OK, OK...
The handbag department at Nordstrom is my pre-motherhood paradise, but DSW is a close second...
Row upon row upon row of pretty shoes.
This time I was shopping for some very fancy....
SNEAKERS.
Alas, they seem to be the only shoes I'm shopping for these days.
I've needed a new pair of running shoes because my old ones went kaput around the same time my water broke. THAT, my friends, was nearly eight months ago.
Anyway, the first trip to DSW (yes, this measly purchase has consisted of TWO separate visits to the store) was a total failure, despite my efforts to go there in between naps so as not to disrupt Princess Mackenzie's day.
I unloaded the stroller, the car seat, and my dear daughter for what was supposed to be a quick stop to pick up some new kicks.
But shortly after we entered the store Mackenzie had a major meltdown.
She screamed.
She kicked.
She gave fellow shoppers a look that seemed to say, "Get me away from this woman. She's the worst mother in the world. I don't want to be schlepped around looking at shoes. Can I come home with you? You seem to have nice feet."
I was in and out of that store within 10 minutes and all I had to show for it was a hysterical baby and new sneakers that didn't fit.
So I was forced to go back.
This time, I think I was a little wiser about the whole thing.
This time, I didn't need the stroller.
This time, I was going to make shoe shopping fun, because let's face it... when is shoe shopping ever NOT fun? This is a valuable life lesson that Mackenzie needed to learn pronto.
So away we went...
Into the store...
Without the stroller, or toys, or snacks, or anything to distract little Mackenzie.
This was about shoes - albeit sneakers - and she was going to enjoy herself.
Any daughter of mine is going to
And to my surprise, she did!
Not being confined to the stroller meant Mackenzie could bounce wide-eyed and alert on my hip as I browsed the selection.
If you've ever been to a DSW you're keenly aware of the amount of inventory they have on display.
There's a ton of stuff to look at, and evidently that's all Mackenzie wanted to do.
She looked at the rows of sneakers, their towering boxes, the other customers perusing the store.
She sat on the floor clapping at herself in a full-length mirror while I made absolutely sure the sneakers I'd selected were the best fit.
Yes, she still managed to be the loudest person there, but this time it was squeals of delight - not shrill cries for help - that came from my child.
I'll admit that we did get a few stares from those around us; one sales associate seemed suspicious of our behavior and came by to check on us several times without ever actually asking if we needed help, another customer seemed equally amused and disgusted by the fact that Mackenzie started licking her own reflection in one of the small foot mirrors.
But all in all it was a successful outing and I was proud of myself and proud of Mackenzie for doing things a little unconventionally this time around.
There will always be days when the entire car needs to be armed and ready for what would appear to be a simple shopping trip. But other times it's easier and better for all parties involved to "just do it".
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