Lockdown

Many people refer to a wife as a "ball-and-chain" when a guy gets married. Sometimes I feel that way about having a baby. I guess I didn't really realize that once you have a baby, you can't run out after they go to sleep unless you have a babysitter or someone is home to watch them. Ada goes to sleep around 7 pm now so I am kind of under a sort of lock down from 7 pm on. It doesn't matter that she won't be up until 7 am and doesn't need anything for the rest of the night. Someone still has to be here while she sleeps, just in case.

The other day I compared having a baby to that contest radio stations have every once and a while to win a car. You know, the one where you have to have some part of your body touching the car at all times and the last person left touching the car in the end wins? Babies are kind of like that. Once they go to sleep, someone always has to be home. But you don't win a car in the end and you can get up to go pee or get a snack so in many ways it is better than the car contest. And you get a tax break for having a baby whereas winning the car you have to pay taxes...

Moral of the story: Find people that are willing to come watch movies or read books or just sit on your couch and stare at the wall while your child sleeps so that you can go out and do things after 7 pm. Even if you just use that time to run to the grocery store or go to a movie or get a bite to eat, it is good to get out of the house at night so you don't feel trapped.