Coco's First Walkers

Coco put so many miles on her first pair of shoes. And then, one day, they didn't fit anymore. Properly fitting shoes and well-made baby walkers are so important for little toddlers just beginning to walk. Did you know that babies are born with mostly soft cartilage instead of bones in their feet, but the adult foot has 26 bones?! That sums it up right there.

During our trip to the States last fall, it was the perfect time to have Coco fitted for first walkers. She was pulling up on everything, and taking a few steps with her trolley, but not fully walking yet. I took Coco to be fitted at Berg's Shoes in Spokane. My siblings and I got our first pairs of walkers there, and our mom did, too. It's a family tradition! 

I wanted a classic white boot for Coco, which apparently nobody wants anymore. The salesman had to look in the back room and managed to find a few dusty boxes, much to my delight. I ended up getting Coco the Stride Rite Elliot. It's technically a boy's shoe, but I paid no attention to that. How can a classic white baby walker be for a boy or girl? 

Stride Rite make the best baby shoes of any American company. They're well-constructed out of quality materials and designed for the movement and growth of little feet. As a bonus, they're not outrageously overpriced. ;) When I worked in Children's Shoes at Nordstrom during high school and college, I sold dozens of pairs of these little white boots. I just don't think they could be any cuter. Our salesman at Berg's did an excellent job measuring and fitting Coco's little potato feet into her shoes. Then, a month later, she was off and toddling! 

Now her little white boots are in their box in the cellar, ready to take back to Berg's to be bronzed the next time we go to Spokane. I have so many wonderful memories of her beginning to walk in those little shoes. I love the idea of keeping them forever. Did you keep your baby's first pair of walkers? Did you have them bronzed, or do something else?