Austin's misfortune

Earlier this summer I bought Austin a pair of flip flops.  I hope he doesn't read this or we will get to have a half an hour conversation on how they are sandals and not flip flops.  Anyway, we bought a size 9 because his feet were at the very limits of the size 8.  I am second guessing my choice now.  They are a bit big and they slide his feet forward so his toes hang off the front.  So tonight he was walking down the stairs and fell down the first three stairs onto the landing.  I lamely reached my arm out, but was really too stunned to actually move.  He then turned, trying to recover and almost fell down the remaining eight or nine stairs (that would have been bad).  I literally felt like the worst mother ever.  I was frozen and couldn't move to help him.  But, all ended well.  I think he was a little stunned himself and it didn't hurt him at all.