Arch Support

My former blog was named after the pointy-toed shoe, which pretty much says everything there is to say about my love for shoes. My weakness isn't solely (heh) reserved for the pointy-toe. Nope! Flats. Heels. Square-toe. Round-toe. Ankle boots. Knee high boots. Flip flops. Sneakers. (And yes, even Uggs.) I love them all.

I always thought shoes were a fascinating metaphor, for obvious reasons-- they carry us on our journey. They take us places. They cause us to walk taller, more confident... They trip us when we've had one too many and are acting asshole-ish. The most beautiful pairs hurt like a bitch. Our favorite pairs always scuff. Or break. Or stain.

But no matter my love for the beloved shoe, I've never gone so far as to sleep with them. Not even my treasured YSL's with the pointiest-pointy-point of all. Perhaps if I had had the same shoe fetish as a young child, though, things would be different.

Omigawd... Shoes...

For the first year and a half of Archer's life, he hated shoes. I had to pin him down and attach the various styles of Robeez to his kicking feet. Because that was the only shoe I could get on him quickly. The only shoe he couldn't remove:

One of my personal favorites, the 12-18 month Moccasin c/o East Coast Grandma...

But then, one day he began to take notice. Of shoes. Usually, mine. He hid objects in them. He took them on walks with us. He organized my flip-flops in neat little rows by the door. He bitch slapped the dogs with them.

Before long it wasn't just my shoes he was interested in...


...He soon became intrigued with his own...

But it wasn't until this Christmas/Hanukkah, when he received a new pair of big boy shoes that he became obsessed. At first I had to fight him to get them on. But after a few days, something, somewhere switched and he began, instead, to fight me when I took them off. He wanted to sleep in them. Bathe in them. Take them off only as long as I put them back on. He kissed them. Snuggled them. Became their best friend.

Like his red blankie, everywhere he went, his shoes came with. It worked out, usually because he was wearing them. And it works out, now, because he is still wearing them (In fact I just placed him in his crib all cozy in his pajamas, shoes and socks.) But here's the thing...

They're almost too small. And I can't find another size anywhere. Not in red and black. Not in the ones Archer loves so much...


And I wonder if it means something-- The shoe he loves only lasts several months. The beloved size 6's. Outgrown. Too small. Not ready to wear a bigger pair. Even when they're cowboy boots which are pretty neat. Is it profound or just weird? There's a fine line.

I can kind of relate. I remember when I was little I had a pair of Keds I could draw on with crayons and how one day they didn't fit. And I was sad because I remember thinking I was too old to buy the same pair. Because drawing on shoes was for little girls... Or whatever. So we threw them away.

There are shoes I wouldn't give up. You'd have to pry them from my cold, dead hands. So I understand. I know how it feels to trust their warmth. And sole. And arch support...

To walk a mile in Archer's shoes would be hard because they're way too small for me. But I have been beside him as he has.

And so, I continue on my quest to find these shoes in a size, 7, 8, and 9... Because I think I know how he feels.

A good shoe is hard to find.

GGC

23 comments:

BOSSY | 4:47 AM

'Shoes' was Bossy's first word and she's been building that vocabulary ever since.

metro mama | 4:57 AM

Cakes loves her shoes too, but she's not attached to any one. She gets so excited when we go shopping for a new pair.

Anonymous | 6:22 AM

Psst...a fellow shoe hound told me you might find them at nordstrom.com...

xoxo

Loukia | 6:23 AM

Awww, good luck finding that pair of shoes! It is sad when they outgrow their shoes... my son is already a size 7 (XW!) He likes his shoes, but going to the shoe store to get his foot measured is a nightmare battle! He hates it! I really like stride rite, for some reason, and I loved Robeez, too.

Anonymous | 6:28 AM

Well, they don't have them in a size 7, but they do have them in 8 & 9! Archer is such a cutie and I bet he rocks those shoes!

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/11688909/c/65783.html

Mamalang | 7:39 AM

Those are so cute. Finding shoes for my boys feet is so hard...he has a high top of his foot, no not the arch, literally the heighth of his foot is too tall for most shoes. Makes summer so much fun! But he, too loves shoes, and has been known to sleep cuddling them.

toyfoto | 7:50 AM

I have Acorns that were half the price of Uggs and I will likely wear them until they fall off my feet. Annabel is more of a shoefile than I am, but like Archer, for the first couple years, Robees were it for her. She forgot they were there and therefore forgot to pull them off. The first pair of shoes she wanted to wear to bed were Merrill winter mocs. She's in her second pair (purple) now. She's given up sleeping with them now. She now wants to sleep with a photograph of one of my internet friends and a photograph of me and her dad. Somehow the shoes seemed less odd.

Wendy | 8:03 AM

I would be careful about buying them in too many sizes. I stocked on some of Amber's faves. Then the little stinker decided she didnt like them anymore.

Sam is a yr old and is still in 0-6 month pedipeds. *sigh*

Anonymous | 8:23 AM

Ask and ye shall receive:

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2921579?Category=&Search=True&SearchType=keywordsearch&keyword=see+kai+run+in+All+Categories&origin=searchresults


love me some See kai run shoes. They are Caleb's favorite too.

barbara | 8:47 AM

Mamie loved this one pair of shoes we got her, so I bought them in the next size when she outgrew them. She had worn these shoes in like 3 sizes already and so when it was time to introduce the new pair, she was like "yuck." Kids. They're fickle.

Anonymous | 9:41 AM

http://www.dandelionbaby.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16204&category_id=252

Anonymous | 9:54 AM

Was about to say check Nordstrom's website, but somebody beat me to it. Good luck! I hope he doesn't decide that he only liked the size sixes.

Anonymous | 11:59 AM

i found them here:

http://www.dandelionbaby.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16204&category_id=252

Anonymous | 12:00 PM

oops...didn't realize someone had beat me to it!
good luck!

Anonymous | 1:35 PM

My girl is also in LOVE with her Kai's. They are the best ever. I hope you find what you are looking for. I will take a look around here, you would think being in a bid city you would be able to find them.

Russell | 3:26 PM

ask hal about his animal shoes and jason ross. good story.

Anonymous | 4:07 PM

the website you linked to describes the shoes as "for your budding hipster" hahahahaha!! but of course, what else would a "hipster mommy blogger" buy for her spawn? I love it! ~jjlibra

GIRL'S GONE CHILD | 9:37 PM

You guys are awesome! Thanks for the 411!

yasmara | 7:05 AM

Amazon has them too!
http://www.amazon.com/See-Kai-Run-Jack-Shoes/dp/B000G2ELOI/sr=8-18/qid=1172070204/ref=sr_1_18/002-6544462-3003265?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products

Anonymous | 1:08 PM

I'm so glad I read this post because the Kai Sedonas are perfect for my daughter! She is in love with her winter boots though, it will be a sad day for her when summer comes.

Anonymous | 2:25 PM

My son loves his see kais as well! He has the jack and the diegos. Regretfully, they are also size 6 or I would send them to you! Have you tried ebay? Kids go through their shoes so quickly, I don't think that it would be too gross to buy used kids shoes...

Anonymous | 8:10 PM

Ella Grace in carlsbad carries all kinds of those shoes. Sabastian loves them! Next time your down in your old hood you will know where to shop.

Anonymous | 11:10 AM

Here is a list from Ebay. Good luck. My son is the same way. Any shoe now he loves.

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Fws%2F&fkr=1&from=R8&satitle=kai+run+shoes&category0=

Kim