Those eyes

You mommies know what I'm talking about. It happens when your child really, really, really wants something. And not, for instance, when they're begging for McDonald's when you've just slaved over a nice dinner of salmon, brown rice and broccoli for him. Altho, actually, my son would love that dinner. My daughter, on the other hand...

This is the one where it's going to cost you a nice chunk of change. And you're not sure it's exactly what you had in mind. But your kid is giving you The Eyes. It's now up to you.

This happened to us yesterday. Sawyer complained that his sneakers were too small. I took that seriously because I am one of those moms who brings their children to get shoes, only to find out when their feet are measured that their current shoes are two sizes to small.

I also noticed his shoes had absolutely no tread on them and were ripped. Shocking, because they're Geox, and Sawyer usually outgrows them before he outwears them.

All the way to Nordstrom he talked about getting light up shoes. For some reason, light up shoes make me nuts. I don't know why. I'm not a person who has a seizure from spinning lights or anything. I think it's because it just makes our choices so much more narrow. In fact, when I bought him his last pair of shoes, he was VERY upset they didn't light up and did not care that I found them for a steal at Nordstrom Rack.

I told him they were Star Wars shoes because they were kind of a bronze, silver and black, which are clearly Star Wars Colors! Yeah. They were also too big on him, and in the interim, we had to go to the Stride Rite store at the outlet mall to find him light up shoes in his size. And wouldn't you know, a few days later, one of the shoes stopped lighting up. He was completely unmoved and he wore those things to death.

So in the car, I warned him that they don't make light up shoes in his size, that it's really for little kids, etc., and he was all "I don't care. I want light up shoes."

And wouldn't you know, the second we got to the shoe department he'd already found a pair of light up Sketchers. I steered him toward the Geox, saying that I didn't think they had light ups, but they had some cool colors...and the freakin' salesguy was all "Oh no, we have light up Geox RIGHT HERE!"

DOH!

It appears his foot has grown about a half-size. At the rate he's going, Sage is going to pass him pretty soon, as she seems to be blessed with my size Ginormous feet.

But the next size up were too big, and he ended up fitting into the same size as his old shoes - except for some reason this particular pair of shoes are made bigger (Geox didn't make the half-size).

So now it was decision time. These shoes are, shall we say, not cheap. And he definitely needed new ones.

The thing is it makes you feel so powerful. You know that their entire life (okay, that's what THEY think, when really it's just their MOOD) depends on whether you utter a simple Yes or No.

It's that intent gaze and little hopeful smile as they wait as patiently as humanly possible for a kid below the age of 6 while you make up your mind.

There he was, all big eyes and half-smile, imploring me to let him have these black light up sneakers.

Please.

Who was I too squash him? So yes. Yes yes yes.

Celebration ensued. And hugs. And plenty of "I love you Mommy!"

That makes it all worth it, doesn't it?