Be Excellent To Each Other

Yesterday evening I was taking baby boy around the shops, basically to gather compliments and buy chocolate. A woman serving at the chip shop (I also bought chips) said what a happy baby Darwin was. I said it was a nice surprise, considering he had cut his first tooth yesterday, then the conversation went like this:

Chip shop: Ooh, did you find the tooth, Mummy?
Mimi: yep... I'd been looking for it.
CS: That will cost you!
M: Yep [I wasn't sure what she was talking about by this point]
CS: I made sure my mother found all of the first of mine.
M: Oh!
CS: I found some excuse for her to look in their mouths... 'oh, has she got something stuck in her mouth, could you look?'
Chip shop owner man: That's what happens when you work in a chip shop [I have no idea what is happening by this point].
CS: Yes
M: Yes?
CS: So yes, my mother had to buy them all their first shoes!
M: Oh!

I then got flustered and thanked them before remembering that I both needed to pay and collect the food.

So, what is this finding first baby tooth and buying first shoes thing? (Apart from obvious superstitious tradition). Russell thought it might be a 'local' thing, but when I looked on the ninnynets it seemed to be tradition in Irish, Italian and Scottish families at least. I don't think the lady in the chip shop is any of these, though I think the owner may be an Italian, so maybe he knew what she was yabbering about.

Also, of course I'm going to buy him his first shoes... who else is?

Also, the fact that chip shop woman got her mum to look in their mouths suggest she knew that they had teeth, so really just cheated her mum out of several pairs of shoes.

Just go back in and say, "look, I was in here the other day and you were wittering on about teeth and shoes. I didn't really understand what you were talking about and I still don't. Please explain."

Don't be silly. I did what all sensible people do in that situation: I giggled nervously, nodded and then ran away.

Never heard of this one. Teeth are Tooth fairies domain, not the shoe making elves!

Maybe the tooth fairy runs an elven sweatshop making shoes.

This place and all the people in it is/are useless.

It's say I *may* select 1 option, not *must*.

I was going to select 'no' but didn't want to call you stupid.

I did not even see that this was a poll. I have said that no, it is not a thing apart form people who for some reason baulk at buying their own child their first pair of shoes for some ridiculous reason.

Well, I waited as long as possible to start buying shoes, because their feet grow so bloody fast. I'm a cheapskate, obviously.

(I also think it's better for their feet to stay out of shoes as much as possible.)

It's obviously a thing, as they were talking about it. Therefore, a clear yes vote.

I have no opinion either way, but I'd love the opportunity to call Mimi stupid. So can that be added please?

I have added the option.

Well done on the hurt you may now cause.

Yeah, that wipes the poll. Now we'll never ever know.

For fishcake, Myp!

I have changed the poll to one that is far more decisive. No, I can't change it again in case it gets wiped.

Who buys your first adult baby shoes?

I google image searched and found that there are loads of money boxes and trinket boxes for baby's first tooth with shoes on them.



I also found another picture, just for Zardoz:

AIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE

Ok own up, who chose just 'stupid'? Have a word with yourself.

xxx

Purely because 'very' is a subjective value that has no place in a scientific poll, of course.