The Pros and Cons of Pregnancy Brain

I drove to the gas station today only to discover that my purse was not beside me in the car. It was not anywhere in the car. Though I could have sworn I loaded it in along with The Boss just five minutes earlier, its absence proved otherwise. I got back into the driver's seat and headed home again.

I found my purse at the end of our driveway. It turns out that my memory had served me half right. I did indeed carry the purse out the car. And then I left it there on the roof as I strapped The Boss into her seat.

I used to laugh when people talked about "pregnancy brain" because forgetfulness is a permanent condition for me. Like, "Oh, ha, you lost your keys and eventually found them in the freezer? Welcome to my world!" But now I realize that my already compromised state of mind has worsened considerably since I became pregnant.

The pleasant side effect of pregnancy brain is its impact on my pregnancy butt. Though I have no structured exercise regime, I manage to clock in a good 20-30 minutes of cardio a day just by running back and forth, up and down stairs, over and over in pursuit of objects that I forget I am looking for as soon as I get within two feet of them. To actually escape the house with purse, keys, coat, diaper bag, snack food, and overdue library books takes at least five trips between the car and the two flights of stairs separating basement from bedroom. I wish I was exaggerating.

Whether this is a reversible condition or a cumulative one, I do not know--though looking at my own mother does not inspire much hope. She can't remember what she did yesterday. On the other hand, neither can I. Yesterday was Halloween, right? No, wait...