Back to Basics

 Clarity of thought.

That crisp, concise understanding that you know precisely what you’re doing. (Or at least what you should be doing.) I used to think I had that once…

Enter toddlers, stage right.

This morning I dropped off the muppets at daycare. As we crossed the parking lot, another mom looked at me, “Oh. My. God. You’re dressed. You’re shoes match. And you have two kids. Wow. You’re like…together.”

It’s rare, I assured her.

On no fewer than three occasions today, I opened a browser window on my computer and stared at my home page with absolutely no idea what my initial purpose was. A colleague stopped by my desk this afternoon with a simple social media question. (Allegedly I run my company’s social program.) It took me about five minutes to recover from a 20 second distraction. What was I working on? Ooh! Shiny object…

I am not alone.

The toddlers take off in different directions. They’re growing up; they’re mobile now. I can tell you about apnea and bradycardia. I know about desats and pulseox. I can convert grams to pounds and ounces in my sleep. I know where every electrical socket is in my house. I can change a diaper with my right hand while putting jammies on another kid with the other. I can sing every lyric on the Muppets Green Album.

But I forget the simple things left and right – like shoes. I’m lucky I remember to wear pants to work. Normal life just does not compute. I have to write everything down. Repeatedly.

It’s back to basic behavioral goals:

• Get out of bed.
• Brush teeth.
• Get dressed – remember both pants and shoes.
• Go to work.
• Use computer to work – push buttons on computer to make it work.

Who are you? Do I know you?

Ten years ago Auntie Beeca gave me an Ann Geddes cabbage patch print. At the time it symbolized our college confusion. We were two kids starting out in life – staring at each other across the room with a blank stare.

To play grown up, we had to get back to basic behavioral goals:

• Get out of bed.
• Brush teeth.
• Get dressed – remember both pants and shoes.
• Go to class.
• Use computer to write papers – push buttons on computer to make words appear.

Little did she know she was predicting the future – a decade down the line where we’d be mothers of two. Two twin toddlers staring expectantly at what life has to offer.

So we start by teaching the boys the basics. Write. It. Down. (This is a crayon…)

And also, wear pants.