In related news, COPA is finally dead.

It sits there so refined, and drinks its self half blind...

As long as people (especially flea) are offering shopping advice, can I beg for shoe assistance, tiny human division? Matilda has been complaining for the past couple of weeks that various body parts hurt, and the other night when we were taking off her shoes it finally dawned on us that, duh, she's gearing up for another growth spurt. So now she has only one pair of even slightly comfortable shoes, size 7 fake Uggs from her cousins-in-law in Indiana. Zappos and Amazon are giving me some love, but not a ton. Any other recommendations?

(Also, as she's growth-spurty, I'm hesitant to spend $35-50 on a shoe that may well not fit by next month.)

It sits there so refined, and drinks its self half blind...

The thing I don't understand about the Copa is, why would they let some crazy lady who always dresses in her old showgirl costume (with faded feathers in her hair) hang out there?

JZ, I had good luck grabbing a variety of comfortable shoes from consignment shops. Barring that, Payless or Target.

Ebay often has new-in-box Stride Rites in the $15-20 range, and used ones for even cheaper. Other brands to look for: Keen, Merrell, Umi, Milo & Morgan, See Kai Run. Also, check thrift stores in fancy neighborhoods - at a size 7, kids often are still growing fast enough that they outgrow shoes well before wearing them out.

And, you've found an area where Matilda is bigger than Dillo! He is comfy, even roomy, in 6.5s still, at 30 months! (Note that his sister's very first pair of real shoes, bought at 15 months, are 7s).

Any other recommendations?

We got a fair number of shoes from Target when the kids were small.

And, you've found an area where Matilda is bigger than Dillo!

Poor thing, she's inherited both her mother's feet (big) and her father's (flattish, with long weird toes).

One of my officemates was just raving about See Kai Run, and in all the pictures I can find they look like they're nice and wide in the toes, which is definitely a plus.

Plei, we're hitting Goodwill after work today. (The circus schools on our block take their lost-and-found boxes to this Goodwill once a month, so, childish clothing-losing habits being what they are, it usually has a pretty good selection.)

For the other Etiquette-philes out there, a question now that Hilary has been confirmed as Secretary of State. Would she and Bill now be formally introduced as President and Secretary Clinton?

I guess they would, since it's Vice-President and Dr. Biden. So cool. What is she a doctor of?

JZ, I'm planning to go to the new TJ Maxx this weekend - you want I should look? (Provided, of course, that the Death Flu has not killed me. It's a bit touch and go at the moment.)

bon bon, have you considered Funky Sofa?