One of the things I enjoy most about the little years is watching my little ones learn. I mean, actually hearing their wheels turning, and seeing them figure things out for themselves - having their own thought process. Well, this week I got to see how a little girl thinks. It was so fun to watch and so different from anything the boys have done. For the boys, learning and figuring usually has to do with trajectory, speed, or construction. Hers was style : )
  I had to upgrade her black patent leather 'Sunday shoes' to a larger size, so I took a little trip to my favorite little consignment shop. As it turns out, it was a good shopping day (girls, you know what I mean ;) and I found way more than I went for. Needless to say, I didn't come home with JUST the little black shoes, but I got stocked up for every season (and occasion) for at least the next year! (Bonus points… I stayed on budget ;)

One morning, I sat down to clean them all up (I call it the "make-it-mine process) and soon I had a little helper:  Well, not so much a helper as a non-helper. She started poking her little toes in each as she struggled to keep her balance. She had to slip EVERY pair on and try them out a bit. So I took a break and gave her a hand.

   Helper or not, I SO enjoyed this process! For the boys, shoes have just been one more step in the process:  just a speed bump in the road to their outside expedition:  And the source of many 'wars' on Plymouth territory. But on this day, it was pure bliss. It was fun! It was dress-up. It was her idea! And it was down-right adorable.

I think we're gonna need a bigger basket - -

Every little girl needs a cute pair of sneaks. (And she can wear blue).

Just checkin' out how these ones work.

She found some to be pretty and shiny. She found some to be easier to get on than others. She found some are more fun to unbuckle. And some are just great for stomping on things…

Turns out, these are her favorites. (We tried most of the dressy ones on pre-camera). That's my girl!

There are boy shoes (which I've seen plenty of throughout the years).

And then there are girl shoes (which I just couldn't pass up).

I am amazed at the differences I see between the boys and this little girl. There are not a lot, but when they're there, they're obvious. Some things just don't have to be taught. Shoes. This girl gets it ; )