Until this past Saturday I could not understand why my Dad kept my old crib (which Isaac used twice on trips back to Nanna and P-Pa's house).  Now, having disassembled Isaac's to make way for a true big boy bed, I get it.  They are so safe and secure in a crib.  They need you to help them out.  They look up to you with big eyes and pleading arms and you get to rush in and pick them up.  A crib is such a core part of a baby's life and a core part of being a new parent. 

And now, Isaac's is gone. 

In its place is a huge full sized bed, a monstrosity by comparison.  It has new sheets, a new mattress, and a new room configured around it.  As Isaac helped me put together I realized that the big boy bed is probably more of a milestone for parents than kids.  Isaac, fortunately, loves his big boy bed.  Its a good thing, too, it will probably be his bed for the next 14 years.  Oh god.  I am going to cry now.  14 years?  That's it?  Jesus Christ, he is not ready for college yet.  Oh wait...he is turning 4 this weekend.  Reorient.

The big boy bed thing is a great reminder of taking every minute with them.  They grow so fast and change so much that if you aren't paying close attention, its gone.

One good thing about the big boy bed is that it makes for an excellent spot to wrestle as both Isaac and Dad found out this weekend.  Hopefully this new arena won't result in me going to the doctor again for a bruised sternum.  

Over the weekend we went to Colby and Myles's house for Colby's 5th birthday (holy mackerel!).  While there we revealed in one of the nicest wiffle ball fields I have seen since 20 Sexton Dr, pre-construction.  Domenic has a great set up and a pile of wiffle balls.  Isaac was finally interested in baseball or its plastic relative, so we set him up with a bat and here were the results:

Tuesday night I came home at my normal time and I saw the Forester door oddly open with no one inside.  I looked around and I saw that our house door was not open and Bianca and Isaac were not around.  It was pretty scary for a second, but then I saw Isaac and Bianca talking to one of our elderly neighbors.  I couldn't hear what they were saying but it was clear from Isaac's expression that something was wrong.  I walked over and as I got closer, Bianca saw I was there.  She filled me in on what was going on.  Our elderly neighbor, a woman probably in her mid to late 80s, was suffering from an episode of confusion and memory loss.  She had wondered outside looking for help and ran across Bianca and Isaac.  She wasn't making a lot of sense and Bianca was trying her best to figure out what the neighbor needed.

The neighbor kept saying something about "around the corner" but neither of use could make out what she was saying.  She got more and more confused and scared.  Then it all clicked.  I somehow made out that her son was around the corner.  Somehow a flash in my brain remembered a truck that often showed up to plow snow and how that truck was regularly parked around the corner.  While Bianca stayed with our neighbor and called 911, I scooped up Isaac and we started to walk towards her son's house.

On our way Isaac was asking questions, very hard to answer questions.  He wanted to know what was going on and what we were doing.  I told him that our neighbor needed help and we were helping her.  I told him we were coming to her rescue.  With that Isaac was ready to go and his concerned look was replaced by his determined look.  We found the son's house, knocked on the door, and told him what happened.  Then we went back home and stayed with Bianca and the neighbor until the police and her son arrived. 

It turned out that she had had a small stroke and she was treated by EMTs.  Afterwords the police came over and talked to us.  The officer also talked to Isaac, noticing that he was a bit shaken up.  She calmed him down and explained to him that he had helped.  He was very pleased with the police officer's complement. 

I was so stunned at how his little brain handled this, how it processed information, and how he finally wrapped his head around what was happening.  It was so impressive and he remained so calm.  I am was also impressed with the Fitchburg Police Department and how caring and attentive the female officer was.  It brought to mind that quote from Mr. Rogers.  His mother told him, in response to seeing a crisis on TV, that while bad things happen in the world, there are more good people than bad and you see that by watching for the helpers in a time of crisis. 

Isaac was a helper.  He is such a great kid.