Crochet Pattern Baby Booties , Baby booty for boys and girls

I am really struggling with this pattern. When I follow it, the end result is totally asymmetrical, even after several attempts and stitch counts and markers. General instruction #8 says to “always join to the top of the starting chain”, but I’m not sure what it means ( where else would I join?) and then for the upper shoe it says to skip joining stitch of previous round and join with slip stitch. If I follow this, the joining line does not remain centered at the back. Even if the stitch count is correct. I’m gonna attempt to draw out the pattern because I simply can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong.