My misdirected maternal instincts kick in when I see something cute I want to put on a child. Fortunately, enough of my friends are getting pregnant so I don't have to, which is ideal because I'd rather shop for babies than have them anyway.

Since I have a personal shopping habit for shoes, it makes sense that I cooed over See Kai Run, a Woodinville-based company that makes rubber-soled, but still flexible, shoes suitable for baby's first day out on the mean streets.

"It's the next step after a Robeez leather soft-soled shoe," says Cause Haun, who owns and operates the small business with her husband and a few longtime friends. "The look is very different from what's out there. It's a little more urban instead of cutesy."

See Kai Run shoes ($32-$40) are sold at Nordstrom — after Pete Nordstrom saw a child wearing them at a dinner party — and at select boutiques in Seattle. Visit www.seekairun.com for a retailer list and shoe selection.

Pamela Sitt: 206-464-2376 or psitt@seattletimes.com