© 2004 Carole R. Achterhof Forgetfulness is a human condition. Even though Dorothy Parker contended, "Women and elephants never forget," we all do it. With the hectic schedules of today it’s easy to forget appointments, where we parked the car or even that last batch of cookies, now burned to a crisp in the oven. However, if you will pardon the expression, forgetting to have a baby seems like an inconceivable idea. Last month a 57-year-old woman from New York became the oldest American ever to give birth to twins. According to the media, the woman, a motivational speaker, said she had always wanted children, but "her career kept her too busy." In other words, she forgot. She apparently forgot to put that particular activity, giving birth, on her list of things to do. In her defense, it should be noted that forgetting to have babies appears to be a growing trend in our country. Much has changed since 50 years ago, when people would joke about young women going off to college to receive their "Mrs. degrees". Many of those young women, Mrs. degrees or even bachelors’ degrees in hand, would settle down in suburbia, raise their families and put any possibility of a career on a back burner. Now it’s increasingly common for young women to place their careers first. It’s as though they first want to succeed in the workplace, travel the world, and own the best clothing, cars and houses. It’s only when they reach 50 or 55 that they begin asking themselves, "Now what am I forgetting? Oh, yes! I was going to have a baby!" The mother in New York brushes off suggestions that it might be unwise to have children so late in life. "What you lack in energy," she said, "you make up for in wisdom." That may sound good on paper, but trying to catch a naked toddler as he races out the door, or turning 63 and sending a first-grader off to school in the early morning with 35 freshly baked cupcakes might require more than wisdom. In all fairness perhaps we should explore the advantages of becoming a first time, menopausal mother. For starters, if women would put off having their first children until they are eligible for retirement, they could look fantastic in a two-piece bikini on any public beach for at least five decades. In the delivery room, while in the throes of labor, they could turn to their husbands and scream, "I’ll never go through this again!", and mean it. They wouldn’t have to worry about friends and neighbors asking, "When are you going to have another baby?", because those people will still be in shock over the first bundle of joy. Baby showers and golden anniversaries could be combined activities, a real plus for people who dislike stringing up crepe paper streamers and inflating balloons. The new parents wouldn’t have to worry about grandparents spoiling their child. Think about it. As the new baby’s teeth would grow in at the same time the new parents are losing theirs, it would be possible to buy baby food by the case lots at any discount warehouse store. Imagine the savings! Last but not least, if the timing is right, Medicare might pick up the expenses.