Car Seats, Ugh!

Ok so we all know that unless you are Brittany Spears there are specific rules to follow in regards to car seat safety. I've been doing a lot of research in regards to car seats because I knew Daniel was outgrowing his infant seat. I am even in an online group on MySpace devoted to car seats and everything you ever wanted to know about them, http://groups.myspace.com/everythingcarseat . The moderator is a certified child passenger restraint technician. I've learned a lot there. For example did you know that car seats have expiration dates? They do and it can be found on the backside of the seat. The plastic can warp over time causing the seat to be less effective. For those of you that haven't had small children for awhile you would be amazed at how many different car seat choices there are now and even more amazed at how much they can cost. One seat I would really love to have is the Sunshine Kid's Radian 65. It is the only seat with a steel frame (most are plastic) and has a narrow base for more room in small cars. That would be really handy since Elijah has his big booster seat and there isn't a whole lot of room for a third passenger in the back seat with both the kids. The Radian has excellent safety reviews and the child can be in a 5 point harness until he is a whopping 65 pounds! There is even a Radian 80 which will keep a child harnessed until he is 80 pounds. Here is a link about the importance of extended use of a 5 point harness, http://www.kyledavidmiller.org/pages/4211/Car_Seat_Safety:_5-point_Harness_is_Safest.htm . It would be cool to have two of these seats so both Elijah and Daniel could be safer.

The Radian 65 costs $199.99 and isn't easily found in stores so usually would have to be purchased online. That seat is not the most expensive seat. The Britax models are widely popular and the most popular model is the Britax Marathon which sells for about $270 and there are other models that cost over $300. I love the Britax Marathon seat that comes in a cow print, so cute! The majority of the convertible car seats cost around $150, even at places like Wal-Mart. Convertible means that they convert from rear facing to forward facing.

So I've learned a lot and have decided that I want Daniel to be rear facing as long as possible meaning as long as he fits into the rear-facing limits for height and weight that his seat allows. I was quick to turn Elijah around to forward facing as soon as he turned 1 and was over 20 pounds which is the minimum that the law requires to have your baby forward facing. I have since learned that isn't the safest thing to do. Check out this video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psmUWg7QrC8.

So it was important to me to find a seat that rear-faces at as high a weight as possible. Yesterday I found a seat at target that allows Daniel to be rear-facing until he is 35 pounds. It is the Cosco Scenera seat and the price was marked at $49.99 but I actually got it for $39.99 which is an amazing price considering I was really thinking about that 200 dollar seat. I still am but I will have to save up for that. I did my research on the Scenera before I bought it and it has the best reviews for a seat under $100 and people that use both the Britax Marathon and the Scenera say the Scenera is just as good.

So here is the funny part. After I bought the car seat I went out to the car and I had Daniel with me. I decided I wanted to install the seat right away so Daniel can go home in his new seat that fits him better and thus will be more safe. So I have to unlatch his old seat. Get the new one out of the box. Figure out the straps and how to re-thread them into the shoulder harness slots that will fit Daniel. I have to stop everything to comfort the crying baby that is upset with me for taking him in and out of different car seats while I adjust the fit. I get the seat into place then I have to struggle with the latches to get them hooked but the person that belongs to the car parked right next to me comes out and wants to leave so I get into the backseat of my car while I am struggling with this seat and close the door behind me so the car next to me can pull out. I have Daniel sitting in his old seat in the front seat while I am doing this. So I play with it some more then I decide to open the door to get some more space while I do this, and guess what? I forgot about the child locks on the doors in the back. I can't get out! So now I am getting claustrophobic in the back seat of my corolla, and I can't fit into the front seat because I had previously pushed that seat all the way forward. So I have to pull the baby and his old seat into the back seat and then somehow work my big body into the front passenger seat so I can get out that door. So I finally made it and breathed a big sigh of relief in the Target parking lot. Some man was in a truck parked a little ways down and I know he was wondering what was up with this crazy woman. So I finally get the car seat properly installed and then I have to feed and comfort Daniel for about 15 minutes while I listened to Christmas songs on the radio. I finally got him into his new seat and made my way home. I think Daniel was comfortable in his new seat as he slept the whole way home.

In case you were wondering, I don't recommend installing a brand new car seat in the store parking lot.