Rarely Goes This Way

When we joined the  swimming club, and the monkeys went swimming a few times, they each got a few blistery marks on their feet from the rough bottom of the pool.  I took the monkeys to Target and tried on the pool shoes that they had.   Unfortunately my monkeys’ little feet are too “tall” and they can’t seem to get the water shoes on. I know water shoes are supposed to be tight, but not so tight that your children yell, “Ow Mama!  That is hurting my foot!” in the isle of Target while you are trying to shove their foot into a shoe.  Especially if you are trying the next size up from the size they actually wear.  In four different brands of water shoes.  And people are peeking over from other isles to see the face of the mama who is torturing her child in the water-toy isle.  I gave up before someone called CPS.

After swimming at the pool all day Owens feet are covered in cuts and blisters.  It looks terrible and he cannot walk without socks (hmm, is that really a bad thing?? – well, I guess it is in a pool).  Jack’s feet were not far behind.

We had another entire day planned at the pool, so I had to find something before that.  While the monkeys were at French Camp in the morning, I ran to REI and found two different pair of water shoes.  I was hoping that one of them would work even though they were quite expensive.  I also ran into Target for a few other items and happened to walk past the shoe section and saw one other pair of water shoes that they monkeys had not tried on  - since we had been looking in the swim section where the majority of them are.

I picked the monkeys up from camp and showed them the three pair of shoes and said that Owen should try them on and pick the ones that he thought were the most comfortable (that he could actually get on his feet…)  Owen looked at the three pair, and immediately grabbed these. 

$35

“I want these!” he exclaimed and put them on (by himself!).  “I love these.  I’ll keep these.” 

To his annoyance, I told Owen that he had to try on the other two pair of shoes.  “Just for a comparison.” I said.  “You can keep whichever ones you want, but try them all on first.”

The minute Owen took the first pair off, Jack grabbed the shoes and put them on claiming that they were perfect.

 $20

Owen got this second pair on with a little help. “Oh, these don’t hurt my feet like the first ones.” 

$8

Owen thought the third pair felt good too.  After he wore one of each of the last two pair for a few minutes, he finally decided that the last pair was most comfortable.

I was quite pleased.  I was relieved that we had found something and surprised that out of a choice of three, Owen decided that the least expensive pair were that best option for him.  It certainly doesn’t seem like that happens often.

And I even lucked out that I decided to get two pair of the last kind just in case they worked – that way Jack could have a pair.  (Jack also tried on all three and while he first claimed to LOVE the first pair, he admitted that they were really too tight – and greed that the third pair was the best.)  Yeah!