Running Shoes

Stitch, if you will recall, is not kind to his shoes. He will tear through a pair in a matter of weeks, shredding the soles, flattening the shoe and destroying any lacing or velcro. That's just how he rolls. The last pair of shoes I bought for Stitch was a pair of heavy duty boots. I figured those had a fighting chance, and they've held up pretty well. I was happy, until Grandma told that Coach had ordered "running shoes."

"She says those boots are too heavy for running the stairs," Grandma says.
"The weight builds leg muscle."
"Just get a pair of running shoes, because I'm afraid she'll hurt me."

So we head out to Target and the craft store. Grandma wanted to find some quilt batting, as she's making a commemorative quilt to celebrate Pink Panther. I think this is fine, given the extraordinary amount of work that's gone into this one. (But I have to say, I'm on my tenth quilt that the quilting grandmas have made. I don't have much in the way of luxuries, but I do have a shitload of quilts.)

"Oh, and I found boy figure skater fabric online," Grandma tells me in the car.
"Wow, that's cool."
"It's been discontinued."
"Figures."

Stitch is in the back, playing DJ with his MP3 player and the car radio converter thingie.
"Can I get something from the craft store?"
"Maybe. Depends on what we find."

So we're in the store, wandering, while Grandma is inspecting batting. "Can I get this?" Stitch holds up something random and terrible.
"No."
"Can I get that?"
"No."
"You always say no."
"Yes."

And then he laughs. We get to the summer toys aisle and I grab him a tube of glow sticks and a bottle of Giant Bubbles. (The wand is bigger.)

We're off to Target, and Stitch has been bunny hopping through all the parking lots. He is hopping and spinning. "For someone who claims to be so tired during lessons, he's full of energy the rest of the day," Grandma observes.
"Stitch, we know you're acting," I clue him in. "Even Coach knows. She told me."
His eyes get wide. "My secret is out!"

I get him a pair of running shoes, and he was gleeful that they lit up. "We have to get these!"
"I don't know if the light up thing..." I waver on the flair.
Grandma looks at me. "Get these. She deserves these."
I realize she's referring to Coach and it's settled.
Stitch bunny hops back through the store, I get him a treat at checkout and suddenly I'm "best mom ever" again.

Back in the car, Stitch plugs in all his music apparatus, eats candy and plays his Skating Theme Song.



"Coach says we have to go back tomorrow," Grandma sighs.
"Yes. But the street fair is on, so you can hit that afterwards."
"We're usually wiped out after skating."
"I want to go to the street fair!" Stitch says.
"Fine," I say. "But wear your boots. Save your new shoes for skating things, okay?"
"Why?!"
"Because I said so." And so they last longer than two weeks.