Just shove it in there. It'll fit.

With winter upon us and freshly fallen snow, we've had to pull out the winter gear.

Having 3 boys allows me to save their clothes, outerwear, shoes and boots. These "hand-me-downs" have worked out pretty well up until this winter.

At the end of the season last winter I bought a pair of winter boots on clearance at good ol' Wally Mart, in size 10. I don't recall who I thought was supposed to fit in them this year as I have a really hard time keeping track of what shoe size the kids are in from month to month. It seems to change quite frequently and we have a huge tote filled with shoes that range from size 7 to size 3. That is 10 different shoe sizes. And I wonder why I'm confused!

I put the new boots I purchased on Carson and send him off to school and watch him hobble into class thinking nothing of it at the time. Later that day we decided to play out in the snow. I notice Carson struggling to put his boots on and getting very frustrated. I go over to help him out and am pushing pretty hard wondering what in the world is stuck inside the boot that is not allowing this boy's foot to slide in. So I take it off and look inside which there is nothing. I try again and get his foot in and he begins yelling that his foot hurts. I feel where his toes are and they are completely shoved to the front of the boot. Then I start to question that maybe these boots were supposed to go to Luke. I take a look inside and see the size 10. I compare them to the boots that Luke is wearing this winter and his also say size 10. Well, I know that can't be right. These boys are 2.5 years apart and I know for a fact they do not wear the same size shoe.

Sure enough, I compare the boot to the bottom of Carson's foot and there isn't even a half of an inch extra. I then take a look at one of his regular shoes and he is wearing a size 13. That is 3 sizes more! No wonder his poor little toes were hurting. Mom's trying to shove them into cramped quarters. I kinda felt bad and all sending him to school in these toddler sized boots. But then I got over it.

So then, I search through our shoe box for a bigger pair of boots thinking surely we'll have something that will work. I find two more size 10's and the next size up is a 3, which is huge on him. But he really wanted to go outside and play so we layered on the socks and put on the size 3 boots and headed out to play.

And believe it or not, they actually stayed on the whole time. Even if they would have fallen off, Carson wouldn't have cared too much. This is a kid who runs around the house wearing only shorts whether it is 80 degrees or 8 degrees. He could care less.

And you'll be happy to know I sent hubby out last night to pick up the proper size boots for this boy. He'll be trying them out at school tomorrow.

I also had to purchase new boots for Taylor since his feet have grown a whole 2 sizes since last winter. How is that possible?

Today when he came home from school he wanted to go play out in the snow. But he forgot his snow boots at school. Of course, he doesn't have another pair that fit him and here goes mom again trying to shove his old size 3's on him.

When will I learn?

So the solution I came up with (and I still can't believe he went for this) was to wear MY snow boots. They are very gender neutral thankfully. But I am a size 9 which I think would compare to a size 7 in mens'. Doing the math that would make them 2 sizes too big. But, he was okay with it. Just as long as no one found out that he was wearing girl-y boots.

I may have to use that one against him someday. Blackmail!