Shoes on a Baby

I saw a mom at an easter party at the park that seemed like a normal mom, and she was holding a newborn. At first I just looked at her forlornly because I thought Lilly was still little and then I saw how little little could really be and I had to realize that Lilly is nine months old and counting. That was a really LITTLE baby. But I looked at the mom and saw that she had her newborn (actually, a three month old, but tiny) dressed in jeans, and wearing little socks and shoes.

I knew we could never be friends. She had shoes on her baby. Who has shoes on a baby? Who has TIME to put shoes on a baby? I could barely get shoes on myself. And to make sure the kids had their shoes on, and sweaters and did they bring water, and do we have diapers with us and hair brushed etc etc. The sheer amount of time and thought it takes to wrestle tiny infantile feet into shoes is insane. And jeans aren't the easiest thing to put on babies either, since they have no natural waist.I'm figuring you have time for shoes, you have time for a conversation with your husband, time to read, time to mow the lawn, plant a garden, build a bomb, stage a governmental rebellion.

I look at little Lilly who will hopefully never wear shoes, and watch her crawling away, sprinting away, those bare soles sleek and white. I don't have the time to cover them up, I'm too busy trying to slave off the future. Circle my wagons and keep everyone trapped in the right now.