Even so, I was amazed to find that my 17-month-old daughter already has a shoe obsession! That's right - she's starting early. My husband and I first noticed her fondness for shoes two or three months ago, when she began refusing to wear certain ones. I'd bring her the green pair, and she'd shake her head and say "no!" Then I'd get out the pink ones and she'd be all smiles, delightedly grabbing for them and holding up her feet for me to buckle them on. That was phase one.



Phase two began when she discovered that she can remove her shoes all by herself. This is fine, except when we're in the car, navigating through rush hour traffic, and she is screaming bloody murder because she's taken off her shoes and then dropped them on the floor of the back seat, where Mommy would have to be a contortionist to be able to reach them.

Phase three is where she began putting on Mommy and Daddy's shoes and walking around the house. She absolutely loves to do this. Sometimes she even demands that we remove our shoes so that she can put them on her own feet. Occasionally I'll oblige, pretending to put her tiny little sneakers on my own feet in exchange. This is side-splittingly funny to her.

Phase four - she discovers shoe shopping. Now, anytime we are in any shoe department, she'll grab a pair she likes off the display shelf. She then proceeds to sit on the floor, remove her own shoes, and try to put on the new ones. Of course, they are never the right size, so we almost always end up dragging a screaming and kicking barefooted toddler out of the store (to the great amusement of the other shoppers, I'm sure).

Now we are in phase five. In addition to everything else, she now has the ability to put on her own shoes. She doesn't know the left from the right, and she can't fasten them, but she can do it! She always has a nice little glow of pride when she accomplishes this trick, and we always clap and cheer her on.

Toddlers are such amazing little people. Every new day is an adventure, a comedy routine, and a real learning experience!