Brrr. It was cold out there. I’m ha-ppy that spring is in the at-mos-phere!
Please tell me you can chant that line just like Torrance from the classic Y2K cheerleader movie, Bring it On. And just like Kirsten Dunst’s team of Toros, there’s an extra bounce in my step these days. Why? Because now that spring has sprung in Calgary, I don’t risk slipping on a patch of ice or face-planting into a snowbank if I add some pep to my step. Granted, it snowed on Easter Sunday … but the fluffy white stuff had faded by the afternoon!
My favourite thing about the longer evenings post-vernal equinox? Being able to play outside after preschool and daycare! We’ve already busted out the sidewalk chalk … one of my favourite outdoor-play activities. (It doesn’t involve running or jumping or hiding, so of course I love it!)
Milder evenings mean we can enjoy our frozen treats outside, where the rain washes away the drips instead of my mop. It also means we can pack away the winter boots, and hope they still fit next season! It’s unlikely, since last spring’s sneakers don’t fit anymore—both kids are wearing new pairs of Skechers for our early-spring adventures.
Little Miss’s GOwalk Bitty Bows are the most toned-down of Skechers’ girl options. Up until now, I’ve always selected her Skechers from the boys’ section to avoid the excess glitter. The little bow on her GOwalks is just girly enough for me, and I’m sure my days of choosing what she wears are getting close to numbered, so I’d better enjoy it while it lasts.
Her shoes are easy-on, easy-off, with the added comfort of memory foam. Right now she’s between a size 4 and size 5. These size 5 fit fine as long as she’s wearing socks or tights. Hopefully they’ll fit perfectly without socks by summertime! When we play outside, Little Miss Cub has been fighting her brother for a turn on the three-wheel. He’s going to have a run for his money now that little sis is mobile!
I know that at some point my preschooler will have to learn how to tie laces … but I will continue to savour the simplicity of Velcro while I still can. His Skech-Trains have stretchy laces that do not need to be tied and a single strip of Velcro, making them easy to get on and off. (Although he frequently claims to be too tired/busy/hungry to do so himself, his preschool teachers assure me that when I’m not around, he manages just fine.)
Around this time last year, I bought Cub a snazzy bicycle. He rode it once, and it has spent the last twelve months collecting dust in our basement. He prefers his three-wheel, even though he’s almost too big for it. This month he finally agreed to try his big boy bike again!
I guess the one thing I dislike about spring is the return of above-the-ankle grooming. It’s time to start wearing cropped pants, and while intellectually I know I’ve been socially conditioned to believe that leg hair is unacceptable … in practice I can’t quite bring myself to leave my winter coat intact. My new Skechers boat shoes are a small consolation to having to bust out the sugar wax again!
While it is highly unlikely I will ever ride anything but an imaginary boat in these boat shoes, I can at least pretend that I’m the kind of lady of luxury who lounges on yachts or sails on a schooner.
So now that we’ve established I’m not a boat lady, let’s discuss how I am ABSOLUTELY a cat lady. This one time, before kids, we had eight cats in our two-bedroom condo. We almost matched that record this summer when our foster cat had six kittens! Since we cannot commit to forever cat ownership, I satisfy my need for feline friendship by fostering for the MEOW Foundation … and by wearing the most cat-tastic shoe you’ve ever seen.
These Bobs are called “Scratch Party,” and have a squishy-soft memory foam insole. My flat-footed self needs more arch support than alpargata flats can provide, so these aren’t going to be my choice for long walks. But they’re purrfect for school pick up and padding around the yard.
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