"Leashes"

My mom is going to think I have lost my mind when she reads this, but I really do think we are going to have "leash" kids. I am thinking of purchasing these:

I figure I should start putting them on them now everytime we get out of the car and they aren't in the strollers to get them used to putting it on when we are out and about. I know that people think it is treating your children like pets, but I think the embarrasment (kind of like driving a minivan) is worth it to make sure I can keep up with the kids in crowded parking lots, todder enticing stores, etc. I was against it for a while ( like a lot of things that I was against before I actually had children), but all along we have made parenting decisions that others don't agree with - letting them Cry It Out (CIO), putting them to bed for the night before it is even dark out in the summer, giving them formula and now non-organic milk, refusing to pick them up and cuddle if they have a minor fall, and the list goes on and on. I guess I am slowly, but surely, learning that we have to do what feels right for us.


I am very excited about this evening! Lance's parents are watching the kids (woohoo - many thanks) and we are having a real night out. Going to dinner before a Vanderbilt basketball game at the Sommet Center. It is another late game so I feel bad about that, but it will be fun to be downtown and see a hopefully good game in a fun, new environment. I probably don't deserve to have a date night since I have a to do list a mile long and no time to get things done (another reason I think weekends are too short), but oh well! We still have not gotten the kids picture with Santa and I tried in vain to take the kids picture in their cute Christmas outfits (courtesy of So So). I absolutely could not get them together in one shot, much less both looking at the camera. I even tried holding them but still no luck and unless it is a fabulous picture of them I would rather not be in it! I also have done very little Christmas shopping (yikes). We have gotten a few little things for the kids and I hope to do some tomorrow. It's been a pretty rough year financially (but definitely not in any other way), and I guess that is why I am procrastinating so bad on gift buying this year - gotta get into the spirit though with only a couple of weeks left now! Speaking of procrastinating - that is what I seem to be doing right now instead of working on the grant that is due so I'm gonna get back to it! New pictures soon - I got some cute ones of them individually, just not together!!!