The Poo and I baked cookies this morning, and decided it would be nice to drop some off for daddy and his friends, who were holed up in their office studying for Monday’s intensive doctoral qualifying exams.
We spent a few minutes chatting, and then we went to the grocery store for necessities like white grape juice, eggs, and, of course, a packet of princess stickers.
I reached into my wallet for my debit card and it was not there.
Now, this is not entirely unusual. I often stick the card in a pocket or in the depths of my handbag when I’m in a rush or when my hands are full.
So I searched through the sea of paper receipts and old crayons in my bag, but came up empty handed. I gave the clerk my credit card instead, and distractedly ushered The Poo to the car.
Where is that thing, I thought.
Lately I’ve been forgetful. I forgot to mail my sister’s birthday gift on time. I forgot to pay my Old Navy card bill. I forgot to return our library books for almost three weeks, to the tune of a $50 fine.
And I put those damn books on the kitchen table by the back door every day for those three weeks. And still, I forgot them.
I’m also clumsy, spilling drinks and knocking things off tables. Just today I dropped an entire container of Parmesan cheese all over the kitchen floor.
It’s this baby.
This boy in my belly is, literally, sucking the life-blood out of me. I dutifully eat my iron pills every night, washed down with a slug of antacid, and still my iron levels drop each time they prick my finger at the OB’s office. This week I was actually UP by a half-point, which I attribute to the illegal cheeseburger I consumed, which of course caused my blood sugar to skyrocket.
All the way home from the grocery store I frantically thought about where my debit card might be.
Then I remembered.
Yesterday I went through the pharmacy drive-up window to buy some more diabetes test strips. When the young man behind the window slid the bag to me, he tucked my debit card inside the bag so it “wouldn’t blow away.”
I came home, took out the strips and promptly THREW THE BAG AWAY.
I just spent 10 horrific minutes pawing through rotting garbage in my garage, dodging flies and elbow deep in rotten fruit and meat.
I couldn’t find the damn bag.
Now I have to wait for a new card, which, thankfully, my bank offered to expedite, since I tearfully told them I am eight months pregnant and my husband is leaving me behind with a three-year-old while he spends 10 days overseas.
And I, of course, am completely out of cash.
I know Mr. C won’t leave me without four or five crisp twenties in my wallet, but still. A girl needs her debit card.
I don’t remember being this stupid the last time I gestated.
This time, I’ll be lucky to make it to Aug. 11 with all my faculties intact.
July 12th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
I so totally hear you. Once I drove off from the ATM and left my card behind. But I can’t blame pregnancy, since I wasn’t pregnant. But I can still blame the children because they were very small when I did this.
I don’t think I’ve ever fully recovered the mental faculties I lost when I gained my children.
July 12th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Ah yes, I remember pregnancy brain well. Unfortunately mine was followed by a mean case of mommy brain that has yet to lift. It has improved, but I’m a shadow of the together self I was before motherhood. I shudder to think how addle-brained I’ll be in my next pregnancy, with this lower baseline.
July 12th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
There’s a restaurant on the north rural edge of Urbana that is supposed to have really great liver on certain days of the week. That would fix your iron in one meal.
July 12th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Oh my god. I have done everyone of those things, including throwing the debit card away in the script bag and I did not have the excuse of being pregnant at the time! I don’t use the drive-thru pharmacy anymore. I don’t trust myself.
July 12th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Ugh, I’ve done that very same thing (minus the throwing into the garbage part) many times. I get to the check-out and do not have my entire wallet with me. So frustrating!
July 12th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
The preggo brain went right into continued worsening (is that a word?…just proving my point!) mommy brain. Luckily, since #3 was my last it shouldn’t get any worse. I hope.
July 12th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
I too had major preggo brain, with the last one, I left my purse in the cart at Sam’s club and drove away. Luckily I remembered when I got to Target (before I went in, surprisingly), and double lucky it was still in the cart when I got to it, after speeding through parking lots to go get it! But, nothing beats my friend, when she was 8-9 mos preggo with #3, got in the car to take her 2 boys somewhere and her older child who was 4 or 5 said “Mommy are you going to put your shirt on?”, yep there she was backing out of her garage, in her minivan in her bra and maternity shorts!! Ha, gotta love it, it’s so worth it in the end though, even with mommy brain!
July 12th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve picked through the trash, mainly while pregnant. My husband calls it placenta head.
I’m wishing you and the Poo easy, fun vibes for the duration of Mr. C’s travels and beyond…
July 12th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
ooooh, dear. I’m not pregnant and I do that…doesn’t bode well, does it?
July 12th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
I was so there, and unfortunately in my post-partum haze it has gotten worse.
Just last weekend I went to make a phone call and found the phone indicating “line in use.” Upon realizing I never hung up the phone after talking with my mom I went in search of the other line. I found the phone 2 hours later IN THE DISHWASHER. I then recalled putting dirty lunch dishes in there while talking on the phone and it least made a little more sense . . . maybe?
At least it brings a little humor to the day, right?
Only one more month to go, yeah!
July 12th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
I’ve done that with the pharmacy bag, too. And I’m post-hysterectomy, so definitely NOT pregnant. Luckily I found my card in the bag in the rotting garbage. I hate the way they stick them in the bag that way. Its just inviting disaster.
July 12th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
My pregnancy brain definitely got worse with my second - and I’m still waiting for that damn mommy brain to ease up! (my youngest is almost 3!)
July 13th, 2008 at 12:49 am
Been there and done all that! I don’t know how many times I left my purse somewhere or lost my keys! I even *think* I threw away my engagement ring! I have been looking for that ring for 6 years and still can’t find it…that includes moving twice!
I know I’m not a doctor but just wanted to say that my obgyn told me milk or apple juice helps the body absorb the iron in the iron pills better. I just can’t recall which one it was now. I just thought you would like to know just in case!
July 13th, 2008 at 5:08 am
Bless your heart. I am fully of the belief that the baby gets total control of all brain cells while in utero, then they leak out with the amniotic and whatever is left goes out in the breastmilk, then you’re just left a bumbling mommy.
It’s a good thing they’re cute.
July 13th, 2008 at 10:31 am
Isn’t that always the way? We loose our minds over boys.
If it makes you feel any better, when I was as far along as you were I went to the food store in my PJs and slippers. I totally forgot to change…granted I live in an area of the country where ‘Pajamafication’ is the norm, but still…it’s not mine!
July 13th, 2008 at 11:08 am
I lost my entire purse once. No idea what happened. I was in a store and walked out and it vanished. What’s worse is you don’t have any recollection at all.
You get those brain cells back at some point. I am still waiting for mine
July 13th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Pregnancy sucked my brain dry every time. And each time was worse than the last. I feel for you chicka.
July 14th, 2008 at 11:30 am
I can’t tell you how many ATM cards have been eaten after I drove off. UGH.
July 14th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Maybe it’s all the extra testosterone in your system right now. Having a boy kicked my but. I studied for my qualifying exams while I was pregnant, but I still don’t remember a single thing I read then. And day to day life wasn’t much better
July 14th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
And, of course, we all know that the brain cells exit right along with the placenta, never to return.
But those danged kids sure make it all worth it.