Shopping With A Princess

First, let me say that I've always wanted a daughter. I mean, from the time I was very little, I always wanted to be a mom, and I always wanted a daughter. Karma apparently felt that I needed to prove myself first, and gave me four boys before I had a beautiful baby girl.

Here's where the problem started. Boys and girls are different! Yeah, I know, but they're REALLY different! The latest example came today when I took the princess to buy new sandals.

When you buy boys sandals, you find something that fits and that they can get on themselves - then you go get ice cream.

When you buy sandals for a girl, it's a full day activity. First we had to make sure that her outfit matched (down to the underwear), then we had to decide which shoes we would wear to go buy shoes. Then, we changed clothes again (including the underwear, which must match the outfit). Then we had to complain and whine that mom hadn't painted our toe nails as had apparently been promised some time last night when mom was half asleep. Then we had to fix our hair, including a barrette that matched the clothes we had chosen.

Next, we're off to the shoe store, which is in the mall, and which was also just past the Big Dog store, which was having a sale. So, after 35 minutes in the Big Dog store, and selecting shirts for all of our brothers and our dad, and whining that we didn't get the dog a squeaky toy, we were off for the shoe store.

Oh no, there's the Gymboree store! Luckily the shoe store was across from Gymboree so that shopping trip was averted.

Once in the shoe store, we must remind ourselves that we are there to buy ONE pair of SANDALS. Nothing else. Yes, I know that those shiny pink shoes are pretty. Yes, that pair of sparkly tennis shoes would go great with the new ice cream cone shirt. No, those cowboy boots don't come in the correct size.

Wow, there are a lot of sandals in the store. This is the first time I've ever been glad that my kids have wide feet. That seriously limits the number of shoes we can try on. Unfortunately, that still leaves 14 (not kidding) pairs of sandals to try on. There was quite a bit of cajoling required, but we finally settled on a nice, simple pair of white sandals. We wanted these sandals, but since they wouldn't go with some of our clothes, and since mom wasn't willing to buy two pairs of sandals, we agreed to the white ones.

Only a few more months and it will be time to go buy new tennis shoes. Sounds like a great daddy/daughter activity.....