Monday, July 09, 2007

Vote: To buy or not to buy

When you nickname the human you are growing "Resident Alien" and you later peruse various web sites for cool things to buy said R.A. and you find these shoes, isn't it just like the planets (including Pluto) have aligned and the universe is trying to tell you something? Something like "Buy these shoes." I think so, alas, my husband does not. <sigh>

We're letting the world weigh in on this one so please let us know your thoughts. These baby feet-friendly shoes are from Bobux and cost $26 (+ $2 shipping & handling).

UPDATE - 8:19PM: Darr is in the lead with seven votes to my six. Argh.

UPDATE DAY 2 - 9:06AM: Darr remains in the lead with eight votes to my seven. Am currently considering last night's discussion about whether or not I get an additional vote since I am carrying a second person. Also wondering if we should discount the vote from Anonymous who stated "Robeez shoes rule" but then said "No" when it came to purchasing the shoes. That's like voting for Bush as President and for Joe Liberman as VP.

UPDATE DAY 2 - 10:24PM: Tie vote. We have decided to keep the polls open until midnight Friday. I have also just asked Darren if $26 is too much to pay for my happiness. Should he win, he might owe me jewelry. Very expensive jewelry.

38 comments:

Christie said...

Buy.

Darren said...

$26! $26!? no way dude

Christie said...

You're such a cheap ass!

Jen said...

I hate to do this, but I agree with Darren :)

Anonymous said...

This is NOT a tough decision kids. You've gotta fork out the $26 (plus $2 shipping/handling) for R.A.'s space shoes. You do NOT want to mess with the forces of the universe. I did once and now I'm pregnant! :) Definitely buy!

Anonymous said...

Why a vote?? We know who wears the proverbial pants... :)

Here is what I think: life is about choices... if you absolutely HAVE to have these shoes (and your husband thinks it's ridiculous to spend that much on baby shoes that may be worn for a month - IF you're lucky) then negotiate (over)spending on this item and not on something else. As a mom, I can understand finding the "perfect thing" for your little one, but I also just gathered up 6+ huge boxes of clothes, etc. that my baby has outgrown. Most of them he only wore a few times, many still brand new and with the tags still on! Jeez!
I will vote FOR the shoes however (just because they fit his his current moniker so perfectly). Sorry Darren... :)

Anonymous said...

Shoe appreciation must start early - and the good ones (as any true shoe afficianado knows) are rarely found at such a bargain price. Oh, if only my shoes were a mere $26...

Anonymous said...

Of course, BUY THE SHOES!! There will come a time when your child will not wear what you want them to, so definately take advantage of these "younger" years and dress them as you please!! I hope you win Christie!

Anonymous said...

Ummmm if that were the ONLY thing that was way over priced and was "needed" for the baby I'd say buy em.....but alas I'm sure they are not the only coveted overpriced baby item on your radar. That being the case, I'll quote a great man "$26! $26!? no way dude"

Anonymous said...

buy $26 worth of baby socks - the baby will manage to get these off in seconds (2 kids leads me to this knowledge) and it will happen when you are shopping or out and about and all of a sudden you will own 1 $13 shoe - socks are cheap, interchangable and will keep feet just as warm. Little baby legs like to move, rub feet together and otherwise shed anything you put on their feet usually at most inconvenient time.
Save your energy for these kinds of battles for other stuff like getting the kid something it really nees like a coat with aliens on it versus a coat with teddy bears on it.

Anonymous said...

From my experience, shoes are not about the child. As soon as a child learns to take them off, they do so whenever you aren't looking. Lips, hands, and feet are how the child feels the world.

The shoes are for Christie.

A lot more money will be spent on completely consumable items. You can easily recoupe the shoe cost by just saying 'no' once, twelve years from now when the child asks to have a couple friends over to watch rented movies, and eat pizza.

If Christie gets the shoes, she'll have a story to go with them. That is worth far more than the $30.

If Christie doesn't get the shoes, she'll have a far less favorable story to go with Darren :)

All that aside, the shoes look rather hideous. Don't buy.

Anonymous said...

How much will you spend on therapy for the child when he realizes he was referred to as the Resident Alien?

Anonymous said...

Darren - $26 is mouse nuts.

B. E. Busby said...

Mouse nuts 26$ may be, but it's 26$ of (sorry) butt-ugly. If Christie thinks she's going to save them for "prosterity" (as a friend used to say -- I always wondered if that was a long-term prostate problem), I might be convinced otherwise, but my gut (and averted eyes) say, "no."

Anonymous said...

They are NOT butt-ugly. They are very cute. You could save them for "prosterity" by having them bronzed later. Just think of what you could do with bronzed alien baby shoes.

p.s. -- Do they come in any other colors?

Christie said...

Thank you, Betty.

I would prefer to get a cute pair of baby blue Nikes but I can't find any. Even if I did I know that 1. normal shoes don't fit the weird shape of baby feet and B. the shoes would likely be more expensive. Who else in the world has bronzed alien shoes from when they were a baby, I ask you.

As for colors, I don't believe the alien shoes come in different colors but others do. You can check them out at www.bobux.com.

Anonymous said...

Robeez shoes rule but...I don't know about these. I say No

Christie said...

After a quick Google search I've learned that Bobux are considered the "original" soft-leathered baby shoes (sold since 1991) from New Zealand. Many claim these shoes are basically the same as the Robeez (launched in 1994), the difference being that the designs on the Bobux shoes face the baby while the design on the Robeez shoes face out. There are apparently a gazillion other makers of soft-leathered shoes for kids - Shooshoos, PlatyPaws, Buskins, etc.

Christie said...

Do I get two votes since I'm growing the frickin' human?

And who in their right mind thinks $26 is an expensive pair of shoes?

Steenhuis Clan Member said...

You will spend tons of money on baby things. Shoes in my opinion are a big waste. As most people pointed out, the babies favorite activity is to take them off. It never fails for us, we drop the baby off with shoes on her feet in the am (if they even stay on in the car). In the pm she's barefoot. What's the point???
I have to agree that they aren't the uhm... most attractive pair of Bobux's out there.
Sorry Christie (after scaring Darrent to death at brunch I need to make amends!)

Christie said...

What?!

"Shoes in my opinion are a big waste...the babies favorite activity is to take them off...We drop the baby off with shoes on her feet in the am (if they even stay on in the car). In the pm she's barefoot."

Did you not just blog about buying the Noodle a new pair of shoes? Answer: Yes. (http://jsbickel.blogspot.com/2007/07/out-on-patio.html)

It's a futile effort but you still BUY shoes for your baby. Why? Because if you don't, you're the parent that doesn't buy shoes for your baby!

Christie said...

Oh, and it should be noted that I, too, do not find the shoes particularly attractive. I just think they are appropriate given our baby's nickname. (Plus, they have a cool Camper-like flair with the mismatched designs on each foot.)

I challenge all you folks that think they are less than visually appealing to find ANY boy shoes that are super cute.

Anonymous said...

I would buy
--we used Robeez for my dd, and ds..they should last a good 4-5 months. So averaged out $26 isn't too much. Plus they keep socks on the baby feet--
$26 is nothing--wait till they are in regular shoes and you have to fork out $40 every other month because they grow so fast.

Noir said...

BUY BUY BUY.

When the universe is telling you something, you must listen. Believe me, $26 is a small price to pay in the long run, as opposed to ignoring the dictates of the Alien Nations (which is, of course, a BAD idea).

Anonymous said...

Okay, despite the thousands of dollars you will spend on therapy for the RA, buy the shoes. They make Christie happy, which makes me happy as I sit beside her day in and day out and wish NOT to listen to her unhappiness.

Dan said...

%425 with Darren on this one.

Leah said...

I've given it much thought. Soft sole shoes are great if they're at the age where they are learning to walk. I think they are cute, despite the fact that everyone else says they're ugly. I also think the fact that they represent your in utero nickename is great. However, I have to say Don't Buy. (And this is coming from someone who buys EVERYTHING.) Wait for something else with the same significance that you BOTH love.

Steenhuis Clan Member said...

All right, I must admit I have 3 pairs of Robeez shoes, 1 pair of Crocs, 1 pair of Nikes and about 4 pairs of random shoes. Oh and some Teva's for Noodle. Get the shoes.
A quick calculation on my end determined that they will be approximately .1% of the cost of baby merchandise that you'll get in year 1. It's barely a blimp :)

** Not included in the calculation was the addition to the house or the Volvo which were really spurred by the Noodle being incubated.

Christie said...

Swing vote! Swing vote!

Anonymous said...

OK -- the coercion posting tips your hand... starting to sound like the crowds in the Zocolo and that can't be a good sign for life at the condo.

Here's the finish:

- *I* vote no on the shoes
- *I* further vote that you ignore the vote, because, hey, you didn't think it would come out like this and it sounds like you'll be a miserable soul without them.

Let your conscience (and the fact you'll never be admitted to the bar with at least one of murder, blackmail, great bodily harm and racketeering on your record) be your guide.

Anonymous said...

Yes, yes yes....!!!!

- mobley

leoeris said...

Absolutely buy.If you want, I will buy them for you.

Anonymous said...

You have to buy them. You are about to embark on a journey that involves buying and doing the most ridiculous things you never imagined you would. Things like those shoes are the souvenirs you'll look at when you're old and gray and can't remember the trip quite as clearly as you once did. $26 in nothing - it's a box of diapers. Buy the shoes.
I will also offer to buy them for you...

Anonymous said...

We all understand this is not about the infant/alien/spawn actually WEARING the shoes, but rather about a vision, and the shoes place in that. For my spawn, I purchased the following:
http://www.faketeeth.net/servlet/Detail?no=154
Was it used much? No. Did I get PRICELESS pictures of my child with this? BOTH of them. :-)

Anonymous said...

I'm reserving my right to vote...as my hormones sway my vote differently by the minute. But I do want to refute one thing (remember who I married...) Nike does make baby boy shoes in blue...these are a simple version, I found more complex versions if need-be. You are also paying Nike prices (for those that balk at $26.00...)

http://www.nike.com/index.jhtml#l=nikestore,grid,_pdp,cid-100701/gid-145334/pid-105477,_grid,f-10003+12001+11003&re=US&co=US&la=EN

Christie said...

Yeah, I'm not just looking for a pair of Nikes that have a little blue in them - I searched Nike's web site and was unhappy with the supply they had available. I want a pair that are the pale baby blue color. (I've seen pale pink Nikes for baby girls but they don't appear to have those online right now either so maybe the ones I've seen are from last season or something.)

Don't vote if your hormones are out of control.

Anonymous said...

These shoes are the CUTEST! I vote 'Buy'.
Anya

Cathy said...

Not sure if the vote still counts...but I say BUY! They look like Robeez, and if they're pretty much the same, buy them. My son lived in Robeez shoes until he was 18 months. They're great for crawlers and walkers and will last more than one month if you get the bigger size to use once your RA is crawling.