Franny's got a new pair of shoes

Today was Franny's shoe shopping day. We got dressed up in our finest and went out to Washington Square to shop 'til we dropped. We lasted about an hour. But we did find some great shoes for Franny--little Stride Rites, complete with their super technology system for new walkers. How significant that is, I don't know, but I do know that it makes me feel better. This stage just seems so important, I wanted shoes that I can be confident will work well with her feet--and maybe it's a little bit of parental guilt over her poor little scraped toes. But after selling shoes for so many years, I do understand why it is so important for shoes to fit right.

We had to wait to be fitted, so she ran around charming everyone. (She always seems to be in the best mood when she's wearing her ladybug dress!) It was a little surreal to see her walking, and actually, almost running around. I think she knew she was in a store for her, and that made her happy. Then, Franny got her little feet measured--she's a 4 1/2, so they fit her in size 5's. Again, after selling shoes for so many years, I wanted to make sure she got the best fit and the best service. My concerns, though, were unwarranted, because the salesperson was wonderful. At first, Franny didn't know what to make of her shoes--after all, she's just started walking and suddenly, we put her in new shoes where she can't feel the ground anymore! I never thought of that! It never ceases to amaze me all the things--especially sensory perceptions--that we just don't think about. But she got accustomed to them fairly quickly and was walking around in no time.

Of course, at this stage, the selection isn't exactly vast, and unfortunately, the super-cute ones were sold out, but we settled on a more conservative sneaker type. They're not the best for coordinating with dresses, but they are the best for cruising on trails and around the block, which is the point! But we did get a super-cute hat!