New pair of shoes

Contrary to doctors’ predictions, Namine’s feet continue to grow. Her Mary Jane sneakers have served her well, but the wear and tear of walking, crawling, and scooting — combined with the fact that the shoes almost don’t fit anymore — has necessitated getting new ones.

Trying on new shoes is never easy for Namine. Her feet, despite having been through clubfoot repair twice (although the first surgery was such a messed up affair that it can hardly be called a “repair”), still have such a pronounced arch that finding shoes that fit is a daunting task. We’ve been on shoe hunting trips before where we’ve come away empty-handed after hours of searching and trying on different shoes, so it’s not exactly something we necessarily look forward to.

Nevertheless, Namine needed new shoes, so we went to a shoe store yesterday afternoon. We tried on several pairs — nearly half a dozen, by my count. The real test, beyond just whether or not we could get the shoes on her feet, was walking. On all but one pair, Namine’s feet slid around a little too much, and so made walking difficult (and in some cases, downright painful).

And the one pair that fit? Crocs. Jessica knows how I feel about Crocs. I do not like them. I do not like them, Sam-I-Am.

But you know what? They were not only the most comfortable pair of shoes Namine tried on, they didn’t hurt her feet. I helped her walk up and down the aisle in the shoe store, and only while wearing the Crocs did she not complain. She actually walked a little faster, too, than when she tried on the other pairs of shoes. She even got a little silly — she took huge steps, trying to step on my feet.

So yeah, I can put aside personal taste for my daughter to have functional and comfortable shoes. What kind of father would I be if I didn’t?

Namine couldn’t wait to try out her new shoes with her walker this morning.

4 responses

  1. Michele Avatar
    Michele

    I’m so glad you found her a pair of shoes! I know you’ve been looking for a little while cuz Namine was telling us her shoes were too tight!!! And look at her go! She wasn’t even strapped in!!! Tell her grandma is really impressed! I’m proud of her & her determination!

  2. Jen, Jeremy & Jacob Schultz Avatar
    Jen, Jeremy & Jacob Schultz

    What a DOLL!!! And she still says “bless you” as she’s working so hard… you go, Namine!!!

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