Potty Training

We started potty training Metz when we got to Miami . . . He isn't very fond of it so we made a promise-"go poo-poo in the potty you get a bike"! (Just so you know we were planning on getting him one anyway so we thought hey two birds with one stone!)

Well one night about 8:15 Metz comes running out of the bathroom . . . "I did it, I did it, I get a bike!"
So off to Target we go. . . Metz had so much fun.  In this picture you can totally tell that Metz is saying "I'm getting a bike, I'm getting a bike".
The construction.  I was in charge of instructions and parts and Metz and Daddy were in charge of well . . . construction.  
The first ride.  Ok, well we had some complications - the wheel was missing a part so we had to go back the next morning and get a new one . . . but he still got in that first ride.  Yea a bike! Now if we could only get him to go on the toilet again . . . ah the joys of parenting.

Anniversary Weekend Con't

Yes, we spent our six anniversary with our son at a baseball game - that is just our style :) We loved it-

Mets vs Marlins.  This was Metz's first baseball games so we had to go see the NY Mets in action-
Cute right?!?! Am I lucky or what.  Metz about skipped to the game.  We were all really excited we had been planning this trip for awhile.
Daddy and Metz.  Metz wore his baseball glove for the first couple of innings . . . 
He also stood like this for the first couple of innings. He had his glove ready and waiting.   He couldn't understand why they didn't throw him the ball too.
In the end he got a ball :) YEA! He still talks about the baseball game and asks for his ball all the time! (We have it hidden very well!).  Happy Anniversary.  

Metz's First Zoo Trip

This was the beginning of our Anniversary Weekend :) 6 years :).  We went to the Miami Dade Zoo.  Metz had never been to a zoo so this was very exciting for the whole family.  The first stop was the flamingos. 

This pic is for Grandma Butler (she loves flamingos) Metz kept saying "pink, flamingos, pink".  
Metz loved this little elephant sculpture.  It was just his size! He was surprised when we got to the real elephants and they were huge!!
Metz and daddy looking at a monkey hanging from a tree.  Metz was explaining to Cort what the monkey was doing.   My handsome boys.
I know Metz was thinking "this fish is going to get me".  He loves the fish tanks and didn't want to leave.  He is also wearing his new Nike's.  He loves them.  Asks to wear them everyday.  
Well the kid did get something from me!!! (For those of you who don't know, my dad owns a video taping business and I spent my teenage and young adult years with a video camera in my hand)  Metz thought it was sooo cool to video tape the animals.  We haven't seen his footage yet but I'm sure he did a good job.  Cute Cute.

The Coolest thing about Miami-Dade Zoo

Cort and Metz are feeding the daddy giraffe!! This thing was huge and strong.  Cort would hold the food tight and fight a little with it so Metz could pet the giraffe.  Cort said it was one of the coolest things he has done and Metz still talks about how he pet the giraffe and it licked his arm.  Fun memories.  

Bye Bye Island Boy Hair

Metz and his 5th haircut in life! While living in Dominica we just let it grow, be curly and get blonde in the sunshine.

When we got to Miami we thought . . ."Grandma can cut it :) She is a pro at this".  And she is, she had Metz looking handsome in no time. 
He sat still at first but once the hair starting falling and tickling his nose he was done.
"Hum, found some hair".  Every once in awhile he would stop wiggling and take the hair off his chest, arms or legs.
Look at all those blonde locks.  Our little island boy!! 

Almost to America

So what is the first thing you do when you land in Puerto Rico?!? You eat McDonald's of course! 

And because it has been 9 months since you have seen one . . . you order way too much food and enjoy dessert!  Metz enjoyed an ice cream cone and I enjoyed an apple pie!!! FUN FUN.
Do you want some?

Doggy

I meant to post this below and forgot.  This is what doggy looked like after the fire.  He was my first priority and the first thing I washed.  Metz can't live without this thing.  When he came to Paul's after playing with Christian he was so happy to see him.   Doggy was a little wet but Metz loved him and slept with him that night, plus took him on the plane with us.  I'm so glad we didn't lose that dog!

SERIOUSLY!!!!!!

This would be 7 hours before we were supposed to board a plane to move to Miami.  We had done just one more load of laundry to pack and had put our drying rack with the fan on it to dry.  I had done this for 16 months.  We left to go get power, juice and have dinner with our friends (a little over two hours) and returned to this. . . The fan had overheated or something and melted causing an electrical fire, yes really an electrical fire.  Luckily I had put cort's swimming trunks on the rung that was closest to the fan.  They ended up melting instead of catching on fire.  The rest of the clothes were cotton so I am so grateful for swim trunks.  I could not go in and help (pregnant and all) so knocked on the door of the guys next door while Cort, Chris and very quickly Paul got into the house (remember kids run away from fire) and saved our computers, backpacks and packed luggage.  

Before I knew it Fleur took Metz up to her house to play (Christian and Metz are the best of friends and all) and I was able to start organizing the things that had been taken out.  Chelsie and Keith arrived and before I knew it I had someone helping me get everything clean and organized.  Since I couldn't go in the house, Chelsie was my runner and got me clothes (to wash for the next day) soap, bags anything I needed.  I was able to start to get things in order to leave very soon.
It seemed like the smoke wasn't ever going to stop! 
Our poor apartment.  It only looked like this for a minute though.  People got straight to work. Every inch of our apartment was covered.  You would even open a cupboard and smoke would escape.    
Our ceiling is stucco so the whole thing looked like this.   The whole apartment was just covered.  We did not have the best experience with our landlord, but things will get worked out thanks to those who are still there and have offered to help.  You'll see the clean up below, we still left at our scheduled time, 4 a.m., with a clean apartment, caught our plane and got to Puerto Rico without a hitch (well almost, I threw up on the way to the airport - no sleep, fire, windy road and pregnant just wasn't the best thing for me).  Granted we were dirty, tired and hungry but we made it.  We had McDonalds, naps on the floor in the airport, and caught our flight to Miami where we were greeted with hugs and kisses by Berne and Jan.  It's amazing how some things end up working out . . . not like you planned, but still works.  
This would be what the boys looked like after running in and out of the apartment.  We needed Krista as a comparison to see how dirty they really were.  By the way, thank you to the guys who ran in and saved our stuff and kept reminding Cort to get out when he was in the apartment too long.

The Clean Up

Almost 20 people showed up to our house at 9:30 at night with fans, buckets, bleach and towels.  
They each just took a spot and got it clean.  It was amazing.  When you see how bad it was to how great they got it I'm just so thankful.  It took some major elbow grease and hard work and they were happy to do it.
I was able to take Metz up to Paul's house (thanks paul) to sleep and go through what was left of our things to pack and clean them up to leave by 4 a.m. while everyone else cleaned my house.  
They finished around 1 a.m. and our place looked AMAZING!! We will still have to pay to clean the roof and paint the walls where the fire started but I will forever be grateful for everyone who came and worked so hard.  If it was just left up to me and Cort we would still be trying to clean our place.  Also to those who are still doing the follow up work with the apartment.  THANK YOU!!
THE BIGGEST THANK YOU AND HUG TO EVERYONE THAT CAME AND CLEANED.