Big foot

"Oh she DEFINITELY has your eyes!"
"She looks so much like daddy in this picture!"
"She's just your mini-me."
"Her hair is just the texture of D's hair"

The list could go on. When I found out I was expecting E, I dreamed for hours of what she would look like. My husband's gene pool is strong and everyone expected her to look like daddy, or his sister. She doesn't. She looks more and more like me, just with bright blue eyes and much lighter hair. My nose, my curls... My big, wide feet. She treads lightly on the earth, but unfortunately not on my bank card, it would seem, as her feet cause shoe doom every time we go to the shoe shop.

When she started walking at 9 months her feet were a 3H. So the choice of shoes were pink or pink. At Christmas. To clash with all of those lovely red Christmas knits. And to try and keep the cost down over the last 8 months I've settled for shoes I don't *love*. But it seems to have become more of an issue recently. In May we paid £39 for some sandals - continental DARLING - because even a Start-Rite H cut into her feet at the sides. And they lasted 8 weeks exactly, as her feet have grown at a rapid pace. You see, E's issue isn't just that her feet are elephant wide, they're also super chubby on top, which makes t-bars an issue, jelly shoes a no go, and high street a bit of a ballache. 

So, I noticed the other week her toes were handing over the ends of her sandals. Super. Off to the shoe shop we go. Thankfully we have a WONDERFUL independent children's shoe shop in Thrapston, Funky Lil Feet, who are honest, helpful and super dooper lovely... And they have a loyalty card system. Double win. Out came TWENTY boxes of shoes. Too narrow, cut in, digging in a bit, can't get her feet in... Until we came to the Little Pets, by Petasil. Campus in Turquo. They fit like they're made for her.

I won't lie, I nearly died at the price tag. £49. I don't spend that on my own tootsies. But that said, I feel I can justify the cost. A little. And here's why.

These shoes are BEAUTIFUL. Where is the adult size 8?! A beautiful peacocky-turquoisy-green with a little flower detail on the front. Feminine, but not girly girl. Gorgeous floral print insoles with a well built in-step and cushioned edge around the top of the heal. The soles are transparent and through them you can see more flowers! A prod with my fingers tells me the insoles are squidgy and divine. They feel sturdy and well built. A good length of velcro on the fastening ensures that any foots is well secured in the shoes, and the velcro in sewn on well.

They don't dig in anywhere. That's the first time I've felt that her shoes are perfect for her wide and chubby H-widths. They don't cut in, rub, leave marks. She has been out for hours in them. She runs and skips and plays in them. They have growing room.

And while they're perfect for the summer, they're hardwearing enough to see her into autumn as a trip out in damp weather on Saturday proved. And, despite them being more expensive that your Start-Rites or Clarks, having looked on the Petasil website I'll be going back for her winter boots because every pair of shoes is equally as stunning and gorgeous as these.

I think the saying "you get what you pay for" is what I'm looking for here. Comfort, style, fit, practicality and no compromises. And then it comes to fashionable little feet, that's what it's all about.