So cliche, I know... but She's growing up so fast

I've heard these phrases a million bajillion times from my parents, grandparents, church members, strangers at the grocery store... I really thought I was doing my best to 'enjoy every moment,' but alas, the other day, I realized I spend quite a lot of time waiting.



Waiting for... what? I don't really know. Waiting for my hubs to get home from work, waiting for Maya to figure out how to sleep by herself (spoiler alert: she hasn't.), waiting for the next baby to be here... just passing the time until something exciting comes along.

This has resulted in a LOT of TV/computer time while I stay at home with her. I feel like I'm better than most TV parents in that I watch with her most of the time and ask her questions about what's going on. But still... TV and computer takes up so many of the moments I will never get back!

Couch is nice. Couch is comfy. Couch has warm blankets and my coffee nearby. Couch also is a trap. A rotten, no-good, time-sucking, posture-killing, kid-aging trap.
 
I'm so mad at myself sometimes when I look back on my day and I did nothing but reddit, Doctor Who, dishes, laundry, Veggie Tales, Mythbusters. None of it "bad" on its own per se, but definitely not the most enriching or quality-time building activities. I'm a creative person with lots of crafty ideas, but I also have a lazy streak I have to work really hard to ignore.. especially when my hubs is the same way.

Getting my husband to turn off the TV/game/computer/iphone is like asking him to pluck out his toenails. Unless I have an airtight, rock-solid reason and backup plan for what to do for entertainment, I can count on his begrudging obedience along with grumbling and a bad attitude. I blame his upbringing (but she was a divorced mom and full-time nurse with 3 boys I don't fault her one bit. She did the best she could) because they always had the TV on. I mean always. Sleeping, eating, playing, outside, the TV was on. Well, old habits die hard... and with barely any spending money each month, TV and internet seem the likely go-to solutions.  I hate it, but I have such a hard time remembering what my sisters and I did as kids. A lot of our time was spent playing outside (grew up in TX, weather was almost always awesome) and playing house or school or doctor in our rooms. But what did our parents do during that time? And what did they do with us when we were too young for games like that?

What goes on in that beautiful little head of hers?

As a kid, I remember thinking "Gosh adults are lazy... all they ever want to do it eat, relax, and sleep. Don't they know there's make-believe to play?? I'm never going to be like that."  Then, at some point, I grew up and became that lazy parent, just watching my kid yearn to be active with me.

Maya can only take about a half-hour of TV at a time, she has to get up and run around, dance, play, break things, hide things, etc. every so often. Which I appreciate, but I find myself feeling annoyed all too often. I tell myself I'm tired. I should rest and relax and "recharge my batteries" whatever that means... Why do kids have SO MUCH MORE energy than adults? Is it because they're running around playing, or is that the by-product of just having extra energy? 

Either way, I'm sick of the couch. I'm sick of TV, and I'm sick of looking at my daughter thinking, she's growing up too fast and I'm sitting here waiting it out.

Suggestions?