They say you can tell a lot about someone by the shoes that they wear...where they've been and where they're going. I packed up a LOT of shoes today. Shoes that have defined you for the past year of your life. Some shoes were barely worn. Some shoes fit right in the palm of my hand. Were you ever really that small?! Some were scuffed and dirty, some were in perfect, unused condition.

Packing up your shoes had me a little misty-eyed, each pair reminded me of memories we've shared. I started thinking about where you've been and where you're going in your shoes.
Your little blue shoes. Your first pair of close-toed shoes we bought when we were going to Atlanta for the 3-Day and we didn't think it would be okay to wear sandals in 40 degree weather!

These were also the shoes you wore for your Christmas program at school we took you to when you were so sick. You were sick for about a month--- with croup right after your birthday, swine flu, and hand-foot-and-mouth disease. You shook your jingle bells while you chewed on your binky on stage. It was your first performance. We were SO proud!

Your first pair of sneakers. They HAD to be New Balance! Mommy loves New Balance shoes so it was only fitting that you had a pair too! We bought these for you when you first started walking in January of 2010.

You got a LOT of miles out of these shoes, especially when you started walking! Daddy took you to the park almost every afternoon and you'd run and laugh and play and took your first turn down the slides in these shoes!

Your little brown and orange soft-soled Stride Rite shoes. You couldn't even crawl when you wore those shoes!

You wore these shoes when we met Stellan, Ashley, and Chad in Orlando for a play date. Stellan pinned you for the first time! You crawled from the play area across into a shoe store. Was this a sign of things to come?! You also wore these shoes when you first started pulling up on things to stand. You were really starting to become a big boy in these shoes!

Your first pair of Crocs. Mommy was dead set against buying Crocs for you, but after awhile I figured they'd be a great pair of summer shoes! You now have four pairs of Crocs...

These were the shoes you wore in the backyard all summer playing in the hose, mulch, and dirt. These were also the shoes you wore on your first trip to Sea World and fell in love with the "Booga Whales" and "MuMu". You wore these shoes to the Relay For Life.I could rinse off all the dirt and grime from your daily happenings, but I cannot wash away the memories they hold!

So while I have boxed up your shoes from the past year and put them in the closet, I'll keep our memories for safe keeping in my heart!