Too Much To Take

I'm not one to follow the parenting books precisely. I generally read up on all the "advice" just so I'll know what to expect and then seek help from family and friends if I have questions. One of the things that I had wanted to do this summer was transition Braxton from his crib to his big boy bed. He had never attempted to climb out and other than the first year (ha ha) of his life loved his bed. We could put him down and he'd go to sleep on his own. Even this summer when we'd be away he'd say, "I miss my baby bed". The boy loved his bed.
However, he did turn 3 this summer and he is getting really tall and besides all of that it needed to be done before I went back to work. With the way summer has worked out it didn't get done when I had planned and I had actually told Brandon at the beach that I was going to buy the bed rails this week and start it this weekend. Yesterday, out of nowhere, Braxton proclaimed he was going to sleep in his big boy bed last night! So we went out bought the rails and while I was at a meeting at church the boys built "the ship" (as Braxton called the bed). He was so excited when I came home. I pulled out a car/truck nightlight that I had bought a while back and showed him what it was and what it did and everything was all good.......until bed time. He became a little apprehensive and told me he didn't like that room etc. etc. I had to lay down with him. He told me to close my eyes.(It took me back to my own childhood) After about 5 minutes, he could see that the nightlight DID work, I kissed him good night and left the room.
As I walked out I stopped by his old room and just stood there. Dark, quiet, and now empty. My mind went back to 3 years earlier, when it was empty the first time and we were anxiously waiting for him to arrive,and I couldn't believe that the years had gone so quickly and he was was sleeping in a BIG bed. This summer has obviously been full of changes. Sometimes we're not always ready for them. And they aren't always good. Whatever the change they bring just that, change.
I guess it's a way for our hearts to make room for new memories.