Niranjana, Melissa and Andy Perdue

We're officially out of "survival" mode with the addition of our daughter and have transitioned into "coping."

This means we have a system, but it could use significant improvement. It also means I'm now doing clean-up on things that I simply couldn't take care of last fall and winter while we all were just trying to survive and adjust to the changes.

For example, the dental plan I chose during open enrollment doesn't include our family dentist — even though I called and asked. Apparently it's a subplan with a similar name (honest mistake). But I didn't realize it until I was digging out the insurance card a few days before Nirajana's dentist appointment. So the appointment had to be postponed and I had to write a letter asking to be moved into a different plan. Yes, I'm playing the adoption card to make sure we keep our dentist. We are very loyal to Dr. Dean! He even sent me flowers once to thank me for the multiple referrals.

There are other examples of paperwork-gone-bad in the "permaclutter" of my home and work desks. Permaclutter is like the permafrost layer of dirt at an archaeological site — you can dig through the pile, see how the papers and projects were piled up chronologically, and you remember what you were doing instead of dealing with the paperwork.

I want this all to be organized, I really do. I hate having these tasks hanging over me. I hate the piles of paper. But each day brings new "do this now" issues — at home and at work — so there never seems to be time to dig in, get everything sorted out, filed or shredded, and otherwise put away.

So, as we begin another weekend, I find myself wondering how many Disney TV shows it would take to allow me time to clean off the home desk and how can we get out of the house earlier on weekdays so I do a better job keeping up with the administrative papers on my work desk. I shouldn't have to face each morning wondering which alligator will snap at my heels, which fires might flare up, or which co-worker I will disappoint by not finishing her project.

And in the long run, how do I balance this need to keep paperwork under control with a little girl's need for an engaged mother?