He is out of control

My son, the one who turns three tomorrow, I don't know what to do with him. He's simply out of control. Is this what three-year-olds are like? Cause this is nuts.

For the last ten days, he has been stuck like velcro to my side. If I step away from him, and yes I actually do mean take two steps away from him, he's frantically crying for me. He wants to be carried all the time and held all the time. He cries at the drop of a hat over things he used to be able to handle readily {like, for instance, when I walk from the family room into the kitchen}.

I am at my wit's end with this kid and I feel bad for feeling this way. I know he had a trauma at school with the fire alarm and firemen coming the day all of this started. We've talked about it quite a bit, reassured him that firemen are there to help us, they're not scary, they're good guys, blah blah blah.

He's still scared. If we're outside and he hears a siren, he starts getting upset. He is also almost constantly upset all day long about any given thing.

So if anyone knows an early childhood behavioral expert they can send to my house for a few days, that would be great. I need ideas! I need advice! I need a drink! Oh, wait, no. Not that last part. I really just need to find my patience again so I can help my son come back to himself.

So yeah, tomorrow is his third birthday. Where does time go? When did this child turn three? *sigh*