Motherhood Induced ADD

To do lists.  Gotta love 'em!

I have to admit, I've always loved lists.  School supply lists at the beginning of each school year (ahhh, the smell of new crayons and freshly sharpened pencils!).  Recommended book lists that give me hope that I'll read something lifechanging.  Or at least without cartoon pictures.  Shopping lists with the potential to create amazing meals worthy of Nigella Lawson.  Bucket lists of all the amazing and adventurous things I want to do before I die.

But, I still adore the mundane "to do list".  A list of all the little and big things I think I'll actually have time to do.  Vacuum.  Dust.  Create the month's menu.  Re landscape the front yard.  Read War and Peace.

Lists are what save me from forgetting all the things I need/should do.  If it's not on "the list" (or "the calendar"), it doesn't exist.  If I didn't have a weekly list of chores, I'd completely forget to wash sheets, go grocery shopping, or scrub toilets.  Heck, I'd probably forget to make dinner if I didn't have a menu list staring at me from the refrigerator.  I blame it on Motherhood Induced ADD (pronounced "Me Add").  That sounds better than a bad case of CRS (Can't Remember Sh!t)

I used to have a fantastic memory.  Not quite photographic, but really awesome.  I could read a text book and remember it all so I didn't have to really study for tests.  I could drive to a place I hadn't been in since I was a little kid, and remember every turn and land marker.  I could remember entire conversations from years and years ago.

Now I can't remember what I had for dinner last night.

And, without a list (or three) guiding me through the day, I'd have a bad tendency to go off on tangents.  I can't concentrate for more than a few minutes.  I've been meaning to write this entry for days, but I get. a.  little. sidetracked...

I sit down to fold laundry, and see toys on the ground.  So I stop the laundry and pick up the toys.  But, then I find the missing Lego from WMB's police cruiser, so I go upstairs to find and fix it.  But on the way up the stairs, I hear a ping from the computer so I check email.  And, while I'm here, I'll check Face Book.  Where someone mentions the pool, so I run upstairs to get bathing suits and call to the kids to get ready while I get snacks.  Then I see there's no good snacks, so I start a grocery list.  Which reminds me to update my coupon binder...

This is why I need lists.  A list of daily chores (thank you Fly Lady for showing me how to do this).  A list of things to bring to the pool.  To put in the van.  A fancy schmancy grocery list, separated by store and aisle, to remind me to pick up milk.  A monthly menu so I don't panic every afternoon about what to make for dinner.

I have lists of blog ideas, long term to do lists, Christmas gift lists for next year, summer vacation ideas for the kids.  I have notebooks and composition books, and cute little magnetic flip charts of lists.  I have a list of things I need to put on a list.  Because without my lists, I'm lost.

Others see my lists, and probably think I'm so organized.  So on top of things!  Nope.  Not even close.  I have lists so I don't lose what little mind I have left.  Without these lists reminding me that I have a family to feed, clothe, and clean up after, I'd be flittering off to whatever I see glittering prettily in the distance.

I also need lists to remind me to take care of myself.  To take a break.  To get a haircut.  To remember to give myself a manicure/pedicure--or, at least cut my nails.  To eat more fruits and veggies.  To schedule a girls night out.  To schedule a date night.  To go for a walk.  By myself.

Because, sometimes us moms forget things.  And it's not just trying to remember to sign up for summer camp or pick up milk and bread on the way home.  We forget the funny things our kids say.  We forget to call to make the dental appointments.  We forget to take a break and regain our sanity.  My lists keep me on track in a crazy but fun world, where I'd forget that DQ has a doctor's appointment when I'd rather go to Brownie Beach and collect sharks teeth (hey, I need to remember to put that on my summer "to do" list...)  I'd love to chat more, but I have to make the kiddos lunch and then pack for the pool.  I hope I have my list of pool things around here...