What's in a Shoe

My daughter loves these shoes. LOVES them. They were a gift from my mother-in-law at Christmas -- Nonna picked them out specifically because she thought the ankle straps would make them easier to wear. It might be a little hard to see, but in addition to the high heels and ankle straps, the shoes also have satin ruffles with rhinestones down the front.

I've resisted the urge to write this post because I didn't want to offend Nonna. Pippi LOVES the shoes -- and I would have, too, when I was her age. And to be honest, I'm probably just jealous that Pip can walk, run (yes, run) and climb stairs in them way better than I can in heels that actually fit me.

But every time I look at these shoes, all I can think is Do they come in a gift set with a pole and some nipple tassels? I mean, seriously, they look like stripper shoes.

I'm not even going to try to write about all the frighteningly sexy stuff marketed for toddlers -- that's well-traveled territory among mommy-bloggers. But I admit that my first reaction to the shoes had me all worked up about how inappropriate it is for a two-year-old to look like an exotic dancer -- a reaction that wasn't helped by Pippi's penchant for wearing the shoes and her diaper and nothing else.

Once I talked myself off the ledge, I remembered that Pippi doesn't have that context for the shoes -- all she sees is sparkly, pretty, pink fun. She gets to enjoy the shoes without worrying about what anyone else thinks, without any baggage or hidden meaning at all.

So Nonna, thanks for giving my baby girl some shoes to match her sassy personality. And thanks for reminding me that sometimes girls just want to have fun.