Groundhog Day

Remember that Bill Murray movie from the early 1990s where he wakes up every morning to face the same exact day and is forced to do the same activities again and again and face the same people saying and doing the same exact things, day in and day out?

Yeah.  Lately, I am the Sisyphian schmuck stuck in my own recurring day, which goes something like this:

Anika, please eat some cereal.  No?  How about these bananas?  No?  How about these pureed peaches?  No?  Ok, will you just at least sit here in your high chair and gnaw on your spoon?  No, it doesn't go on the floor.  No, I will not...well, ok, here you go.  No, not again.  Ok, but this is the last time I'm picking it up.  Argh, honestly, if you keep throwing it, gravity will keep bringing it to the ground.  I promise you.  Newton had that figured out a long time ago.

Anika, for the love of God, please don't crawl over to those exposed wires and that chandelier just lying on the floor over there.  We're going to install it sometime this century, I promise, but in the meantime, please please don't take off like a bullet across the carpet just to put those wires in your mouth.  We don't know where those wires have been.

Anika, love, same thing with the sockets on the walls.  Not for little fingers, altho they are conveniently packaged to be the right size for your fingers, so I can see the confusion.

Hey, Anika, please stay away from the sharp corners of the TV stand.  I can see that it's fun to slap your hand against the side but you're going to bump your head and....oh, see?  I told you!  Why don't we read this book?  Here, you can turn the pages, see?  Or just eat the book.  Fine.  Just eat the book.  You aren't getting any fiber from cereal you're not eating, so at least chew on that page with the bunny for awhile.  Just don't eat his cotton tail.  Wait...well, never mind.  Fuzz never hurt anyone.  Although the book does say Made in China.  I will google the signs for lead poisoning if you promise to PLEASE stay out of trouble for the 30 seconds it will take me to go and get my computer. Ok, here I go - just to the other room, see?  [crash]  Anika, what the? Oh, honey, those paint cans aren't for knocking over.  Dangit, who forgot to put those in the garage?

Ok, Anika, time for a nap. You're so tired your eyes are red with little purple bags under them.  See?  Yeah, rubbing your eyes, you're definitely tired.  Let's go lie down.  No?  You don't want to lie down?  Ok, hey now, this is nap time for chrissake -- trust me, the rest of your life you're going to wish you enjoyed nap times while you had the chance.  Let's try reading a book.  No?  Ok, how about just quietly chewing on a book while we rest here on the bed.  No?  Alright, got it, no need to slam the book in my face.  Ow, stop poking my eye please.  And this bed is not Mt. Everest, I will not have you rapelling off the side and hurting yourself.  Remember that rhyme about the monkeys jumping on the bed?  Well, bumping your head may sound nice in the song but I have a feeling you wouldn't like it.  Here, let's sing a little song.  No?  Well, gosh, I know I'm no Diana Ross but you don't have to sound so upset over it. Would you like to nurse?  Here, here you go.  Try nursing a bit...OW!  Mommy is not a chew toy! Aww, are your gums hurting?  Ok, here are some Hyland's drops. And some numbing jell.  Let's see if that works.

No? No better?  Ok, you win, let's get up and try this again in 20 minutes.

[Repeat all aforementioned activities.  Then repeat again.  And again.  And one more time. And then realize that the next step is bedtime, which could be a three hour or more process where I, Sisyphus, roll that rock up that hill just to have it come back down and roll over my toes.  Man, I love my daughter more than life itself but this little number we've been playing on repeat has really got to be an effective means of birth control for someone out there, no?]