Barefoot, No Longer Pregnant

I didn't believe them. I had heard the rumors that your foot will grow with every pregnancy, but I thought it was an old wive's tale. How foolish. Then, I got pregnant. Very pregnant. By the time I was 8 months along, my feet had been bathed in relaxin and expected to bear twice their normal weight. By the time I had Tobias, none of my regular shoes would fit- I had gone from a size 7 to size 11. I bought a pair of cheap clogs, a pair of Croc jelly flats, and was gifted a very large comfy pair of ugg-style boots. However, since I was put on bed rest at 7 months, I spent most of my time barefoot. Tos is now 3 months and I've got a confession to make. I've been waiting for my feet to shrink back down. I've had most of my shoes since late middle school, and I'm not willing to part with them. There's a pair of beaten-up big black combat boots of which I'm particularly fond. The other day, we went to the theater and I couldn't make it two blocks in my too-tiny heels; I stomped barefoot and well-dressed across campus to the auditorium. Also, shoes are expensive. I don't have the money to replace even a small part of my collection. Not only that, but I'm hoping that between the gluten-free food dissolving some of the inflammation and losing weight, they'll shrink more. I've been flopping around in my pregnancy shoes and even doing my tai qi barefoot on the back patio. No more- for my birthday, I bought myself a pair of pretty awesome cross-trainers. However, there's been an unforeseen downside to this. Wearing shoes like a civilized person has left my feet and ankles in agony. It makes me wonder at my father's family, going bare food for whole seasons of their lives. Does this represent a realignment of our souls to suit social propriety? If so, should I be trying to rework my misanthropic, post-pregnancy self into someone that can go back into the world? Isn't something like that necessary?