Let the Battle...End!

So, last year at this time we were trying to get Cora to love, like, tolerate, just simply look at grass without crying. It took most of the summer, but we were successful!!! I wasn't sure how she would be this summer. We've had a minor set back as so far she seems to only want to be in the grass if she has shoes on. Oh. Well. At least she's playing in it! Last summer she loved her pool and though she was barely 1 she loved to sit in the water and splash around! I was hopeful that this summer we wouldn't have any issues with the pool. Our neighbors have their kiddie pool out and have invited Cora over to play in it with their girls. The first day she was a bit timid when it was just Mommy and Daddy out there with her, but as soon as the other girls came out she was splishing and splashing and going down the wee slide in the pool! I was shocked, but so glad we overcame that little obstacle quick enough.

So, what do we seem to have to overcome this summer? It's almost as evil as the grass was last summer. This summer, it would seem Cora will ONLY wear shoes if she can also wear socks! This is causing me great frustration. I know it shouldn't, but it is--probably the pregnancy hormones! In any case, at the start of warmer weather I bought her 2 pairs of sandals at Target--one for daily wear and one for Sundays. She REFUSES, and I mean REFUSES to wear them unless she can also have socks on. It's as though I'm asking her to strap broken glass to her feet and walk 5 miles. Sigh...She is also very insistent that she wear her tennis shoes a lot, although she doesn't feel the need to always have socks on with those!

I am learning, with this child, to eat the words/thoughts/preconceived ideas I had pre-children. I no longer look at a toddler wearing a strange outfit, crazy hair or socks with sandals and think the mother is a nut job or that she just must not care. No, no, I'm sure she DOES care, and I'm sure there was some kind of battle at home before going out in public and the fairy dress, striped socks and tennis shoe outfit was decided not that big an issue. I'm learning that though I would LOVE for my daughter to have a cute hair-do to match her cute outfit and have her wearing the right sandals (without socks) before we leave the house, it's just not worth the battle and meltdown. I mean really, in the whole scheme of things is it really that big of a deal? At least I can be thankful I got clothes on her!

And so, this summer, let the sock battle commence, or end because really, I'm just too tired. We'll see how it ends. And, if you should see my daughter, or some other child, in 100 degree weather with socks and sandals on, don't judge the mother--there was already a battle fought and it's obvious who won!