Foot Fetish

When Tanner and Abigail first came home from the hospital we kept their tiny feet covered with small booties that had been lovingly knit for them or little socks that looked like they wouldn't even cover my thumb. We didn't put shoes on them because they weren't walking...they weren't even able to hold their heads up yet. Shoes would have been (as my grandmother would say) a superfluity.

All that changed around January. Once Tanner and Abigail were able to sit up on their own, they discovered their feet and the socks that were covering them. Instead of playing with the plethora of toys they had, they preferred taking their socks off and putting them in their mouth. On occasion they would take each other's socks off and chew on them...they became regular sock connoisseurs. Matt and I were constantly replacing missing socks or putting on new pairs of socks because the others were too wet to wear. We thought that shoes would solve our sock situation but that only provided another layer to be removed and chewed on...I swore our kids were part dog at that point.

One afternoon while browsing the shoe shelves at Young'uns (a children's consignment shop in Damariscotta, Maine...if you live near by and you have children you MUST go there!) I came across a pair of soft-soled shoes called Robeez. I had seen these shoes before in some shops in Camden and Rockland and remembered them being $24.00 or more. At Young'uns they were $6.00 a pair...what a deal! I found a pink pair with flowers for Abigail and a blue pair with sailboats for Tanner. I put them on their feet right there in the store...and thus began my love affair with Robeez.

As the Robeez website says, "Barefoot is best, choose Robeez next. The best shoe mimics bare feet, by supporting - not constricting tiny growing feet. Robeez footwear flex and bend with every step. They promote good balance and unrestricted growth, while protecting little feet from the world. They stay on too, with elasticized ankles to ensure a perfectly snug fit. From crawling to cruising, walking to running, for indoors and out, Robeez makes different shoes for newborns to four-year-olds."

Tanner and Abigail wore their Robeez everyday...they even napped with them on. They were comfortable and best of all they stayed on their feet which meant their socks stayed on their feet too! As Tanner and Abigail's feet grew I knew I needed to be on the look out for larger sizes. On a return trip to Young'uns (I LOVE THAT PLACE) I found "knock-off" Robeez for sale made by the following manufacturers: Jack and Lily, Teeny Toes, and L.L.Bean. I bought a pair of 12-18 months and 18-24 months for Tanner and Abigail, each for less than $10.00 a pair.

I highly recommend Robeez or one of the "knock-off" brands that I have mentioned in my post. I raved about Robeez so much, my sister bought a pair for her daughter Emily. If you are getting fed up with your child's foot fetish these shoes could be the answer to your prayers.

Robeez: Sold in specialty stores worldwide, starting at $21.00
Ministar: Sold at Target, starting at $14.99
Jack and Lily: Sold at Target, starting at $18.00
Teeny Toes: Sold at Payless, starting at $9.99

* I was unable to find the shoes on the L.L. Bean website. They may not be available online or have since been discontinued.