Changes at Age Four:
A Move, A Brother, An Aunt's Marriage.

First there was the new pregnancy of the mother. Obviously there were different behavior patterns within the family. There was change, but it was very subtle. It was not clearly apparent to the child. There was no understanding of the forthcoming event, just that there would be a new brother or sister.

And there was the move. It was not a difficult move. The child did not have to do a thing. The move was merely three houses away. Cross the street, walk up the lane, and cross another street. The move was no more than that. It was all very simple. It was an inter-family move. The father was simply being given the grandfather's house. The house was already familiar to the child. It was an easy move. It had been the wish of the father's late mother because the father had given up his engineering career to return home to assist in his father's business. A terrible mistake, but well rewarded with the family house, a house that had been in the late mother's family for four generations.

The house was old. Two floors caved in and had to be replaced before the move. The boy often accompanied his father on visits to view the progress of the renovations. He was already very familiar with the house. The house attics, the ancient summer kitchen and pantry, the shed, the garage, and the barn and its attic were never cleaned out. But it was a house and the families familiar furniture was moved to the house. The grandfather moved out but he only moved a block away. He and his new wife renovated and moved to the oldest house in the fourth falls village. They were still only a short walk away.