Life as a Mom

It's 11:21 and I already feel like I've run a marathon and yet at the same time finished nothing. Guess that is why I figured I'd might as well post something before heading out to do the next leg of the marathon. I guess I'm on a water break at the moment.
I guess it's not so much that I haven't gotten anything done today, just not what was planned. I mean I did get up, opened drapes and blinds, emptied the dishwasher, put 4 loads of laundry away, made a Dr appointment for my son, cleaned up dog puke, played kickball, called 2 schools, got the kids out the door to the Dr, sewed a badge on a cub scout uniform while waiting for the Dr, talked to the Dr about 2 kids, administered more allergy medicine, took 2 kids to school, played psychiatrist to my Mom, balanced the check book, and replied to one email. YET THE FEELING OF GETTING NOTHING DONE REMAINS! I guess it's because we as Mom's tend to feel like failures when we don't get what was planned done. Working from home does not mean there will ever be two days alike. We don't go out into the world have one boss tell us to finish a project in this particular order and then get to work on that project until it is complete and then start the next one. Being a Mom means the project just gets moved to one place and then another. My friend just sent me this email I think she is right on.

CHILD ACTIVATED ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER

Recently, I was diagnosed with C. A. A. D. D. Child Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.

This is how it manifests:

I decide to do the laundry. As I start toward the basement, I notice that there are cheerios all over the floor and my car keys are in the cereal bowl.
I decide to pick up the cheerios before I do the laundry. I lay my car keys down on the counter, put the cheerios in the trash can under the counter,and notice that the trash can is full. So, I decide to take out the trash.

But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the trash I may as well pay the bills first. I take my checkbook off the table,and see that there is only one check left, my extra checks are in my desk in the office/playroom, so I go to my desk where I find a sippy cup full of juice. I'm going to look for my checks, but first I decide I should put the sippy cup in the refrigerator to keep it cold. As I head toward the kitchen with the sippy cup a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye -- they need to be watered. I set the sippy cup on the counter, and I discover babywipes that I've been searching for all morning. I decide I better put them back in the bathroom, but first I'm going to water the flowers.

I set the wipes back down, fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote, one of the kids left it on the kitchen table. I realize that after school when they go to watch TV, I will be looking for the remote as they fight over who lost it, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.

I splash some water on the flowers, but most of it spills on the floor. So,I set the remote back down, get some paper towels and wipe up the spill.Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day: the laundry isn't washed, the bills aren't paid,there is a warm cup of juice sitting on the counter, the flowers aren't watered, there is still only one check in my checkbook, I can't find the remote, I can't find the wipes, and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.

Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I'm really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it,but first I'll check my e-mail.

So, now onto the next phase of the morning. Pick up medicine, order birthday cake, pick up daughter, drop off delivery to customer, stop and get pop, weed yard, take daughter to neighbors, make dinner, maybe check email, finish the mother's day present that needs to be done by tomorrow, maybe get the other mother something, get ready and head off to church to teach a parenting class. Somewhere in there maybe eat lunch and dinner. We'll see.
I'm sure everyone else is having a day like this too in their own way.
Off I go!