Mom: The Quicker Picker Upper
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This weekend I was at my parents with Adam and Lincoln. They have some toys there that Lincoln was playing with and scattering around their family room. Thinking nothing of it, I followed behind him picking up everything he was throwing around. Just right there behind him, like a human vacuum that only picks up blocks and things with Elmo on them.
My parents were in shock. You see, in that very house I once had a room where, many times, you couldn’t see the color of the carpet because there was stuff everywhere. During my last few years there, I rarely slept in my bed because there was always a pile of clothes on it (Adam referred to it as Mount MasterCard). I remember an incident where my dad kicked around People magazines that were all over the floor and scolded me for not taking care of my things. I still don’t know what that means. It was my room--yes, in his house, but he didn’t have to go in it if he didn’t want to. I never associated messiness with disrespect. Maybe I will when Lincoln gets older and does the same thing. Let me note that I wasn’t dirty, just messy. Unbelievably messy.
Anyway—I do this now. I pick up things. I clean things as I go. I tidy (or “red up”). I can’t tell you why, though. Sure, I want things to be nice for Lincoln, and I definitely don’t want to step on blocks in the middle of the night, but it’s become some sort of obsession. If you would have told me at 17 that this would happen to me, I would have laughed in your face—after wading through my room to get to you.
When there are no dishes in the sink, I’m a little bit more at peace. When I can walk through the living room without feeling like I’m in an obstacle course, I’m giddy. So weird.
Is this a carryover from nesting?
Erin Hill is a first-time mom to Lincoln, who was born in January 2010. She's learning as she goes and is experiencing everything a new mom goes through while seeing the humor, irony, and enjoyment in her adventures.
Erin is a full-time technical writer and features freelance writer in her "spare time." She lives in Plum with Lincoln, her husband, Adam, their dog, Roxie, and five (yes, five) cats, Nirvana, Gary Roberts, Elvis, Talbot and Forrest.