Because it's not women's shoes that evoke longing in me.
It's my kids' old, ratty, outgrown ones. Like Tootie's first pair of "walking" shoes. Or the E-man's dirty little tennis shoes. Or both kids' crumbling sandals from summers past.
My dark secret — I have never yet given or thrown away a single pair of their shoes.
Instead, they're stacked on shelves in the children's closets, tucked into baby boxes or clustered in a heap on my own closet floor.
Silly, I know. It's just that each tiny pair holds so many memories:
The E-man's former double life, during which he walked at daycare, yet still crawled at home.
The Tootie's insistence on wearing her grubby, too-small sandals in 30-degree weather.
The hot pink cowboy boots, now scuffed and torn, a reward for Tootie when she finally agreed to give all her pacifiers to the Mee-Mee Fairy (who distributes old "mee-mees" to the younger babies in need of them — heh).
I remember laying in bed that winter morning, listening to her squeals when she found her fairy-delivered boots. And laughing when I heard the awkward clomp-clomp that followed.
It's been more than a year since Tootie could cram her feet into those boots. But every time I spot them on her closet floor, I smile, remembering the toddler who marched so proudly up and down the hallway in her cowgirl attire.
And then my heart hurts, just a little.
8 comments:
I used to feel sort of an attachment to almost everything I bought my kids, but not that I'm practically tripping over shoes and other sh**, I'd pay someone to come and take it all away.
Aw. I still have some of my daughter's shoes too, but it's more because I paid so much for them I can't bear to throw them out. Perhaps I should pretend to be sentimental instead so people don't find out I'm cheap?
It's the preemie onesies and tiny socks that make me ache, if only because they were a reminder of just how small Avery was at one time.
Only recently did I pack them up and put them in the attic.
Not only do I love and keep all shoes like you, I ADORE stinky baby feet.
I buy shoes on purpose that I know will make stinky feet.
First: I LOVE the new header picture!
Second: You are not weird to hold on to the memories by saving shoes (however if you sniff the shoes, that's a different story).
Third: Those are some rockin' cowgirl boots! They deserve at the very least to have some bluebonnets and a pink bandana stuffed into them, and have them displayed on the bookshelf!
Fourth: I love the Mee-Mee Fairy!
Great post. As usual.
I would definitely have to keep boots like that!
Dig your new blog look!
Thanks, all. Hubs shot the picture for my new banner and did a little Photoshop work as well -- all for me.
OK, well, maybe more for himself, as he still clearly thinks there's the possibility for a little bow-chicka-bow ... etc... etc... in his very near future.
All right, yes, dammit. I lead him on heartlessly, just so he will do my bidding.
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