me tell you, no you don’t. You do not have patience until a small child screams uncontrollably for three hours at night, and all you can do is hold them and hope they calm down so you can go to sleep yourself. Patience is when you are trying to perform a task that would normally take about ten minutes or less and has now dragged on for over an hour because your toddler does not feel you should be doing this particular thing.

Functioning on Little to No Sleep

I use the term “functioning” very loosely here. You are going through the motions of the day in a zombie like state, but nevertheless can perform some basic functions. Remember when you were in college and were able to go out partying until three or four in the morning, and then go to class and work the next day without missing a beat? Yeah, having kids is a lot like that, except there is no party and a lot more is expected of you. Fortunately this phase only lasts the first few months, after which, with any luck, your child is sleeping through the night for the most part.

Plans Do Not Count

I have to admit, this is still a lesson in progress for me, but I am slowly catching on. A little planning can in fact go a long way. However, for the most part, kids have a way of derailing even the best laid plans. They do not do this intentionally, and it does not necessarily happen all the time, but there are those occasions when you were planning on being somewhere at a certain time, or even going somewhere at all, and your child just would not allow this to happen (he puked all over himself and now you are late, she woke up with a fever, your babysitter cancelled on you and your destination is not kid friendly, etc.). You will eventually learn to just go with it.

Your Life Is No Longer About You

This is pretty self explanatory. In fact, if I even have to begin explaining this one, you are not ready for kids.

What have your kids taught you?

 

I Could Never Name My Kid That!

Naming your baby is difficult. My husband and I deliberated for a long time with naming both our children, and performed numerous searches. I often times found myself reading articles about how other parents name their kids in the hopes of being inspired.

There were a lot of articles that advocated waiting until you meet your baby before naming them. Thinking back on everything which went through my head when I met my daughter, that approach would have gotten her stuck with a name like “Scrunchie” or “Fronky” or any other cutsie name my husband and/or I came up with. Currently our daughter is “Munchie” short for Munchkin, and our son is “Fronky” a split between mommy’s little froggy and daddy’s little monkey. I would never in a million years consider actually legally naming my children either of these names. Unless I was just coming off of the epidural, hopped up on pain meds, and my husband is too ecstatic to notice me signing any paperwork.

Is this why we have so many strangely named children? Did the parents wait until they got to see their baby and then blurt out “Squishy” in a rush of adrenaline and excitement, forever maiming, um, I mean naming their child an odd adjective used to describe them in their first hours after birth?

Naming a child is a hard decision to make. Especially when you have two people trying to compromise on the “perfect name.” I just cannot see the several months process condensed into a mere few hours.

How did you come up with your child’s name?