Oddly grateful for Groundhog Day...on fast forward

As a long term lover of spontaneity, huge fan of the surprise party or the impromptu dinner party-turned fancy dress parade- turned late night dancing on the table epic bender...you'd think parenthood would suit me down to a tee with its unexpected twists and turns. However having spent the first few weeks on tenterhooks, never sure what the next 15mins would hold in store, and therefore unable to plan, I have reluctantly conceded that routine may in fact rule supreme. 

After weeks having to second guess when the hunger monster would next erupt from deceptively deep slumber with a bellow of ravenous rage, never sure when adorable alertness would tip over into cranky overstimulation, the fragile peace and predicability of a repetitive 3hr cycle is very welcome. 

The fact that it is only a 3 hour cycle makes it feel a little like Groundhog Day on speed. Forget a 24hour pattern, this is literally as simple as feed, change nappy, maybe a minor activity..then back to sleep again ( if I'm lucky..as sometimes this part gets missed). The highlight of this cycle is varying the 'activity' (which my reading of parenting bibles tells me should be 'age appropriate.') For a wee one this might be as simple as lying on the play mat staring at one of the numerous multiple-textured, uber colourful and focus-friendly objects suspended above her...however I like to aim for the double whammy of vaguely educational stimulation for her, AND mutual benefit for Mum.

Examples of today's activities include:

- pairing socks: useful for learning colours and shapes I like to think..although I'm hoping no one will notice I've paired the lonely yellow banded black sock with a pink and grey jobby as I'm fed up of both of them hanging around. Maybe one day they will be reunited with their respective partners, until then my husband's colleagues will be in for a treat if he dresses in the dark next week

- bath time: obviously a necessity following the daily ritual of vomiting on oneself and all surrounding objects or people

- cake eating and coffee drinking: essential for sanity..and I reckon it makes the breast milk taste better (am figuring she's now a huge fan of red velvet cupcake flavour)?

- walking the dog: exercise for me, fresh air for her= more sleep! Result.

- bouncer plus shower: she sits in the bouncer chair thing, I shower. Not sure if this is really age appropriate, but what she doesn't remember surely can't scar her?!

Groundhog Day on fast forward also has one amazing bonus feature which seems to occur once a day...although not at a regular time. My bonus feature involves being able to push the RESET button. By this I mean the opportunity to reset the stage ready for the next few hours; tidying up the scene of carnage that I have left in my wake all day, a catalogue of semi-completed tasks like hanging out washing, cleaning up breakfast or tidying away nappies... that have all been commenced but not concluded!

All I can say is alleluia for the reset button. It means my husband returns to a scene of relative sanity if not cleanliness...and I can generally end the day, ready to relive it all again a few hours later. It also means we live in dread of growth spurts that serve to disrupt our fragile peace...but I save my thoughts on the 'feeding frenzy' for another time!