It is difficult to explain how this felt to me. I watch my son bouncing from the sofa tumbling to the floor and I gasp for air thinking oh god is he going to be hurt? Is he ok? Oh of course he is, he is well, happy and healthy. It is hard to watch your child do things every child does through the eyes of someone who had rubbish joints from baby hood, no bounce, no working ligaments and on strike cartilage. When I was a child and I put my little hand on a door handle to open it too quickly in my excitement on Christmas day it hurt the whole day and swelled. So I look at Christopher waddling his first steps around our home, stumbling, hitting his foot on a chair when rolling around, bending himself in half to take an upside down look at his bottom and never does he ever get up looking in pain, just grins and gets on with another important task on his manic to do list for the day!
Like every child, I owned a first pair of shoes, but my shoes were huge compared to my siblings footwear! Of course the reason was I walked very very late, although I was stumbling early I only took three steps which didn't warrant shoes and then sadly walking became obsolete for a while.Then I didn't really do walking till I was aged two and a half. My son walked late at 21 months and yet he was younger than I was and speedier and so first shoes were called for. For any parent getting a child's first shoes is a major development marker but for a parent who has been disabled through all of life to have such a moment with your child who is fortunate enough to be happy and very healthy, this is a mega moment of pride, joy,excitement,almost like giving birth again!
Christopher loved the whole shoe shopping experience, we didn't trail around shoe shops, I and husband are not well or able enough to do that, we looked for an out of town,disabled parking outside shop,good old Mothercare store with Clarks in store. We chose some light blue dinosaur cruiser shoes because my son is a little unstable still in walking and these were recommended. We looked for Velcro straps as Christopher's parents already take too long in dressing sir and fiddling with shoes as well would have made for a grumpy chops! My little boy sat on Daddy's lap whilst the feet were measured and he studied the assistant carrying out her job, he laughed when she put his shoes on his feet and stood up in his new footwear, waddled over to a disgruntled three yr old customer,whilst cheering "yeayyyyy " as he walked.
The whole process took ten minuets, once you eliminate all shoes you struggle to get on and off a child's feet with rubbish hands and fingers, chosen one of three shoe colours and got feet measured etc it was in,measure,shoe,quick snap for the first shoe package Clarks do for free, little action shot of child in new shoes and we were out the store. In fact Christopher only cried when we got out and it was time to head home!
First shoes, not just my little boy growing up making me emotional but the fact that I can see the world is going to be my child's Oyster, Christopher you have nothing to stop those feet of yours go where they want to go. You can bet mummy and daddy will be watching and cheering and supporting you and your feet every step you take in your great life x
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