Mommiocrity

When I was thinking about having children, I remember fearing that I would become boring. I couldn't figure out the mechanism, so I concluded that it must be a myth the idea that parents are not interesting people. Well, I finally figured it out. I'm a parent now and I just don't have time to do interesting things anymore. Tillie needs to be fed, bathed, cleaned up after, entertained, exercised, and kept out of danger. These chores can be quite fun and sweet, but they take up 3 to 8 hours each day, depending on if I have a babysitter to help out. I have only two hour blocks of time to get anything else done when she naps, and that is not enough time to accomplish anything of substance. With a child, I can't afford to make less money and spend time on nonpaying or low-paying work projects, which tend to be more exciting. I can't afford the time or cost of extravagant travel or hobbies. I'm so worn out mentally that I can barely get away from the television after the kid goes to bed. I have read exactly one book that was not about child-rearing or pregnancy in the last 2 years. The idea of having a second child really frightens me. Is it really true that the most creative thing that I've accomplished in the last couple of months is watching a whole season of Project Runway? Would I have done even that if I had a second set of wiggling fingernails to trim?