Advice for the shoelorn

Why in the world is baby shoe shopping so complicated? And why in the world am I stressing out about what kind of shoes to put on my kid, when he can't quite make it across the room yet on two legs? At this point, he looks more like a drunken sailor when he comes to me in his walking stance, so I doubt he cares too much about what goes onto his feet.

But I've been told that winter is coming, so the boy needs some shoes to keep his socks on. T loves to pull off his socks. And eat them. Shoes might prevent it. Everyone suggests Robeez. The early ones, that have elastic around the ankle to keep the shoes on. Sold. Now if only I could find them. I'm on day 5 of the hunt for these stinkin' shoes and everywhere I look is sold out in his size. (His size being what his squirmy foot kind of looks like measured against my hand. I know, bad mommy, haven't actually taken him to an actual shoe store yet.) And yes, the thought has not escaped me that I'm spending more time looking for shoes for my barely-walking baby than I have for myself lately. Momma needs some shoes too, you know.

So I get to the KID shoe store (oh well, next time) today, all ready for my purchase of Robeez Soft Soles. Alas, shoe man, AKA the foot expert, convinces me that those will actually be a "step back" for him, since he's already taking steps*. Now, the idea that I could be hindering my baby's mad skillz = quelle horreur! But none of my friends who've sworn by Robeez have mentioned that I'm going to make my kid a slow poke in the development arena by having him wear them. The nice shoe man did not seem to realize that he is giving advice to the most INDECISIVE WOMAN ALIVE and he has inadvertently thrown a wrench in her carefully formulated plan. Now what? Stick with the advice of friends? Or follow the advice of shoe man with lots of supposed foot experience and many "foot doctor friends"? What to do? I don't know. I've never had a kid before, I just don't know!

End result - the kiddo got some super cute overpriced shoes based on my handprint on the foot measuring machine (which among other little known facts I learned today, is called a Brannock Device) and I am back on the internet browsing some early Robeez with the ankle elastic.

Sigh. Indecisive me strikes again.

*10 steps at the moment, to be exact.