HDToddler's day care person called me today and said, "HDW, your son eats shoes!"

Apparently, he was messing around with her Crocs yesterday, and now one is missing. She has looked everywhere. And because the kids are confined to one level of the house, there isn't much of a chance it's any but three rooms. The other shoe is AWOL.

This is not news to me.

A few months ago, I bought HDToddler a new pair of shoes. We have one, the other is gone. I have searched the car, the toy box, the closet, everywhere - no left shoe.

On Thanksgiving, our neighbor girl came over and when it came time to leave, her shoes were missing. We spent a good 30 minutes that night quizzing her, asking her where she left them (and she maintains they were downstairs where we all were), and convinced the older kids had done something with them.

NeighborhoodMom: Really, you haven't found them?? Have you checked HDToddler's closet ... you know, EVERYWHERE?
Me: Of course I have. I have now idea where they went. I wasn't in charge of them that night.
NM: Of cousre not. But they did cost $50 you know. And now she has to walk around in PAYLESS SHOES and has blisters.
Me: What are you saying? You want us to pay up for her missing shoes?
NM: No, no ... I'm just saying ....

And maybe she's right. Maybe HDT has a fetish for shoes.

It is now the end of January, and those shoes are sucked into the giant hole where - apparently - HDToddler is putting them.

Someday, we will discover the secret hiding place he has for shoes.