Sunday 3 January 2010

Spring clean

It’s a lovely round number, 2010.

Neat and tidy, not missing any bits like 2009 and without the scraggly unwanted bits we’ll have with 2011.

It crept in nice and quietly, sneaking in hidden amongst the debris of Christmas, and before we saw it, it had settled on the sofa with its feet up on the table.

3 days in and we are about to return to work after the holiday. Normally the last day before going back to work is reminiscent of Sunday evenings when we were at school, watching the evening get darker and listening with dread as every theme tune on television counted down the minutes to bedtime and a new school week.

Not this time.

Today, and tomorrow, and the whole week, will be another cross on the calendar, another day closer.

I feel like channeling the great George W. by saying 'bring them on!'.

Upstairs in the attic, two clothes horses are covered with freshly washed and drying clothes. Tiny clothes. Vests, t-shirts, hats, pants, suits, and jackets, that all seem like they should be adorning a cabbage patch kid, not a human.

The socks are so small they have to be carefully balanced on the rails. Sneeze and you would knock them off. I did.

Tomorrow is the first Monday of the New Year, and all the hustle starts again, but for now it’s completely silent and our child’s laundry is hanging up to dry.

6 weeks, 2 days.


41 comments:

Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] said...

You'll be so surprised that even the tiniest socks won't even fit him/her the first few weeks.

You might even look tall next to the baby.

Anonymous said...

Ah, Xbox, I am quite pathetically excited at the prospect of your account of THE meconium nappy change! *rubs hands in anticipation*

I sense even more sparkle & humour in your future posts, and you'll make an absolutely fabulous Dad. No doubt at all.

steph said...

Aaw...sweet!

My long-awaited daughter was born in mid-Feb 1990... nice rounded numbers, no unwanted scraggly bits!

I hope that as we celebrate her 20th birthday, you too will be celebrating a long-awaited 'birth' day.

Fingers and toes x'd!

amy turn sharp said...

I can't stop smiling when I think of you both! xoxoox

'Murgdan' said...

So excited for your countdown!

Anonymous said...

How exciting! I can't believe how quickly this whole pregnancy has gone by (and that's from my perspective. Wonder what it's like from yours).

Kori said...

What a beautiful way to start this lovely new year, no?

Anonymous said...

Very good for starting the laundry now. If it's anything like Rome, the clothes will be stiff and dry by the time Fitz is born.

No clothes driers is Satan's way of punishing Europe.

suzannanana said...

Happy New year! It is going to be a great one, just you wait and see!

Ms. Moon said...

"but for now it’s completely silent and our child’s laundry is hanging up to dry."
That was beautiful, dear Daddy X.
It's funny- when Owen comes over, I always somehow manage to wash a load of his clothes and diapers. I don't know why I do it- there aren't THAT many to do- but I just love having those tiny socks, those stretchy little suits, those fuzzy jackets, those clean white diapers folded in my laundry room.
It's some sort of magic for me.
And I can tell- for you too.

Sue said...

Vests... but no dresses? ;-) Can't wait to hear the good news! Been lurking for a long time now and am STILL so happy for you guys!

Marylin said...

Ahh I remember doing that before my first was born... it's such an exciting time!

This is your year, and I'm *so* happy for you both! :)

Anonymous said...

You just described a moment I had when pregnant. A truly beautiful moment, and it was just washing clothes.

The countdown is on!

A 2010 baby...lovely rounded number. I was hoping for my little girl to be born on 03/06/09 but instead she was 31/05/09.

This is your year...prepare for happiness.

-Tanya

Susanica said...

So exciting! Ooops. Gotta run. Two week old Benjamin is calling my name. In baby language of course. Can't wait til you both can share in this tiring but oh so amazing experience! -M

Jo said...

:)

ticktockticktock.

Read books... listen to music... go to the cinema... and dinner... eat warm food... and slleeeeeeeeeeep.

I'm tellin ya!

Anonymous said...

Sue said it...you have got to be having a little BOY Fitz with the description of the laundry. Listen to Jo, too...she speaks the truth...you will adore that baby the instant he (yep, I'm sure of it) arrives and that is where all your time will be spent forevermore...do enjoy these last few precious weeks of just 'us two'...they will fly as fast as the last 34!

Ed said...

Yeah, and in six weeks you shall come to know just how difficult it is to keep those tiny socks on tiny feet!

Kelley @ magnetoboldtoo said...

'our child’s laundry is hanging up to dry.'

Wow.

Dammit. I have gone all soft.

River said...

The pre-washing of the baby clothes. I remember those were almost my favourite days when I was pregnant. And the joy didn't diminish with each successive pregnancy.

Martin said...

@Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] - Hilarious...

@hairyfarmerfamily - I plan to be washing my hair at that moment!

@steph - heh, cool!

@amy turn sharp of doobleh-vay - I'll try to read that less creepy than it sounds ;-)

@Murgdan - just you wait!

@showmeyourcookies - fast & slow at the same time.

@Kori - mais oui!

@geeksinrome - heh, we have, but just letting them dry as is.

@suzannanana - Same to you!

@Ms. Moon - Dunno about magic, but definitely different.

@Sue - reading between the lines eh?
Take care.

@Marylin - Thanks :-)

@livingrightnow - and yet she's never as happy washing mine?

@Susanica - :-)

@Jo - You've never been to a dutch cinema...

@hotmamamia - Yes, I'm THAT stupid ;-)

@Ed - I'm thinking sellotape?

@Kelley @ magnetoboldtoo - That'll be the stroke.

@River - It was certainly strange to see.

Mwa said...

Very organised. Very. Wow.

Sue said...

I am merely hopeful. I'm sorry.

Anonymous said...

*Goes all teary-eyed and marshmallow-hearted*

Martin said...

@Mwa - There's method in our madness, trust me.

@Sue - I'm just teasing ;-)

@nutsinmay - That's the cold!

Russ said...

I suppose now is a bad time to mention that both of mine came four weeks early?

Tara R. said...

I know it seems like time is slowing down the closer to E's due date, but it's really flying by... six weeks is nothing!

I always thought those little sock and shoes looked more than key fobs than something a real person would actually wear.

Jenni said...

unbelievably close!

Not From Lapland said...

ooh, you gave me goosebumps. and the clothes, oh the teeny tiny clothes that require pegging to the clothes horse to keep them in place, almost makes me feel broody. almost.

Amanda Bowden said...

Good luck! I am due around the same time and know just how exciting it is!!!!

I have all my freshly washed baby clothes ready and waiting :)

Not Afraid to Use It said...

Only six weeks? I am so excited! How in the world is this passing by so quickly!

Chelsea Lietz said...

You didn't mention any tiny dresses hanging to dry...?

WhatAboutNovember said...

*impatient dance*

:)

Putz said...

hang on chap, tisme2gail is back blogging...hoooray

Anonymous said...

Blimey, so fingers crossed from here on in then, could happen any time. Ignore your due date, it's a cruel trick played on you by the medics.

Sinead said...

I just think it is amazing how many of those tiny clothes you can fit in one load of laundry!

I am really excited for you both.

Manuel said...

Happy new year old chap....

Sniffle said...

The boy who'se eyes I can't properly describe was bornt at minus 5 or minus 6 weeks, we're not sure.

Just saying.

James (SeattleDad) said...

Now think carefully before ever again saying you want to channel W. There are consequences X.

Getting close though. Excited for you both.

Paddy in BA (Quickroute) said...

Good jaezuz - that went fast - I need to find a way to slow down time or just stop sleeping

Martin said...

@Russ - er, yes.

@Tara R. - dunno about 'flying by'!

@Jenni - ggggggah!

@Heather - heh, almost ;-)

@Amanda Bowden - Ah nice! best of luck, let us know how you get on!

@Not Afraid to Use It - I really do not know...

@Chelsea Lietz - I didn't. . . .

@WhatAboutNovember - ;-)

@Putz - Priorities eh Putz...

@bsouth - I don't think it's the medics out to trick us somehow...

@Sinead - ah but you still need different loads, making the bundle tiny!

@Manuel - Thank you sir, all the best.

@Sniffle - agggggh.

@James (SeattleDad) - smoke and mirrors!

@Quickroute - I have the key to not sleeping sorted

Blues said...

I can just feel your excitement from this and it's making me get all excited. Can't wait for you guys to have it.