Favorite Parts

I suffer from long-term amnesia.  I have a wonderful short-term memory, which is why I excelled in school since I was an excellent test taker.  Not only could I memorize material, I actually understood the concepts as well.  But some things that happen in my past I cannot remember clearly, or I have intentionally blocked. 

Middle school for instance?  No clue what I did for those three years of 6^th – 8^th grade.  Those were dark dark times of typical coming-of-age hormones, bullying, and teasing.  They were so unpleasant that I choose not to remember them.  It’s like my mind shies away from the topic whenever I intentionally try and think about it.  I can remember vague details, but nothing concrete.

This is completely opposite from the Weatherman who has a horrid short term memory (“Where did I leave the remote again?”  “Oh crap!  I was supposed to go by the bank today!”) but he can recall odd bits of trivia and silly random facts from years ago that my brain has dumped and long since forgotten.  This would make us both very rich if he ever got to play on Jeopardy, but for our every-day living it can sometimes be a challenge.  However, between his short-term memory loss and my long-term memory loss, we actually complement each other very well!

A major downside of my amnesia is that I have trouble remembering specific incidents from my children’s lives.  Not so much with Frog Face but more so with Goober.  It is hard for me to remember the little things she used to like, the way she acted, and other endearing little qualities I swore I would never forget.  I am very much a “past is the past, let’s live in the moment and look to the future” kind of person, but this sucks when you have children that you want to remember things about! 

The good news is that I take tons of pictures and videos and I also keep a journal of my thoughts and feelings.  Between all of that I am able to look back and remember the things I do not want to forget.  However, to help me remember all the little things that make being a parent the most rewarding job ever, the Weatherman and I have invented a little game called “What was your favorite part?”

Each day after the kids are in bed we share what our favorite part with Goober and our favorite part with Frog Face was.  It can be anything.  For instance, yesterday my favorite part with Goober was watching her dance in the water from the hose in the backyard as the Weatherman made it “rain” on her (teehee…”the Weatherman made it rain…”).  With Frog Face my favorite part was the smile he gave me when I picked him up from daycare.

What we have discovered by playing this game is that we are forced to look for the good in the little every-day moments, especially since we know that we will have to account to each other what that special little moment was.  Even when both kids are tired and crying to be held at the same time, picking up toys (again), or when I am exhausted beyond belief because Frog Face had me up every two hours all night, I am still trying to look for the little tiny things that make this crazy life worthwhile. 

So what was your favorite part today?

This picture is from earlier this year, but still a special moment of Goober jumping in puddles

Those gummy smiles just melt my heart!