Richard Simmons Called And He Wants His Shoes Back

When we first moved to Naperville a couple of years ago, I remember my new divisional vice president introducing me to the extended team on one of our quarterly calls.  Specifically, he made a comment about how much more motivated I would become with triplets on the way and how everyone else on the call should invest in Stride Rite stock.  At that point in time, I had much more on my mind than baby shoes and didn't think twice about the comment.

Now, it's real.  When you're buying for three, the cost of kid's shoes can really add up.  Even though each of the girls wears a different shoe size, it doesn't really translate into a usable hand-me-down scheme.  So, I'm just sucking it up and buying more shoes.

If you have or have had young kids, you realize how quickly their little feet can grow.  Obviously, you can't visibly see it on a day-to-day basis.  However, one day you wake up and realize that the shoe they were wearing yesterday feels just a little too snug or you notice impression marks on their skin when you take off their shoes and socks at the end of the day.  Throw in the changing seasons and the fact that they don't always lift their feet completely when taking steps (read as dragging toes across the concrete sometimes), you find yourself in "new shoe season" quite often.

This past weekend, Meg convinced me to join her for a trip to Stride Rite--my first.  The previous time, Meg armed herself with a more capable and patient cadre knowing that it might be a little crazy.

In short, I survived, but it was crazy.  We decided to get there a little early.  So early in fact, the girls got a little impatient waiting outside.  I know the clerks saw us and the door was even open and unlocked.  I poked my head in to politely ask if they were open, as I wanted to kind of warn them we were coming.  Nope, they were still closed.  Really?  So, as soon as the doors officially opened, we roll in with our quad stroller and, somehow, all of the lanes to the back of the store where the small toddler shoes reside are packed with kids, parents, and strollers.  How did that happen?  Somehow, we maneuvered our way to the back and managed to entertain the girls long enough to get them each re-measured and for Meg to find the shiniest shoes in the entire store.  The girls couldn't handle the fact that they couldn't run around the entire store, so I took them out, gave them a few more snacks, and let Meg do the checking out.  Fortunately, they were having a pretty awesome sale and we had some rewards dollars from our last purchase to defray some of the cost.  It wasn't until I got home that I realize she picked the most 80's looking socks ever made (even more 80's looking than socks that were actually made in the 80's) to go with their new, shiny, glittery shoes.

Ok, so I'm completely making fun of their new shoes and socks and I'm sure that they'll look back at these photos in 20 years and ask "WTH were you guys thinking?"  I'm not gonna lie though.  They were pretty damn cute and I live for these moments :)

Well, gotta run.  I think I hear "Sweatin to the Oldies" on somewhere in the house and I'm pumped!



Sophie


Shopping only works with snacks-to-go


Sophie, filling up the tank for her shoe-shopping trip


Izzy, already trying to work her way into her mom's purse to go on her own shopping spree


This is the result when you run around with reckless abandon


The girls, breaking in their new shoes


Maddy, temporarily addicted to the bike


Sophie and Maddy, out for a stroll