(VIDEO! In case you got this post via email, click image above to see video)

Two and a half months later, I think I’m getting some perspective on how this parent thing works when it comes to getting things done. Sure, I’m an amateur – and some might say 2.5 months is quite a learning curve to figure out something so basic, but hey, at least I’m learning, right?

So back in the pre-Zoe era, my typical work day would include 6-8 hours of phone calls (no joke), pretty much non-stop iChats or Skype chats or Google chats during those calls, 200-300 emails per day to sift through, store, respond, etc, all interspersed with face-to-face interaction either by Skype or video conferencing or actual human contact. So I’m used to spending my days listening, talking, making decisions, negotiating, and providing positive feedback, and dammit, most days feel quite productive!

Enter Zoe.

Now, at first I just felt UN-productive, completely. That’s understandable, I suppose when all you do is change diapers, breastfeed, wash clothes, swaddle, bathe, repeat – and suddenly it’s 6 pm, which feels like 10 pm, followed by a whole night of doing the same.

And so I did what any super goal-oriented person would do, I decided to watch as much TV as possible -adding some new shows, recording some movies I’ve “always” wanted to watch, and double-checking to make sure I’ve seen every single episode of every single version of Law & Order. Check. But somehow that idea lacked the fulfillment I expected… And so here’s what I finally I’ve learned: Just Redefine Productive. Oh, and make a list so you can check it off and feel REALLY productive.

And so, the NEW version of productive might look like a few days ago:

• go to Target and make it home with less than 4 minutes of crying in car seat
• 25 minutes on treadmill while baby sleeps (yes, she sleeps through that – wow!)
• take a SHOWER, with baby in bouncy on floor of bathroom – which was actually quite cute (VIDEO)
• drop 3 cards in the mail without getting out of the car
• order a few Christmas gifts online while playing the pacifier game (she spits it out, I put it back in, etc)

Whew, I’m exhausted just thinking about it. And don’t think I didn’t do all the normal stuff in between – feeding, diaper changes, washing clothes/bottles – though honestly cutting some of those things out would give me more time… ;)

But seriously, some days you just have to be OK with the simplest thing you can get done, which could be videoing 32 seconds of your daughter trying to eat her own hand. Hey, someone’s gotta be productive around here, right?