From Toe-Walking to Squeaking

T Bear at 10 months old

 KK-


You know that T Bear is a toe-walker.  He has been walking on his toes since he could walk.  Our doctor said it would disappear by the age of 2.  Instead of disappearing, his toe-walking increased.  After T Bear's second birthday, our Doctor sent us to a pediatric surgeon and a physical therapist to help with his toe-walking.  We ordered special inserts for his shoes that seemed to help.  


We seemed to be making progress, until Baby Cub was born and then we started spending a lot more time inside at home without his inserts.  At Christmas, I was expressing my frustration, when my brilliant sister-in-law suggested squeaky shoes. 


Typically squeaky shoes are worn by adorable toddlers who are learning to walk, such as Little Av.  She walks around in her squeaky shoes with the cutest squeak in her step. 

Little Av in her cute sqeaky shoes

I wondered if they even made squeaky shoes big enough for T Bear.  I found a website that had them in his size and even claimed that they helped with proper walking - meaning, they encourage heel striking.  I ordered them immediately.  

Squeaky shoes from Itzy Bitzy

The squeaky shoes arrived and I put them on T Bear.  He thought they were so cool, then he started walking in them.  Sure enough, they encouraged him to walk heel-toe, which was great.  The not-so-great part is that the squeak is more like SQUEAK!!!!  It is so loud and obnoxious.  


Big D took T Bear to store while wearing his squeaky shoes.  T Bear attracted so much attention, that Big D ended up just carrying him out of the store.


We told T Bear that he could only wear his squeaky shoes to outside places - not the library or church.  Last week we were at Green Lake with some friends and T Bear was wearing his squeaky shoes.  Everyone we passed stared at T Bear and wondered where that squeaky noise was coming from.  A lady finally stopped me and asked, "Are those his shoes squeaking?"


"Yes," I answered.


"Well, I guess you will always know where he is," she said (really meaning - WOW! Those are so loud, I can't believe you are letting him wear those).


I smiled and we kept walking, she then came back and asked again, "Did you buy them already squeaky like that?" 


"Yes,"  I felt like I needed to explain more, "They are to help him walk on his heels."


"Oh," she said and finally walked a way.


So if you hear loud squeaking coming your way, it is T Bear.  And trust me, we are not doing it to seek attention.  I realize that these shoes are much cuter on Little Av, but I am willing to do whatever it takes to keep T Bear from being a toe-walker forever.  Plus, he loves his squeeky shoes - can't you tell?

-Miss T


*Update* This morning when we were going out to the car.  A dog came running up to T Bear.  The dog was friendly, and his owner finally came around the corner to collect him. The owner said, "I think she (the dog) was excited because she thought she heard a squeaky dog toy."  Great - now we are attracting dogs with these shoes!