>> Why have a child when you plan to have strangers (nanny, schools) do most of the work?
> Did you homeschool?
> I don't see what makes changing diapers or keeping infants from killing
themselves a very enriching way of spending energy.
> I'm interested in the dinner conversations, weekend activities and holidays, and in nurturing a child's imagination, creativity and character.
With respect, I think you're thinking about this wrong.
The menial tasks of caring for a child (diapers, cleaning, clothing, feeding, etc) are the structure within which you develop a bond, a relationship with the individual. It changes both of you, and by avoiding it, you also eliminate the thousands of moments that build that relationship between parent and child.
As your child grows, those tasks evolve: playing Lego, drawing, listening to their stories, playing dumb video games, taking them to soccer/swimming/music lessons/etc. Lots of stuff that's basically not what you'd really rather be doing, save that your kid wants to do it. Avoiding them again misses an opportunity to be a part of who your child becomes.
Now, this is not to say you need do _everything_. A kid benefits from relationships with family, as well as teachers, coaches, older kids, peers, etc. They learn how to make and maintain friendships, how to be both independent but also open to sharing. That can obviously include a nanny, or daycare providers -- everyone's choices are different, and depend on the child's own needs as well.
But I'd really encourage you to look beyond the dirty diapers, the vomit, the dribble, the food stain on your work clothes, the 3 hours of sleep. There's a lot more to the process than what's visible, and in my experience, it's important, profound, and well worth it.