I started writing this blog in July of 2005. In that time, I’ve published over 1,000 stories about my life as an older mother of a little boy. And I’ve got another 1,000 stories that I have sketched out in notes but have never gotten around to writing and yet another 1,000 stories that were never written because I thought, in that moment, that I would jot down a note about it as soon as I could find a pen and I would write about it later. But in the distraction of life I never found the pen, never wrote the note and I simply forgot about it.
Or worse, it’s not entirely forgotten, just mostly forgotten.
Often at the end of the day as I burrow into my pillow waiting for sleep to take me away, I want to turn to my husband and tell him about some remarkable thing that Sean said or did that day. A small, sticky, persistent gnat of a memory buzzes around the dark perimeter of my brain, taunting and annoying me. It won’t be shooed away and it won’t light long enough to show itself. All I know is that something happened that day that I want to share, but I just can’t quite reconstitute the memory.
So I turn to AD and I tell him, “Sean said the funniest thing today.”
And he says, “Really? What? Tell me.”
And I say, “I have no idea. But it was really funny.”
The Bug says:
Oh I am so there! Just this minute I was trying to remember something funny I wanted to tell my husband, & it was just gone. But it was funny!
This is ironic – I was just scrolling through my google reader looking at the blogs of people who hadn’t posted in a while & I opened yours & sighed. Good to see you!
August 26th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
Karen Lewis says:
*snort* This is a daily occurrence in our home. I wish I could carry a notepad around to record the things that happen, funny things said. By the time 5:45 rolls around, my brain is usually mush and I can’t remember a lick of it.
August 26th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
mrhc says:
This is when I text myself or call the home phone to leave myself a message…because I know I won’t remember it by the time I turn around.
You are not alone.
August 26th, 2010 at 6:34 pm
Fiddledeedee says:
Amen sister. They say that the first thing to go is the…what was I going to say?
August 26th, 2010 at 7:03 pm
Cyndi - The Adventures of HarryJack says:
That’s exactly why I started a blog…all those memories that are sharp in the moment and fade. I’m just glad you started one – it’s been a true joy to read your words and see your pix and get to know a little slice of Texas – thank you!
August 26th, 2010 at 8:19 pm
Julie says:
We should invent brain-gnat spray and get rich. Heh. Two formulas — one for forgetting and one for remembering.
August 26th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Amy says:
That is exactly what I’ve been feeling lately, too. You summed it up just perfectly. So glad you are back.
August 26th, 2010 at 9:46 pm
Brigitte says:
At least you’ve gotten a few down on the blog and in notes. Waaaay ahead of me!
August 27th, 2010 at 3:46 am
Beck says:
I know exactly what you mean. EXACTLY.
And now that I write far less about my kids, and far less often, it’s like whole months of time have barely happened in my memories. DE-pressing.
August 27th, 2010 at 6:55 am
Tom says:
Another “me too” chiming in. More recently I’ve been thinking I should follow Michael around with a tape recorder, as he’s been spitting out more verbal incongruities than ever, and even seconds after he’s done I’ve forgotten most of what he’s said.
BTW – glad you’re back!
* * * *
Oh you should – that would be a treasure to have his voice recorded. For some reason I had a voice recording of Sean from when he was about 3 that I didn’t realize had ended up on my iPod. I had apparently recorded it one of those times when we were in the car where I turned it on without him knowing and just recorded his jabbering. His voice was so sweet and he was so funny. When it came on the iPod, I wasn’t expecting it and it startled me – because I realized that I had forgotten what he sounded like at three.
August 27th, 2010 at 8:01 am
Allison Burleson says:
I have missed you! I am so glad you are back!
August 27th, 2010 at 8:32 am
Heidi says:
And it doesn’t end when they are little – that wanting to share details.
Last night I turned to my husband in bed and said “make a note. We need to discuss KaylaBeth’s schedule for the next month….” She has plans to go to 3 church lock ins, homecoming dances, etc. and the best I can tell her at 3 in the afternoon is “Daddy and I need to discuss it….” We have raised a social butterfly. When I win the lottery I’m going to hire her an assistant so I can catch my breath.
August 27th, 2010 at 8:39 am
Yvonne says:
PLEASE write those other 1,000 stories! I have loved every one of your entries and they always make me laugh or cry or thank the lord that I am not the only one has had endured the same adventures in parenting! I love your style and miss you terribly!
August 27th, 2010 at 8:40 am
Cathie says:
Does Sean worry about you being older? Gabe is semi-obsessed with our impending demise. Just last night he was actually crying over the thought of losing his Mommy & Daddy. I do everything in my power to ease his worries; neither of us is even ill. I tell him that we have every intention of hanging around to see who his beautiful wife will be, and meeting his red-headed children. I was just wondering if this is common among children of older parents.
August 27th, 2010 at 9:28 am
Shelly @ Life on the Wild Side says:
Oh, I can so relate to that.
I’ve missed you so much! I was worried that you were quitting. So glad to see you back here!
August 27th, 2010 at 10:35 am
marviv says:
Oh please….I do hope you take the time to write down those 1,000 stories! Each new blog you write brings a smile – do it for Sean, for yourself, your readers and also for your Mom!
Marviv
August 27th, 2010 at 11:08 am
Tiff says:
Ha! I’m only 29, and I already have that problem. Crap, I’m in for some trouble later…
August 27th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Nan says:
I’m glad you’re still writing… We have had such an action-packed summer that I haven’t written much either!
Good luck at school Sean! You’re going to ROCK!
August 27th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
Pat Trippiedi says:
missed you, so glad you are back
August 27th, 2010 at 7:24 pm
edj says:
When my kids were younger, I did that all that time. And now I’ve forgotten. And it’s such a bummer, because I really did have the funniest kids! I can relate.
August 27th, 2010 at 10:23 pm
heidig says:
Welcome! So glad to have you back.
August 28th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Iota says:
I quite often turn to my husband and say “what was that cute thing that x said today?” and he looks at me, and replies “I’ve not been here today, so I don’t know”.
If I can’t even remember who’s been in the house, it’s not surprising I can’t remember all the cute things. (But the ones I do remember, I write down.)
September 15th, 2010 at 8:14 am
Leslie Maddox says:
Sometimes I watch my little one playing and doing his thing and try to memorize every little face and cute act. But I know that I’ll forget 90% of it all and it makes me so sad.
September 21st, 2010 at 9:46 am