Prego Brain: Fact or Fiction?

According to my nurse, pregnancy hormones would affect my brain's ability to function properly and I would begin to forget simple things. I was advised to keep my keys in the same place, a practice already instituted in our home. In an effort to heed her warning, I began to take notes more often than not. Anytime a thought came into my head about tasks to complete, I would jot it down.

With time, the habit slowly deteriorated and I found myself blaming my prego brain time and time again. Most of the times, however, they were not in seriousness....

And then on Sunday, Andy asked me to remind him to bring his blood pressure kit to our friend's who had generously invited us over for Sunday dinner. Our friend wanted to check his blood pressure so Andy was going to help him out by bringing his handy dandy doctor kit. But try as I might, remember I could not. Fail as I would, I did too... because without a note, no reminder, nothing, my prego brain succeeded in dominating my ability to remember!

And yet, I just knew there was something to remember. I scoured my brain for a clue, retraced the day's events, hoping some inkling of remembrance would grace my thoughts. I even asked Andy what I was supposed to remind him, what I was supposed to recall, what I was supposed to do....No such luck.

I would only remember late Sunday night, that we forgot to bring the blood pressure kit, but not that it was the item I forgot to remind him of from earlier. Somehow, my brain's capacity was not able to connect the two.

And then just last night, I would all of a sudden remember I had an appointment with the DMV that completely slipped my mind. At this point, my frustration turned to anger. How could I forget such a thing? Didn't I write it down? I quickly looked at my blackberry calendar, hoping I had indeed written it down but just ignored it... no such luck again. I couldn't believe it. I was forgetting everything! What would I forget next? My next doctor's appointment? My baby at the grocery store?

I sat there.. fuming with utter disappointment at my own dumb prego brain. And then I pouted some more while Andy reminded me it was time for FHE. I knew that one.. I wasn't getting that bad yet.. but I was still unhappy. I thought to myself, I hope we sing a short opening hymn because I am feeling terse in my every action and thought process right this moment!

He skipped over to the organ while I dragged my feet over there, reluctant to sing a hymn and have FHE, still unhappy about my dumb prego brain. He started to play Love At Home and as I sang, I was reminded of how a hymn is simply another way for us to converse with our Heavenly Father through song. I was instantaneously uplifted and in my broken sing song voice, accompanied Andy happily with the song.

Later, I thought... time to repent. It was so humbling to think that even the littlest things can bring out the worst in us. So what if I forgot one thing.... when I accessed the DMV website, the next available appointment was for the upcoming Monday... not too much time would lapse before I could get a new ID (finally... after having a new name since August and not making 5 scheduled DMV appointments in the past). And yet the only way I was able to figure that out was through our FHE because even as Andy tried to console me earlier, I just pouted some more.

I'm glad we have FHE every week, even when I am doubtful of our lessons because FHE with two people seems silly. And, I'm glad we are practicing to be better and instilling a routine that will only become harder when it's more than just us two. Lastly, I'm glad FHE cheered me up last night and that my husband is always a pocket full of sunshine even when I am a big drop of rainy prego brain!