Parenthood and songwriting.

I was originally going to title this post something like “Can parenthood and songwriting coexist?” and then I opted not to because of course they can. Many of the world’s great songwriters became parents and still produced magnificent material. Even Keith Richards (although I suspect he had a nanny). But I’m not one of the world’s greats, not by a long shot, and for me the arrival of my little girls, Avalon and Amelia, seems to have muzzled my muse. Wait, that’s not right, I still think of ideas for songs all the time, I just never have time to do anything with them. As of today, the last song I wrote and recorded that was not based on some earlier idea was Welcome to the World, which I wrote for the imminent arrival my girls. Since then, a period of well over two years, I have written only two new songs and one is based on a lyric idea had from maybe 2008 or 2009 but I have not had time to record them. Of course, it’s not just parenthood that keeps me from my guitar. It’s also work. Work, work, work, work, work. I am now a full-time madman again and as the agency I work for grows my job becomes ever more demanding. Don’t get me wrong, I am thankful to be working after being told by doctors that I would probably never work again, I am thankful to have the most beautiful, fun and funky girls I have ever met as my daughters, I am thankful to have a wife I truly love. But I miss playing my guitar, I miss writing songs, I miss being in the studio. How do people do it? Are their any parents out there who could give me a little counsel on weaving art into life no matter the limits of space and time? Any thoughts would be much appreciated.