To leash or not to leash?

Dear Mason,

It's Mommy. I swore that I would never do it. I laughed at people who did it. I made fun of people who did it. I was disgusted with people who did it. I would not in my lifetime put my dear child on a leash. Nope. Never. No way.

BUT

I am now considering it. In the last couple weeks you have run into the middle of the street and/or busy parking lot at least 5 times. Spanking you, yelling at you, crying because of you, and quadruple threatening you DOES NOT WORK. It's as if I have not said a word to you. I try to hold you most times but I get conned into thinking that THIS time you finally understand the implications of your actions. Every time you do this your little life flashes before my very panicked and freaked out eyes. I can't handle it anymore.

You can be quite the stinker my little one. You throw nail polish on the tile, you jump off any surface regardless of the height and scare me to death, you say "no" to me at all times, you insist on taking your clothes off at least twice a day, you bite your big brother, you have to eat everything that I am eating, even when we think we child proof everything in the house-you still find something to get into, you climb out of your crib at all hours of the night, you throw fits when you can't play with my ipod or cell phone, and you demand to take your diaper off and pee-pee in the toilet but as soon as I put big boy underwear on you, you pee in them.

BUT

Mason, I love you so much. I love that I found out I was pregnant with you on CHRISTMAS day. What an awesome gift! I love that you made my pregnancy so easy. I love that when you were in my tummy I'd ask you to kick and you would right away. Because you were already such a nice little brother, you waited to enter our lives until your actual due date and not on Preston's birthday two weeks early. I was also only in labor for a little over 2 hours and having you was quite easy. And Mason, on the day you were born, the only way you would sleep was snuggled right with me and that's how you stayed all night. I knew right then that we would be close. I love that you were an early smiler. We couldn't even keep your binky in because you would smile it right out. I love that you resemble me just a bit since your brother is a carbon copy of Daddy. I love it that you are always willing to try new foods but you have to smell them first. I love that you will do anything to keep up with Preston even if physically you should not be capable of it. I love that you eat dog food with absolutely no shame as if it is socially acceptable and everyone should be doing it. I love that before you could say "yes" you instead made a noise that almost resembled a sneeze. I love that your favorite outfit consists of jeans, a tee, two bracelets that you wear proudly and a Diamondbacks hat. I love that your blue eyes and very black eyelashes make me melt. I have loved you since the day I found out you were growing inside of me. I love you so much that if something terrible were to happen to you, I would never be the same again. And that's why I have considered a leash. Please, Please, Please for the love of God, Please don't make me do it.

Love Always,

Mommy

SIDE NOTE: Although the thought of something happening to Mason is not funny, the idea of me getting a leash is. I would not really do it. I will hold him from now on!