Twinkle Toes

I have not watched TV in 15 years.  The last time I saw a television program was when Melrose Place was popular in the mid 1990s.  When I glance at the "Star" and "People"  magazines that adorn grocery check-out lines, I don't know a single person in the headlines or photos unless they are directly related to the President.  I have nothing against TV ...just that I'm certain that almost anything, short of sleeping, is surely a better use of time.  Our kids -- meaning our younger kids who aren't old enough to have jobs and buy themselves a TV -- have also never watched TV, excepting their videos.  They are blissfully unaware of fads or trends.  They've never heard of Hannah Montana.  They've never seen a commercial.  They ask Santa for things like "a doll" -- not Talking-Barbie-with-Dyable-Hair-Who-Dances-While-Getting-Nails-Done.

Recently Isabel announced that for her 7th birthday she'd like a pair of "Twinkle Toe" shoes.  Surely I was hearing things! Certain that she could be swayed, I suggested that we keep thinking of other ideas.  "But Mom, ALL the girls have them!"  When I was unable to convince her that Elmer's glue and glitter applied to existing shoes might have the same effect, she pouted, "But they're COVERED in sparkles and light up when you walk!"  In a last-ditch effort to avert trend, I explained that Twinkl-y Toe-y Shoes aren't really available in our rural community.  She shot out of the kitchen like a track star, and within seconds shouted, "See??!!  $45.99 and free shipping!!!"  Apparently Google Search is something they teach in school these days.  Voila: Pages and pages of insanely cute shoes, the types that kids for thousands of years have only dreamed of -- available with only the click of a mouse and a credit card!

So did she get those shoes?  You bet she did.  Is this the end of the Twinkle Toes story?  Hah!  No sparkly story ends when there is more than one little girl in this house, including one who could re-write the Book of Stubborn.  Morning after morning, I'd hear a rustle, rustle, then a patter, patter of little feet headed down the stairs in pitch black darkness.  Gillian learned that if she simply got up before the crows, or even the sun, she could snatch the Twinkle Toes from Isabel's shoe box and get them fastened securely to her own feet.  Poor Isabel.   No amount of cajoling, bribing, reasoning, Love & Logic, or even tickling could get those shoes off Gillian, who would clomp her way onto the bus in shoes two inches too big, lighting up the universe along the way, with Isabel trailing gloomily.

Now, Isabel is a strong-willed child -- not the type to be bullied or trodden upon.   If any other person dared this antic, they'd have met the wrath of Queen Isabel.  Not Gillian.  Isabel loves Gillian.  She understands her, she interprets for her, she looks out for her.  At recess during school, she seeks Gillian out to play with.  They eat, play, seek out mischief, and sleep side-by-side. 

As luck would have it, Gillian's birthday is just weeks after Isabel's.  On November 12, Gillian celebrated her 9th birthday.  Isabel celebrated too, as her  pink Twinkle Toes were officially handed over, replaced by their purple twins -- Gillian's perfect size.