Boots, glorious boots!

So yesterday Max was staying in school for an extra couple of hours at a club so I decided on a whim to take Lucia to the shoe shop – the one we always go to – on the off chance that there might be something other than Converse to fit her.

We do this every few months, just in case there might be a new style that just happens to work. Lucia always gets excited going to the shoe shop to get her feet measured and up until now has thankfully never been disappointed when we leave empty handed. And the last few times I have been ok too as we have got used to it.

But even though I no longer have any real expectations I still always have those little butterflies that maybe, just maybe, this will be the day. I really wanted yesterday to be the day because for the first time Lucia had asked for new shoes. She wanted purple shoes with sparkles – the same as her best friend in nursery. I knew the shoes she was talking about and I knew they weren’t a style that would work for her, but I just said we would wait and see if the shop had them.

So as we drove into town, the butterflies were there. And guess what – YESTERDAY WAS THE DAY!

Trying on time

As soon as we arrived she headed up to the children’s area and straight to all of the lovely girly sparkly shoes. While she had a little look I spoke to the assistant and briefly explained Lucia’s Lymphoedema, but she remembered us from a previous visit. She was wonderful. She measured Lucia’s feet and disappeared into the stock room to look for possible shoes.

The first pair she tried was a cute little ankle boot – and they actually went on and the velcro closed over! This was a first! But they came up too far on the top of her foot and pressed on the front of her leg restricting fluid flow and the boot part was too short and tight around her ankle. So she then tried her with a longer boot – but her foot wouldn’t go in ’round the corner’ if you know what I mean.

Cinderella!

Meanwhile I had spied the cutest pair of Clarks calf length pink boots with a bunny on it. I picked them up fully expecting the assistant to say no – but she didn’t. She went and got Lucia’s size. She put the left one on first and zipped it up no problem – Lucia’s left foot has always fitted anything. And then she squeezed her right foot in and zipped it up too, right to the top! I could hardly believe it. It was a real Cinderella moment!

Lucia was straight onto her feet and dancing around the shop, loving these brand new boots! I was so happy watching her spinning around that I thought I would burst. Seeing the joy on her little face was contagious and even the assistant could see just how special this moment was.

Of course I was worried that they were too tight and that they would restrict the flow of the fluid, but she checked the fit and got a second opinion and they were fine. They were snug, but not stop the fluid snug. And because they are leather they will stretch with wear.

Most importantly of all though, Lucia was comfortable in them and we could see by the way she was walking around the shop that they definitely weren’t too tight – and she was in boot love.

First boot love

They just couldn’t be more perfect! Her favourite colour is pink and she loves bunnies – and these have both. They are made of leather and suede and are her first ever boot! They will be brilliant for keeping her little tootsies warm throughout the Autumn and Winter as her feet have already been getting cold in her Converse.

So yesterday was wonderful and once the bunny boots were on they weren’t coming off again. And she was definitely running around with a spring in her step as she showed them off.

The little things

It really is the simple things that mean the most. I know I have said it before, but whoever thought a pair of boots could bring such happiness? It’s just another one of those things that we all take for granted – until it becomes something almost impossible.

So if anyone is interested in trying them click here for all the details on the Clarks website and hopefully they might be good for someone else too.

PS…

Lucia’s feet and legs are in fantastic shape at the moment – the best they have ever been which has definitely contributed to her fitting into these boots. I will blog on this very very soon so watch this space!