Who Stole My Shoes?

On Friday, Mom, me, Amy, Kade and Aunt Jackie (Kade's great-aunt) headed to Fairhope to visit with Kathryn (my cousin) and her three children - Asher, Ava, and Abram. We went to Asher's school to watch his Thanksgiving production, then headed to Chick-Fil-A to eat some lunch. At this particular Chick-Fil-A, there is a play area for the kids. So we let them loose in the playyard as the adults sat at the table eating and visiting.

While there, we were observing some of the other parents in Chick-Fil-A. Some were like us...laid back and content with allowing their children to explore while we watched from the tables. And others were very supervisory...standing right next to the play structure and watching their children's every move. There was one such father that was very protective of his little girl as she played. (Just a preface for the rest of the story.)

So when it was time to leave, we caroul up the kids (which is a mighty hard feat when you are dealing with a 4 year old, a 2 year old and a 1 year old). We get their shoes and begin to put them on...only to find that Ava's shoes are no where to be found. Kathryn looks in the cubbys in the playyard...no shoes. She checks the table we were sitting at...no shoes. She checks the diaper bag...no shoes. Kathryn even goes as far as to climb up into the play structure to search for the shoes (imagine a grown woman climbing up and crawling thorugh a children's play structure...it was priceless!!!) There were, however a pair of white shoes (kinda like Ava's) in the cubbys.

So we immediately jump to the conclusion that someone has taken Ava's shoes. And "you know, it was probably that Dad with the little girl, because Dad's dont pay attention to that kind of stuff. He probably just saw white shoes and picked them up and went home." - these are the words from the Mommies in our group.

Kathryn alerts a worker at Chick-Fil-A, that someone has taken her little girls shoes and that she would be calling up there that afternoon to check and see if the shoes had been turned in. Kathryn leaves her number and off we go to their house for more playtime.

Mom, Jackie and I put Kade in our car and head to Kathryn's house.

Amy carries Ava out to the car while Kathryn has Asher and Abram to get situated in her car. As Amy opens the car door...what do you think they find??? Right there, in the car were Ava's shoes. Kathryn and Amy start to laugh and Kathryn just tells Amy to get in...that she was too embarrassed to go back in and let the manager know that they shoe mystery had been solved.

The funniest part about it all was that Amy asked Ava, "Ava, where are your shoes?"...to which Ava replied, "They're in the car." - only to be dismissed by Amy and Kathryn as not true.

Maybe we should take the words of a two year old more seriously next time!!! And to all the Daddies out there...we are sorry for thinking that you would not recognize your own child's shoes...but...we're just sayin'...