Congratulations to Emily at Princess Granola, who won our shoe giveaway. Emily, please send us a picture of Zola in her new shoes when they arrive!

Thanks to all who entered. Stay tuned for more giveaways in the upcoming months.

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Until he was getting around on his feet rather than his knees, my son only wore shoes on special occasions. In fact, he’s the only barefoot ragamuffin in our big family photo from last Christmas. Apparently his cousins have more refined sartorial tastes. But once he started cruising, I saw why my friends sang the praises of the leather-soled pouch shoes (like Robeez), which were soft and flexible and easy to get on his wiggly feet, but still offered some protection as he toddled about. And then the days of real walking, and running, arrived, and I faced a dilemma. The soft leather shoes didn’t protect the soles of his feet or help keep him steady, but stiff-soled tennis shoes and oxfords were hard to mash his feet into, difficult to judge if they fit properly, and seemed to trip him as he clomped around.

Fortunately, someone smarter than I had already come up with a solution to our problem. For the past month he’s been wearing a pair of Pedipeds Originals almost every day. These shoes are flexible and durable, made with real leather uppers and soles. They’re a step up from softer shoes, providing a bit more structure with a foam pad on the bottom and some kind of non-slip magic treatment that makes the soles super durable. He’s worn them to the zoo and the playground and the soles still look like new. I was worried about letting him jump around a muddy lawn in them, but they wiped clean and survived without a scratch. The uppers, made of Nubuck (suede-like) leather, have suffered a bit more wear and tear. They scuff more easily than the soles, but they’re still looking pretty good considering the abuse they’ve taken so far.

Like many popular high-end kids’ shoes, the designs are adorable. I’ve been stopped twice in the grocery story by grandmas wondering where they could get a pair for their grandkids, and even my father-in-law (not exactly Imelda Marcos) commented on how much he liked the look of them. Perhaps the grandparent crowd likes the traditional look of our “Jake” style, with faux laces to make them look like oxfords or tennies but with a sanity– and time-saving Velcro closure.

Pedipeds Originals are available through size 18–24 months (USA size 6, Euro size 22), and they’ve recently unveiled a new line of firmer-sold shoes called Flex in US sizes 5–12.5 (Euro sizes 20–29). You can purchase them at stores all over the world or online. At $32– $49 per pair, they’re not cheap, but the quality is high.  And the great news for you is that one lucky Mamas Worldwide reader will win a free pair of Pedipeds shoes (size and style determined by the winner)! Just leave a comment on this post by midnight (12am) Pacific Daylight Time on Friday, October 31st (that’s 9am in Berlin on Saturday, November 1st for you Europeans). Be sure to include your e-mail address in the comment sign-in section so we can contact you if you win. We’ll choose one entrant at random.

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I’ve made my guest blogging debut over on the Attachment Parenting International blog, API Speaks, writing about What Presence Means to Me.  A preview:

I can’t count the number of times that someone has told me that I need to get out of the house without my son.  I’ve been told to get a regular babysitter or to put him in daycare, so that I can have time for myself.  While I agree that moms do need time to themselves (I like to de-stress in a long bath with a book by my side once a week and go to dinner and a movie with friends occasionally), I am happy to share my life with my 15 month old son.  (read more…)

The Carnival of Presence is also posted.  There were 15 great entries on the subject of Giving Your Children Presence, including my post on How “Socialism” Helps Me Give My Child Presence.  They’re having a contest over at API Speaks, and I think there’s still time to enter:

Those who participated in the carnival, linked to the carnival on their blog, and those who go out and read one of the entries below and comment on this post with their thoughts on the carnival entry they read will all get a chance to win one of the following prizes:

• Grand Prize: A one-year membership to Attachment Parenting International.
• First Prize: A set of Bless You Mom affirmation cards and a copy of Judy Arnall’s book, Discipline Without Distress.
• Honorable Mention: A copy of The Successful Child from the Sears Parenting Library.

Go check ‘em out!

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