Selective Memory

First of all, my apologies for the inconsistencies of the past week or so.  As you can see from my posts, life can get a bit crazy around here.  Nonetheless, I will strive to prevent missing days without warning. 

Upon bringing a child into your life, I am 100% convinced that your brain immediately secretes a hormone that erases memory over time.  This hormone is triggered by new baby smell and smiles, and therefore is found in all parents, whether or not you are the one who actually physically gave birth.  This hormone is called, among those in the science community, memoryeraseate.  Sure, this chemical composition affects the daily workings of the brain--your ability to have conversations without referring to The Wiggles, to remember the name of your client, to recall that you haven't put pants on that day--all such thoughts are gone forever.  However, more than that, the composition slowly dissolves the parts of your brain that digest exactly how hard it is to keep these little creatures alive at first.  Otherwise, I am convinced, there would be a world of "only" children.

Having a kid is hard.  From what I have seen, it is hard if you are part of a loving, two-person relationship that is stable, if you are physically and emotionally in a good place, if you are financially secure and if you are surrounded by loving friends and family.  Take away one or more of these things, and you deserve an award every single day (read: your awesome kid is totally a gift).  But over a shockingly quick period of time, you will forget this fact (the crummy part).  You won't recall the sucky few hours (fine, minutes) before the epidural.  You won't recall the feeling of complete sleep deprivation.  You won't recall the panic the first time you leave the baby alone or leave the house with her.  All of that is lost in a cloud of "I am the greatest parent ever--I survived the first year!!"  And you are, because you did.  But selective memory will prevent you from remembering exactly why you are so cool.

Looking back on the past ten plus months, I am shocked at how any of us survives.  They have hands-down been the best months of my life.  And, admittedly, the hardest.  But I don't remember the most hard parts, really.  So I guess my point is to go easy on those who are going through it.  Cut them some slack on a daily basis and offer the best (and only welcome) advice you can give: it goes fast.  The good and the bad.  So enjoy every day and remember that it will pass.  I think.  Now, what was I saying?