The room at the back of the house has been empty for years. Last week I painted the walls a soft chalky white and stood in the middle for a long time. The baby is due in early spring: a small new person and a quiet shift in the shape of every day.
I've kept the list to the things I'd actually use and the kind of help that's hard to ask for. A pram I'll push down to the harbour. A few nights of someone else cooking. A photographer for the first year, so I'm not the one always behind the phone. Whatever you choose, thank you.
