Chinese Slippers

These are very special shoes. Maybe even magic shoes.

I bought these Chinese slippers when I was 11 weeks pregnant on our trip to Shanghai; they were my first baby purchase. Convinced I was having a boy, I went for blue but figured turquoise would be good for either gender. I was a little superstitous when I was pregnant and didn't really buy any clothes. The exception was a major sale on newborn basics at Babystyle.com and I went crazy shopping on-line. Even then I kept everything sealed in their original plastic with receipts -- in case the worst happened. I read you were supposed to wash all your baby clothes in preparation of the arrival of your little bundle of joy. Not me. All of my baby shower gifts I kept wrapped in their original packages. Cap finally had to take control and wash Addie's Pink Palace bedding because I wouldn't dare open it. He also wasn't able to resist test driving the stroller.

I waited and worried, waited and worried and out popped the baby one week late (felt like a freakin' eternity) and 8 months later I finally get around to putting Addie's little princess feet into her Chinese slippers. Apparantly one year is how long it takes to sew on snaps. Why would shoes require assembly? I busted out the sewing kit this past week, only stabbing myself once, and sewed on those darn snaps (the first try I did it backwards). So here she is in her Chinese slippers even though her feet are almost too big for them. I'm not very sentimental, but these shoes we'll keep forever.