Hello. My name is Little Mama. I have Mommy Brain.

I've been a Little Mama for nearly 5 years now, so I've had my share of mommy brain.  But, yesterday takes the cake!

I really think there are stages of Mommy Brain - there's pregnancy brain, then new baby brain, then nursing brain, then, at least for me with Sister, my brain sloooowly started to return when she was about a year old.

But, now with two little ones ... I'm a mess.  I used to be a color coded, list making, organized machine.  But, now, I can't even get organized enough to make a list!  I've been relying on my memory ... which is very, very dangerous ... yes, I've been living on the edge :).

Yesterday, I had to make some returns to Hobby Lobby.  It was just me and Bitty Baby.  We park.  I get out of the car.  I open the back of the car.  Ummm .... something is missing. Something is not right.  And, then I realize ... where is the stroller????

I start racking my brain ... where is it ... when did I use it last ... nothing, nothing, nothing.  Just Mommy Brain. 

Then, I remember that the girls and I ran an errand the day before ... yes, I think that's the only place we went.  We had the stroller in the store.  We had it in the parking lot.  Yes, I had both of my kids.  Yes, I loaded them in the car.

But, where is the stroller .... a hot flush starts moving over me as I realize that I must have left it in the parking lot.  I loaded up everyone and everything ... but, the stroller!!!   Oh, I'm just sick.  We have several strollers for different uses, but this one is my very favorite ... my very, very favorite.

I grab a cart, put Bitty Baby in the front, and make my returns.  I had a busy morning planned and had to be at Sister's school in an hour and a half for her Thanksgiving program.  My plans had changed.  Now, I was headed to the shopping center we went to yesterday to look for the stroller.

Maybe someone found it and brought it to one of the stores.   Or, maybe someone threw it away in a nearby dumpster.  Or, maybe, just maybe, it was still in the parking lot.

I called Big Daddy on the way ... I thought I was going to cry ... but I didn't.  He didn't say anything.  I'm sure he thought I was nuts ... but he just listened.  Just sweet ... and smart ... silence :).

So we get to the parking lot and I scan everywhere for my beloved stroller ... nothing.  I'm driving really slowly looking like a crazy lady, but still no stroller.  I drove behind the building and saw dumpsters.  (Now looking more crazy, BTW ... ha!) In fact, there was a long row of dumpsters.  Maybe it was in one of those!

I started to get out to look ... but drew the line.  I decided if the stroller had been in a dumpster all night, I would just leave it be ... who knows what would be on it.   And, being petite, I wasn't quite sure how I would get it out ... and, I definitely was not going to climb in! Yucky!

As I'm driving away, empty handed and heavy-hearted, I suddenly remember that I must have run over it while I was backing out of the parking lot.  Yes, that was it.  There was a thud and I am just now remembering it and that's what happened to it. 

Hopefully, it wasn't too damaged.  Hopefully, someone picked it up who might really need it.  Yes, I'd buy another one tomorrow ... hopefully I'd find one on sale ... or just get by with an umbrella stroller.  Yes.  That's what I would do ....

We head home and I need chocolate.  Or Chick-fil-A, or something really yummy!  I was a little traumatized, after all.  Yes, that would make me feel better!  But, I resisted and had a diet coke from McDonalds.  Deep breath.  Diet Coke. It would be okay!

We were supposed to have a garage sale this weekend, but the weather was going to be yucky, so we rescheduled.  I still had things in my garage and card tables in the back of the car. Plus, I had been parking in the driveway to make space in the garage ... so when I pulled up to the house, that's what I did.  I get out, get Bitty Baby ... and what do I see ...

THE STROLLER!!!

Parked in the garage!  Huh? 

I was so relieved ... oh, but so perplexed.  I don't remember taking it out of the car.  I don't have any reason why I would have taken it out.  I start racking my brain .... nothing, nothing, nothing.  Just more Mommy Brain.

Maybe it's not Mommy Brain ... maybe it's approaching middle age, maybe it's too many diet cokes over the years, maybe I'm overtired from my new wake up time ...

No, no ... it's just Mommy Brain.

I don't have a name for this stage of Mommy Brain.  Maybe ... mom of two preschoolers brain.  Or, mom of a new walker brain.  Or, mommy trying to do it all brain.  I'll have to think on that one!

Can you relate?  Can we relate together? 

It looks like Mommy brain is here to stay ... for a least a while longer.  So, I'm going to SLOOOW down, pull out the highlighters for some good ol' color coding, and buy a super cute notebook for my to-do lists.  All, with a Diet Coke and a smile :)