Monday 31 August 2009

Today I put away childish things

When I was younger there a sound that never ever failed to excite me, whether listening to it or mimicking it.

Whoow-Whoow, Whoow-Whoow, Whoow-Whoow.

KITT.

David Hasselhoff's genius car in Knight Rider. The laser would Whoow-Whoow back and forth on its bonnet, and you knew something brilliant was going to happen.

For hours after every episode it was commonplace to repeat the sound until my face hurt. Whoow-Whoow, Whoow-Whoow, over and over with the accompanying facial expressions of a randy goldfish.

Even today, twenty or twenty-five years on, I catch myself making that sound. Whoow-Whoow.

Today, I heard a very similar sound. Noticeably faster, and with no pauses, and no full-stops.

Whoow-Whoow, Whoow-Whoow, Whoow-Whoow, Whoow-Whoow, Whoow-Whoow. Over and over again.

A heart beating. Our kidlet's heartbeat. Fast, constant, and strong.

ET, the midwife, and I, respectively lying, standing, and sitting. All three of us holding our breath with instinctive silence, listening for the first time to someone who didn't even know we were there.

Eavesdropping. Broadcasting its first unwittingly audible movements to an outside world it knows nothing of. A pre-natal pirate radio, that we were privileged to hear for a few moments.

Just stunning.

The sound has been going around my mind ever since. After a quarter century I finally see the sound of the Knight Rider as outdated.

I'll still mimic the sound in my head, only from today on it will be noticeably faster, with no pauses, and no full-stops....


50 comments:

Making Babies said...

You are going to be such an awesome dad!!!

Ms. Moon said...

Did you cry?

Claire said...

The first time we heard that sound, the midwife suggested recording it on our phones. Even now when I play it back the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. Mind-blowing.

mammydiaries said...

Beautiful.

Rachel said...

How sweet! When you finish writing your book about how you're pretty much screwed if you try to argue w/a pregnant woman, you could write another guide for men about how to appreciate and embrace the miracale of parenthood!

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

*tear*

allergies...

Sarah said...

Awww.

Best sound ever. Until you get to hear your baby laugh. Baby laughs are amazing.

ME! said...

Awww! I am glad that things are going well!! As for putting away childish things- NO WAY!! When you have child you have MORE reason to bring back your inner Hasslehoff and KITT! I bet when your wee one gets bigger he/she will giggle and smile with you Whoow-Whoow > :)

Sadia said...

Awww ... and I'm jealous. We never got to hear ours (although seeing them was equally mindblowing, I'm sure).

Anonymous said...

What the hell does a randy goldfish look like?

Erin said...

Ah, but can the kidlet talk to you in a robotic voice yet?

MissyBoo said...

Awesome :)

Hockeyman said...

Thats awesome! Remember rule number 1 to your new spawn, don't hassle the hoff.

WeaselMomma said...

That is wonderful! It's a lovely sound that you will never tire of hearing.

Ed said...

And as you listened--I'm sure you're heart literally stopped. (It's pretty sweet music, ain't it?)

Lorna said...

Came across this from a twitter link and thought of you :-)- the 14 coolest pregnant belly paintings - should you wish to get your paintbrush out! http://www.oddee.com/item_96792.aspx

Liz said...

Maybe you should change your name to Michael for the duration of this pregnancy.

Anonymous said...

They made you wait far to long!

Mwa said...

Amazing sound. More than twenty-one months after last hearing that, it's still in my ears. Don't put away all childish things, though. You'll need them when little fitz thinks pulling your nose is the funniest thing in the world.

Kim said...

No full stops...

Spoken like a true infertile, always the worry.

Congratulations on finally getting to hear that sweet sound! It really is the best sound ever.

Anonymous said...

Well, now, that is COOL.

Anonymous said...

Nice and all as that is, let me get this straight.

You have a working KITT?

Missives From Suburbia said...

Beautiful. It's a sound you will never grow tired of and never forget, even after you're done having babies. You described it perfectly.

Veronica said...

It's the best sound ever.

B said...

The makers of Knight Rider were aware of it becoming outdated, so they made you this!

You've ruined our goldfish on me, by the way; I'll be there thinking of him thinking of lady fish in fishnet stockings now, or would it be some other sort of net, a smaller sort ...so sieve-net stockings?

IrishNYC said...

Such a beautiful sound, isn't it?

I Am Emily... said...

The memories come flooding back and tears well up in my eyes. That sound and seeing the ultrasound images, and feeling the kicking...it all made pregnancy so special!

Anonymous said...

I am so happy for you, just wait till that beauty is in your arms. My lil' beaut is 6mths now and his cheeks are sucked away from all the kisses I give him. Nothing better than this!!!!
Deno

James (SeattleDad) said...

Nice. Something brilliant is definitely about to happen.

Kelley @ magnetoboldtoo said...

you should totally make it your ringtone.

And your answering machine message.

'Hi you have reached ET, BoxBoy and Whoow-Whoow, please leave your message after the beep'

River said...

Oh wow! How completely awesome is that sound?

Martin said...

@Making Babies - :-)

@Ms. Moon - Nope

@Claire - that would have been a good idea!

@mammydiaries - Yes.

@Rachel - You have quite high expectations...

@Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] - Aunty Histamine.

@Sarah - always something extra...

@Lorza - I want lego!

@Sadia - seeing the heart was also stunning, yes.

@bsouth - pretend to be one looking for a kiss...

@Erin - Not that I'm aware!

@MissyBoo - Yes!

@Hockeyman - Golden rules.

@WeaselMomma - :-)

@Ed - Stunning.

@Lorna - Some of those are CREEPY...

@womb for improvement - and become the Night Rider?

@Christa - worth waiting for...

@Mwa - :-)

@Kim - it sure is.

@nutsinmay - very very very.

@Maxi Cane - I HAD!
it used to go on 2 wheels.

@Missives From Suburbia - Lovely!

@Veronica - Cant think of any better at the moment anyway.

@B - Sieve-net... Watch for it on the runways of galway!

@IrishNYC - Yes!

@Tanya - :-)

@Deno - hahaha

@James (SeattleDad) - that's for SURE...

@Kelley @ magnetoboldtoo - No one ever phones us...

@River - Very!

frogpondsrock said...

Stunning indeed. :)

B said...

There's a Mel Brooks film in that there.

Karen MEG said...

That is so incredible. Absolutely nothing, nothing at all like that.

Jo said...

Aw, I can still hear it in my head too. The heartbeats, that is, not so muhc KITT, though I do still love Knightrider.

I love pre-natal pirate radio.

Shanny said...

So flipping amazing!

WhatAboutNovember said...

:)

tiff(threeringcircus) said...

just the best sound in the whole world.
Be it the first time or the last. It is precious.

Angel said...

This post made me teary.

Keep playing! Remember the little one can hear you now! Maybe he/she wants to play Knight Rider, too!

Mick said...

It's the best sound in the world, and the heartbeat isn't bad either.

I loved Knight Rider :-)

michelle said...

My youngest is 7 and I can still hear that sound in my head

Jane said...

That's the best feeling a man could ever felt. Thanks for sharing an inspiring post. I wish you well and your wife too. By the way, these best gifts that you could give your better-half might interest you too. Thanks and have a nice and fulfilling day.

A Free Man said...

That's a great sound, isn't it?

By the way, it's frightening to see a sentence with the words 'David Hasselhoff' and 'genius' in such close proximity, but as long as you're referring to the car I think we're OK.

Martin said...

@frogpondsrock - Absolutely.

@B - Get writing....

@Karen MEG - certainly unique !

@jothemama - Hasselhof in tight pants, doesnt surprise me...

@Shanny - Yep!

@WhatAboutNovember - lots of smilies from you!

@tiff(threeringcircus) - cant argue there

@Angel - Awwwwww ;-)

@Mick - hahaha, must get it on DVD

@michelle - Nice!

@Jane - Thank you.

@A Free Man - Weird and cool in the extreme.

Anonymous said...

kidlet KNOWS you are there buddy, kidlet KNOWS...how awesome, so happy for you two!!!

Blues said...

KITT!!! Why didn't you think of that for a name for the sexless fetus? Kitt would have been perfect.

Jenni said...

sweet, sweet music.

1A said...

Just awesome.

Martin said...

@hotmamamia - Thanks

@Blues - aggggggggggggghh. It would have...

@Jenni - forget whale music and sounds of the forest, that would make a CD.

@Becky - :-)