I used to think baby shoes were over rated and pointless, than I saw how fascinated people were with baby toes.
Some people feel babies (and their toes) are part of the public domain (sort of like pregnant tummies), and it’s OK to enter their personal space (and play this-little-piggy).
This is where baby shoes come in: most people get caught up in the cuteness of the diminutive shoe and do not venture after any further “prize” inside. It also saves the occasional mini-meltdown.
I personally do not find baby toes all that interesting, and I know where they’ve been (and when they were last cleaned) so I’m not inclined to want to nibble on them (I don’t understand that either).
I wholeheartedly agree with your post. From my (and others´ observations) most adults seem to evolve backwards in the proximity of babies/small children, and lose their ability to speak. People who spend a lot of time with very tiny children, though, somehow don´t seem to have this problem. 😀