Sunday, July 13, 2008

Shoes. Mine.

I do not like shoes.

There. I've said it.

If I could go everywhere without shoes, I would. And yes, I realize you're all making West Virginia jokes in your mind right now, but I was born in Texas and I've always felt this way.

I know that I am in the minority as there are many of you out there for whom shoes are a type of therapy, or at least I've heard of this in the many synapses of S*x and the City. I just don't get that. Not that there's anything wrong with it.

I currently possess only six pairs of shoes. Four pairs of sandals, a pair of acceptable wintery loafers, and a pair of tennis shoes that have been in my possession for nine years and still look brand spanking new because, well, I really, really hate socks.

I did not inherit this trait from my mother because she just had to part with twenty good pairs all because there weren't room for them in her teensy new closet and I wouldn't take them.

I have subconsciously, though, tried to pass this on to my children I guess because shopping for kid's shoes is very low on my list of good ways to spend an afternoon.

But my mother came over for the day yesterday and insisted we buy poor Elizabeth a pair of shoes because, alas, she has never had any.

Nope, she's never had a pair of shoes in her whole life. Fourteen months old and still toddling around on her bare feet. I didn't see a problem with it. I mean, she wasn't even walking two months ago, why did she need shoes? The old ladies at the supermarket never ceased to remind me that she shouldn't be out in the oh, so cold Texas winter of 50 degrees without shoes. Never mind that she was snug as a warm bug in the sling, but dang, there was a teeny toe poking out, frostbite was imminent! Someone call the authorities stat! When I meet my friend for our weekly library date, she always says, "Elizabeth, did you lose your shoes?" and I know she really means, "Geez, buy the poor kid a pair of shoes, already". My mom let me know that if I did not go pronto to the mall and buy that baby some shoes she would be just like me and hate shoes forever and I'd get called by her teachers because she's stripping her shoes off in class and won't I come do something about it like the identical hell she apparently went through during my elementary school years.

So yesterday my mom bought Elizabeth her first pair of shoes.



I don't think my mother needs to worry about her hating shoes like her mama. She adores her new shoes. I had to rock her to sleep with the shoes on and then sneak them gingerly off her feet to put her to bed. She wanted them on her feet first thing this morning while wearing nothing but a diaper saying, "shoes. mine."

Her first phrase: "shoes. mine."

I blame my mother.

10 comments:

tonywade said...

hahha not a big fan of shoes either, dressy runners,garden runners and flip flops thats it

Amie said...

That is so funny because Sadie is all into shoes too, and I really don't care about shoes at all. As soon as I pick up one of her shoes she sits down and sticks her foot out for me to put it on her.

Crazed Nitwit said...

My favorite shoes are Birkenstocks. I am so with you on the I don't get the $600.00 shoes with 4 inch heels that would cause me to fall over and break both legs thing. Nope. Makes no sense.
My 17yo male is a shoe 'ho...

OneHungMan said...

OneHung is quite the opposite. Must. Have. More. Shoes.

Heidi said...

Loe the shoes, but I totally understand where you are coming from. Perhaps because I am from TX too. I hate shoes & I have the heels to prove it. I only bought my son his first pair because I was tired of people saying things about it, especially my mother in law. She actually brought him a pair in the hospital. Now he is obsessed with shoes, but at least she buys them, not me.

Sarah said...

I could go either way with shoes. I don't mind them, but I have horrid feet so I'm not beig on shoes in general. I like a cute shoe as much as the next chick...but I hate spending an insane amount on shoes.

My middle girls is literally obsessed withs hoes (I've posted about it before)...there was a period of six months where she wouldnt' go to bed w/o them. Even today if she's wandering around in just a diaper, she's wearing shoes that she's found and put on herself.

She gets it from her dad. When we got married he had more pairs of shoes than I did...and I had quite a few.

A. Nonny Mouse said...

I am OK with shoes. They, like cars, are necessary, but I certainly don't get all excited about a new pair of shoes. (and I totally tried to get in the car this morning BAREFOOT. whoops!)

Lucy has shoes but they are a pain to keep on her and so most of the time she's barefoot or in socks. When she starts walking more than 2 steps at a time, I'll put her in shoes, but until then? Please. They are a waste of time.

Miss Hope said...

Ya know...I hear it skips a generation...the love of shoes, that is. Looks like that's what happened in your case. It's all scientific, you know.

My mother isn't crazy about shoes. I'm pretty sure I got between 50-75 pair crammed in my closet. Get this. I have three kids. Two girls and one boy. The boy loves his shoes with a passion. Child of my heart. Bless him and Old Navy because he has a closet full of flip flops to change at his every whim.

Heather said...

Hmmmm, yes it must skip a generation?

I love those Robeez style shoes for toddlers. Have you seen them? They sell knock offs in Target. SO adorable.

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

I am with ya, sista. I can't count the number of times I have had to go BACK into the house because I've gotten into the van with bare feet.

And SOCKS? Ick. Only winter makes me put on shoes without holes in them.