Her Shoe Closet is Already Bigger than Mine
I mentioned in passing that one of the requirements of a Girls Day Out with Alexis is a stop at the shoe store. The past Saturday, unfortunately, I held to that requirement. I should know better.
As we were traveling out and about, one of my missions was to stop at a particular Gap. It's time to start combing the clearance racks for fall clothes and the Gap at the Waterfront in Pittsburgh is usually the best for finding lots of good girls' stuff marked down to nothing. Unfortunately, we girls were a bit overzealous in some of our other shopping and ended up not being able to fall into the Gap until about 8:30.
You would think that by 8:30, the Toddler would be starting to drag. I mean, her tiny little legs had carried her all over the place, usually jumping the whole way since she seems to have sprouted a Tigger *bounce, bounce, bounce* complex lately. But no, she was all systems go when I pulled into the only parking space at the Waterfront, the one right in front of a shoe store. That was my first mistake. Never park in front of a shoe store if Alexis is with you, unless you have a few hours to spare.
The second she saw the store, she was all, "I try on shoes." I was all, "Let's not." Yeah, cause that works. So in we went and she darted her way back to the rear of the store. Apparently we're in shoes stores too much because she knows that is where the Dora shoes are. She instantly found a pair of tacky tennis shoes sporting the Latina Whore and plopped her hiney down on a bench to try them on. Then she darted off to find some Diego shoes, plopped her hiney down, and tried them on. Next was the Tinkerbell shoes. Then was the hooker boots. She tried on Crocs. She tried on light-up shoes. She tried on sandals. There were boys shoes. There were girls shoes. There were my shoes. There were shoes. Lots and lots of shoes.
About twenty minutes into shoe-a-palooza, I started to lose my cool. I tried convincing the kid that there was no point in trying on a particular pair. "They're too big" I said. "No, they're not," she replied, despite the fact that Kareem Abdul Jabar would obviously have better luck walking in the pair she had at the time. I tried telling her a pair was too small. "No, they're not," she replied in a tone that implied that I was the biggest moron of all time.
If I could have just laid down on the bench and taken a nap while she tried on every pair of shoes in the place, we would have been fine. As it was, I just stayed awake. And snippy. Alexis was oblivious to my commentary since she was in Shoe Heaven, but I'm sure the women perusing the nearby clearance shoes thought I was awful. I wanted to say, "Yeah well, you try raising Imelda Marcos and see how much you love hanging out in shoe stores," but I just kept quiet through the glares.
Finally, at 9:15, I ended up dragging the Shoe Princess out of the store, kicking and screaming. Thank goodness for the fit she threw, though, because when we dashed over to the Gap and she neededwantedhadtohave a pair of pink flip-flops? I at least had a semi-valid excuse to shoot her down.
For what it's worth, I wear three pairs of shoes. Total. I wear one pair of black semi-dressy shoes 90% of the time, with the very occasional need for tennis shoes or sandals. I am NOT a shoe whore.
So how is it that I'm raising one?
BTW, I'm raising a shoe whore who LOVES her frog boots and is very capable of striking a pose while wearing them.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Reader Comments (49)
She's actually pursing her lips . . . wow.
And she already knows about shoe heaven. yup. You are in so much trouble . . .
That is so cute... So far my girls are only psuedo whores when it comes to shoes. :)
Good luck with that shoe account, afterall who needs college, when you have shoes.
LOL love the frog boots! I want some!
I fear I also have a Shoe Whore. She's too young yet to understand the shopping part of it, but she knows where her shoe drawer is (yes, they're still teeny enough to all fit into a drawer! heh) and she makes a beeline for it and says 'Shooooooes!'
She's totally channeling her inner Nancy Sinatra.
Target, right? We have them in red. We wear them all over. That kissy face? Her best Marylin ever.
I have two pairs of shoes. I have a pair of New Balance sneakers that I wear to work because I don't forsake fashion for comfort and a pair of Clarks that slip on. Aivlene? She has I am not joking 9 pairs of shoes, three pairs are adorned with that Latin slut. I want to gouge my eyes out.
I think I might get crazy this weekend and not take Aivlene with me when I go shopping and I may by myself a pair of shoes that are comfortable and look good with my lab coat!
Love the fish face and she is totally rockin' those frog boots. Yeah baby!
I swear, we are raising the same child!
LOVE those boots! Princess wanted them so bad but they didn't have them in crazy big foot size :-(
She is so adorable. This might be my favorite picture of her so far.
Love, love, love the boots! I swear, I almost got a pair just like it but they were giraffes! All I keep thinking of is "I'm to sexy for my boots" LOLOL
Seriously? What's not to love about frog boots?
And while you'd think, being the mother of boys that I wouldn't be able to sympathize with this problem, I can! Only with us, its eighty-bazillion different kinds of cleats or athletic shoes. Cuz you know that there are different ones for each stage of the game, right?
I'm so digging the frog boots!!
And yea, you are in so much trouble.
I learned very quickly that if I wanted my kids to have acceptable footwear without flashing lights or tacky plastic faces on them, I have to leave the kids at home.
As long as I really talk up the pair I spring on her, Gracie forgets that she really wanted Tinkerbell sneaks instead.
oh i SO love those boots!!!
Seriously, she must be mine. And my daughter Too must be yours. Cause she doesn't care for shoes. Two pairs are enough apparently.
I need to sit down just thinking about only having 2 pairs of shoes.
Tyra Banks would LOVE her! Sign her up for ANTM today!
Tyra Banks would LOVE her! Sign her up for ANTM today!
ME EITHER!!!! And Genny is... I am not. I love comfortable shoes though, so I have a few pair of comfy semi- athletic ones... but nothing at all like majority.
My son has a pair of those too. He loves them too. I don't what I will do when they are too small. Go buy another pair I guess.
a girl after my own heart! I love shoe shopping. Though not with my kids.....
The girl is the same way. Every time we go out, she wants shoes. She has about 6 million pairs and every day is a huge drama about which ones to wear.
This picture is awesome!
The tattoo, the shoes, minnie mouse......it's all good :)
I'm a shoe whore, and I started early too :)
Cute picture and I love the boots. She knows what she likes, can't fault a girl for that! Happy shoe shopping.
Ooh - send her to me. I'm a shoe whore big time! The Husband simply shakes his head when he looks into my closet! LOL!
C'mon over, Alexis...I have shoes! And - we can get more!
I think you need to start sending Alexis' old shoes our way. I'm going to venture to say that I, the one who has not unpacked her box of shoes in over a year and only wears one pair (yes, really, one), have THE biggest aversion to shoe shopping. E didn't have a pair of shoes until she was almost a year, and since then we've gone through three sizes (yes, in less than four months). I've seriously considered just telling the husband to deal with the whole shoe thing . . . but then she'd end up with baby hiking boots or something.
ummmmm.... i love her.
See if I ever have a girl I pray she is a shoe whore like me.
You should just send her my way. I'll go shoe shopping with her ALL DAY LONG!
Love the boots and the fish face.
Incidentally, does anyone call that face a rabbit face? My MIL calls that a rabbit face, but I and my mom have always called it a fish face. I'd like to prove to my husband that MIL is alone on the rabbit face thing.
LOVE those frog boots! And I understand your pain. I hate shoe shopping. It's only in the last year I've actually owned more than four pair. And feel guilty for it.
You mean to tell me you wouldn't wear froggy galoshes if they came in your size?!! I sure as hell would! Your little shoe whore is so cute.
I have my own little shoe and clothes whore! Only a year ago it was all about the toys, now we can't walk in a store without looking at clothes and shoes and she must have them all! I wear jeans and t-shirts, she has to have all the stylish clothes. I wear teeny shoes, she has to have shoes for every outfit! She is nine, I am dreading the teenage years!
She is so working it and you are so screwed when she is a teenager!:-)
ROFL - I love that she is posing while sucking in her cheeks, LOL
You just called Dora a Latina Whore.
I think I love you.
My daughter is the same way. I think we bought about 6 different pairs of shoes since school let out in June.
This kid is a total trip!
Oh she cracks me up!
I have a boy so he doesn't even want to wear shoes!
I prefer the Old Navy at the Waterfront. And hey, at least she's not looking to buy those godawful squeaker shoes.
Wait -- just WAIT -- until she enters the activity stage and needs ballet, tap, jazz, modern, soccer, volleyball, softball, and basketball shoes, as well. Because, are you crazy mom?!?, you just can NOT do a cross-over with shoes for any activity. Now multiply that by five kids (yes, my boys are in ballet). And then add shoes that have to be matchy-matchy or clean-for-goodness-sake! for performances, competitions, pictures. You've entered my own personal hell. And my daughter starts pointe in January, so another $75 or so every three months. And that is why momma only owns two pairs of shoes and a set of flip-flops. That last YEARS.
Maybe you can feed her shoe fetish at garage sales. That's where I get all my daughter's dress-up shoes. Ladies will unload those dyed shoes they had to have to match a bridesmaid's dress really cheap! Then she's still getting new shoes, but for like 50 cents or a buck. Well it works for me.
I am similar to you in that I have a pair of flip flops, tennis shoes, and a pair of winter boots. Not a shoe girl.
After saying "ma" and "da" our Baby said "shoe". Very clearly. Now she's almost eighteen months old and obsessed! Help!
Like the boots. Where's the matching umbrella?
Elizabeth loves shoes. I do not. We have had to find alternate routes through the Target and the mall.
oh my, the picture is adorable!
That's terrifying! Though not as terrifying as the fishtank of horrors.
I'm vehemently anti-shoe-whore. In the summer I'm in Croc flip-flops. I've got a few pairs of dress shoes that I rarely ever wear, and some casual black winter shoes. That's about it. I embrace shoe frumpery.
*hangs head in shame*
Helllooooo runway!
Oh, that's too funny! My daughter was never like that about shoes, although she really likes to wear some outlandish ones now (think snow boots in the middle of summer).
Who knows? Maybe Alexis is destined to be a shoe designer?
Peace - D
THAT is the coolest dang picture evah.
(But don;t think that just because you're daughter is all cute and stuff that I have forgiven you for the freaky doll pics.)
Kids love to pose for pictures. :)
Very very cute! The Rubber boots make the outfit, but it's the pout that makes the pose.
She's precious!
Kinda makes me think of how the heck am I raising girly girls when I was climbing trees and skinning knees and avoiding anything pink as a child, teen and young adult!
So sweet! My little man rocks his frog boots, too.