I am now a watch-wearer

It didn't happen on my lunch break yesterday, as I had to take my spunky 5 year old to the dentist, but I made sure that it happened on our way home. I now have a watch. that works. on my wrist.

Anyway, on our way home, I took Reese to Panera for dinner and then we went to the mall to get the battery in my watch replaced. The lady at Dillard's gave me a 10% coupon for a jewelry & watch repair shop and $28.81 later, I am now wearing my old school stainless steel Fossil watch. I will admit that when I first put it on, it felt very odd...sort of like a wild dog who now has a collar around its neck. I wear it on my right wrist, as I don't like the wedding band/watch combo on my left hand. I am actually digging wearing it!

So, this may seem like a natural thing to do for all of you linear thinkers (aka non-ADHD people), but it is a huge step for someone like me. Now that I am a watch-wearer, I am kind of wondering why I didn't do this sooner. Such is life for us on this side of the fence.

Part of the reason that I made sure that I did something about this "knowing-what-time-it-is-instantly-without-having-to-look-for-it-on-my-cell-phone-which-is-somewhere-in-my-purse" situation is what happened to me on Sunday afternoon when shopping at Target and stopping at the fabric store on our way home. Reese and I had eaten a late breakfast, then we went to Target for a couple of things{I totally heart Target}. We wandered around the toy department and I patiently waited while Reese looked at every single girly toy there (she avoided the "boy aisle with all of the scary stuff") and I enjoyed watching her as she looked at the toys (I took notes too). Anyway, on our way out, I was really proud of myself for a successful shopping trip. I bought what we needed and picked up a prescription and did it all cheerfully, without getting stressed out. Shopping, especially with a young child can be absolutely torturous for someone with ADHD. Too many decisions to make, too many people & distractions, etc. So, after we left Target, we stopped by the fabric store down the street from our house. I planned on just stopping in a getting some black ribbon to finish the lamp that I refurbished this weekend (I will post photos soon!), but ended up looking at fabric to replace our outdated curtains that came with the house. I did not keep track of the time, so I didn't realize that it was waaay past lunch time and both of us were starving. When it came time to leave, Reese wanted to put her jacket in her booster seat so that it was in there "just right." I waited for a couple of minutes for her to finish and then I lost my patience. I asked her to get in her seat, which then turned into the power struggle of the century and ended with Reese in tears and me feeling like the world's shittiest momma. I am sure the lady in the car parked next to us enjoyed the show. In hindsight, I realize that I should have done a few things differently, namely the following:

• Realized that it was indeed past lunch time and it was time to go. Now. You think that I would be more aware of this after 5.5 years of parenting. Feeding kids is important.
• Been more focused in the fabric store...hard place to maintain focus, but I should have bought the ribbon and gotten the hell out of there.
• Let Reese put her coat in her booster seat the way that she wanted it. In the end, what would it have mattered to wait for 1 or 2 (excruciating) minutes?

We have had some issues with doing what we are being asked to do, when Momma asks. So, after silence and sniffling during the 3 minute drive home, we talked about what had happened. It was then that I realized that I needed to be aware of the time so that I could keep us both on task and I knew that I had made a mistake by not wearing a watch.

Another lesson learned. unfortunately, the hard way.