Matt and I made the decision yesterday to get rid of the pacifiers. This is a huge deal in my mind because they are absolutely obsessed with them. They have gotten them at nap time and bed time for their whole lives, and this is what gets them to go to sleep. They often wake up in the middle of the night when they can't find them in their beds, and in turn, they come wake us up to find them. So we were tired of it! Tripp and Gentry each got a bag, filled them with their paci's, and we proceeded to walk next door to give them to the "baby". "you are big kids now, and big kids don't use pacifiers. we have to give them to the babies who need them." They totally loved this idea. So we gave our pacifiers to "the baby's mommy" and came on home. We didn't nap yesterday. No paci's, they weren't having it, so they skipped the nap and ended up passing out for the night at 6:45. They cried for a bit for their pacifiers, but I quickly reminded them that big kids don't need them and that we gave them to the babies that do need them. Gentry was ok with this and quit crying. This made Tripp cry even more. He wanted them back! He eventually fell asleep and was fine. GG woke up an hour later shaking her hands, and crying like she was in drug withdrawal. Poor baby girl. She quickly fell asleep again and that was the end of it. Today I got them down for a nap by bribing them! They continue to ask about the pacifiers before their nap, but Tripp always reminds GG that we gave them to the babies. So sweet. Hopefully they will soon forget.
Next step, potty training........

love this picture...

All tripp and gentry do is fight. I feel like a referee all day long. Every. Single. Day. Gentry is actually the instigator... she goes and purposely takes one of Tripp's toys that he is playing with and runs away with it laughing. While this is quite humerous to her (and me), he freaks out. Then comes that pushing, shoving, biting, etc. I am not sure how to handle the fighting. Tripp screams and cries at the drop of a hat if things don't go his way. Gentry just turns and does something else that she's not supposed to do, like throw something and stare at you. I have tried time outs, taking toys away, etc. I don't know what to do!
Today Tripp had an absolute meltdown at the baseball game. GG, Tripp and I were waiting for the game to end so that we could go on the field and run the bases and play with Matthew. Well, the game had one out to go and the other team decided to tie it up in the 9th. Tripp got tired of waiting and began screaming his eyes out. I just sat there trying to calm him down while Gentry was taunting him beside me. We were being stared at, although I could've given a crap, and Matt even could hear him all the way out at 2nd base. I finally got up and took him home telling him he could not play with daddy on the field anymore. Gentry stayed with Lauren and came home later on. Then I felt bad, cause he was really excited with his bat and balls to play. I need someone to tell me how to discipline!
I also need someone to tell me how both of my 2 year olds can skip their nap and still not go to sleep until 9pm. WTF? They are the energizer bunny times two.
I am exhausted...... when will the fighting stop?

I have been meaning to write on the blog for a while now, but I always remember at the wrong times!
We are in the midst of the baseball season right now and Matthew has been on the road a lot the passed month. They are currently on an 8 day road trip and have been gone 24 of the passed 32 days. The kids are really missing him, but after this trip, he gets to be home a bunch in June and July. We are definitely looking forward to that!
Tripp and Gentry have grown so much as of late. They are both saying new words everyday and putting together sentences. Gentry is still my little stinker. She continues to deliberately do the wrong thing and look at me while doing it to see what I will do. It's really hard not to laugh! Tripp is my sweetheart. He listens, for the most part, but he is also very sensitive. His feelings get hurt pretty easily by others.
They have both started getting really into playing with their toys (the right way), and pretending. Gentry loves to play with her dress up shoes, crown, purse, lip stick, and credit cards. Tripp loves his cars from the movie cars. He actually loves any type of car or truck. She loves tea parties, and he loves destroying the tea party. Don't get me wrong, she can definitely hold her own and get rough! She seems also a bit more social than he does. On the other hand, he will try anything, where she is scared to try certain things.