Driving in My Car
Since the 22 hour drive from Connecticut to Florida, Bean has become a wreck in the car. He hates being in his car seat. And I really can’t blame him. He faces backwards and can’t see anyone. He doesn’t get good A/C, so he’s always sweaty and hot. And I think he is always worried that he’s going to get stuck in that car seat for another 11 hours at a time. Even quick trips to the grocery store are traumatic.
So, this past week we were in BJ’s picking up a few necessary survival tools and we wandered by the car seats in the baby aisle. And we had an idea. Maybe Bean would like the car more if he faced forward. He could see us and see out and he’d get more air. Maybe that was the solution to our problem. So, we threw him into the display chairs and he picked out a cute Eddie Bauer car seat.
The only problem was that we didn’t know how much Bean weighed. We don’t have a scale in our house and he hadn’t been to the doctor in a couple months. But we came up with a great solution! We would buy the seat (because worst case scenario, we’d hold it for a couple months until he was big enough) and then go over to Target and weigh Bean on one of the scales they were selling.
How perfect!
So, we head to Target and find the scales in the home goods department. We sit Bean on the scale and SHOOT! He’s 2 pounds too small for the car seat. Not wanting to admit that we made a spontaneous, bad purchase, I convinced Chris that he should go ahead and put in our new car seat (which also had a rear-facing option) so that Bean could get used to his new chair. He argued for a minute, but I begged and pleaded and was so excited about trying out my new purchase.
Finally, Chris gave in and here we are at 7:00 at night, in the dark, in the Target parking lot trying to install a new car seat. I was playing with Bean in the front seat, letting him “drive” the car, and the whole time I could hear Chris cussing quietly under his breath. And then it became a little bit louder and not so under-his-breath.
Apparently, this seat didn’t come with good instructions. Or any instructions at all. And it also wasn’t as easy as our first car seat. And on top of all of that, it was much bigger than our original chair. So, Chris is throwing things around the parking lot and cussing at the instruction manual, all while families are walking into and out of Target. Every one is staring and I’m trying to keep Bean busy by letting him crawl all over me and the car. And right as all hell is REALLY about to break loose, Bean finds the car horn.
So, now we have chaos, families walking by, Chris cussing in the backseat, and our car horn honking.
About half an hour later, Chris slams the backdoor shut and announces, “It’s in, dammit.” I happily place Bean into his new chair, all sing-song-like and begin strapping him in.
And that’s when Bean starts to scream. Shriek. Freak out.
Not only does he now not like the car, but he hates his new car seat. You know. The one we bought him to STOP HIM FROM CRYING IN THE CAR IN THE FIRST PLACE.
Still determined to make this a positive experience, I give him a juice cup (which always shuts him up) and I hop in the passenger seat, smiling and praising Chris for putting in our new seat and see? Doesn’t it make everything better?
As I am babbling like an idiot, Chris gets into the driver’s seat. Only, because the car seat is so big, the driver’s seat is pushed so far up into the steering wheel that Chris has to sit straight up with his head poking into the windshield.
At this point, I stop babbling. Instead, I just sit really quietly. Really still. And I let Chris drive us home, silently seething at his wife who always wants instant gratification.
For our drive from Orlando to the panhandle of Florida (about 6 hours), we decided to put in Bean’s old car seat so that Chris could take his face out of the windshield. Good move.
And, it turns out that the only thing Bean really needs in the backseat with him for a long drive is Big Molly. And she’s way easier to install than a new car seat.
36 Comments
Mindee@ourfrontdoor
And Molly looks happy to be there too. So does the new seat get returned?
Katie
Nah. We’re going to keep it until Bean gains 2 pounds and is big enough to face forward. So, I was still right. Which is what’s important in life.
Cindy In Owensboro, KY
http://babyproducts.about.com/od/carseats/qt/rear_facing.htm
My little girl also did not like her car seat but when I took her to her one year checkup my pediatrician reported that the new recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics is that children face backwards until their 2 years old. He said that it is a lot easier to fix a broken leg instead of a broken spine. Maybe Bean was upset about the new car seat because he could since that daddy was upset.
Megan (Best of Fates)
Most difficult problems in life can be solved with the introduction of a sweet dog. Or chocolate.
Emma
This made me laugh, and I always need good laughs on Monday mornings.
Jordan
I liked seeing the dogs and bean all in the car. My husband and I have talked about how we’re going to need to get a new car if we have a kid since our dogs take up the back seat!
Is that a station wagon you’re driving?
Carrie
LOL I my stomach hurts from laughing… way to start off a Monday Katie…
me
Oh boy….I hope you are ready for the comments from the car seat nazis
Christina
That was good. Thanks for the laugh.
Marla
Awww… Looks like Molly is a lifesaver. 🙂
Marla @ http://www.asthefarmturns.wordpress.com
Diane
Just for future reference (when Bean gains 2 more pounds), here in Georgia, most of the DMV offices & some of the firestations will install a car seat for you (for free). That really saves on the husband frustration level. Maybe they do that in Florida, too…it’s worth looking into.
Adrienne
In my previous life, I was a car seat technician, which means that I learned how to install every type of car seat with every type of seat belt/car model/etc. It’s not always the easiest thing – I sympathize with Chris.
Because of my previous life, I just had to pass along the recommendations for car seats (http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html) as well as where you can find a place to have a check up of the car seat install once Bean is big and old enough to go forward facing (http://www.safekids.org/in-your-area/car-seat-check-up-events/ (just search for events in Florida).
Good luck with the car seat – and keep Big Molly in business! She looks like she’s doing a great job. Thanks for making me smile today.
Alyssa
Diane- they also do this in NY state. It’s a great idea- not only to save the aggravation but also to have it safely installed. (not that a competent parent can’t install one correctly)I’m betting they do this in most states 🙂
This was a hilarious read! It’s just so true to life! Katie- I just love your blog! Reading it makes me feel normal 🙂 Not because you’re ‘not normal’ but b/c you and your husband are a lot like me and my husband and we are all normal- in my not so humble opinion 🙂
The blog on installing items being difficult, the blog on packing and the struggle it can be sometimes, the wondering what it would be like to give up your life as just to 2 of you and having a child…I could go on and on! 🙂 I look forward to reading your blog every day!
Jen D
They do have this program all over the country…you can take it to any fire or police station and they will make sure your seat is installed correctly!
courtney
I turned my son around as soon as he weighed enough. Unfortunately, at his 1 year check up he only weighed 17 lbs. He was about 18 months before he could face forward, but it was wonderful when he did. Yes the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting until age two, but the American Academy for the sanity of all moms recommends turning them around as soon as they reach twenty lbs. Just kidding – sort of!
Courtney at Never Cook On A Saturday NIght
So a car trip can be down with a baby and two dogs! Good to know! I’m due in June and we have a mini road trip planned in September that will include our two English Bulldogs. I’ve been wondering how it is going to work but you have inspired me!
Angela
Doggies always save the day!
Miss M!
I don’t want to be a “sanctimommy” and I don’t want to tell you how to parent, but please please please watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8gU9zzCGA8 and do some more research before you turn Bean around in that seat.
Emily
Truly hysterical post!
Stefanie
I work for a Children’s Hospital and there is a wonderful mom that blogs about safety, health, being a mom, and everything in between. She recently posted an article about “2 is the new 1” and having children face forward in the car after age 2. Here is the article:
http://campaign.seattlechildrens.org/seattle-mama-doc/2-is-the-new-1-rear-facing-car-seats-until-at-least-age-2/
You may also want to check out her blog – you’d likely enjoy it.
Holly at Perrydise
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvyIv9QVRBE&feature=player_embedded
Another video about rear facing vs. forward facing. I was going to turn our baby around at 1 year old but now I will wait. Please watch. 🙂
Meghan
They are pricey, but I’d highly recommend a Britax seat. Super easy to install, very comfy, and ours is being used for Baby #2 and still looks new. And they sell used on eBay for decent prices, so when we’re done we can probably get some of our money back.
Definitely stay rear facing as long as you can….the issue is neck strength of a small child if they’re in an accident. We’d all be better off facing backwards, actually…except the driver, that is!
Meredith
I love your blog. My daughter is about a week younger then your son. It is nice to hear from someone going through the same things I am. I am glad I am not the only one out there waiting to turn m ll hates being in it. I have read all about waiting until they turn 2 but feel you have to do what is right for you and your child. Keep up the good work.
Megan
Lord it’s great hearing crazy stories from other first time parents! It gives me peace…peace in knowing we aren’t the only ones that fly by the seat of our pants sometimes when we know…we KNOW better!
🙂
Megan
http://reddirtandcrazy.blogspot.com/
Caitlin Brown
He look so darn cute sittin on the shelf like that!
http://www.simplegirlconfessions.blogspot.com
Mom of 3
Florida law says that he must weigh 20 lbs AND be 1 year of age before you can turn him around. So even if he had weighed enough you still couldn’t legally turn him around. But I think the new seat will be much more comfy and roomy for him even rear facing if you get it installed correctly.
Ella
Funny story – pity you didnt take a video of Chris trying to put the car seat in. Car seats are cheap in America! I was looking at the price ticket underneath the photo of Beanie. The same sort of seat is about double the amount here in Australia (not too sure about the exchange rate though so i could be wrong).
Charmaine
It seems quite risky to install an infant seat yourself in the dark. I recommend you pay the small fee to have it professionally installed. It also looks like you’ve purchased a booster seat for a toddler.
Katie
Our other car seat was super easy to install, so we assumed this one would have been the same way. Live and learn!
Nate's Mom
Our pediatrician suggests that Nate be 20 pounds (check!) AND one year of age before turning the seat around. Interesting that a lot of your readers are citing “2 is the new 1” – hadn’t heard that. I think once Nate reaches both milestones, we’ll likely turn him around, unless it doesn’t matter much to him. He hates the car seat anyway, so he might hate it equally as much facing forward, though many a mom has told me what a wonderful thing it is when their child sits facing forward in the car….
Rebekah M.
you’re so brave. i don’t think i could blog about something so controversial…but my feelings get hurt so easily!!
Laura
Like the other readers, I have read it is safest to wait until a year to turn the car seat around. I hadn’t hear the “2 is the new 1” thing but it makes sense. I plan on keeping my son rear-facing until the weight limit doesn’t allow him to be that way anymore.
I don’t care what kind of car seat you have, they are always a pain in the butt to install. And I live in a rural area so we don’t really have any programs. I trust my husband to install it more than I trust someone from our local DMV. (We live in such a small town, they’d probably look at me like I was crazy for even asking.)
deepa
We have a great officer (Office Scott!) who installs them in my town. He was very nice and talked us through the installations.
Rohan just grew out of the infant seat (9 months, 20 pounds), so we installed the Britax yesterday (we also got a new car on Sunday, so we figured it was a good time to make the switch). We will probably just keep him rear-facing until he is too big for it. He likes the car a lot, loves loves loves looking out the window. We have the mirror on the back headrest, so we can see what he is up to and he can see us, which I think helps a lot.
I love how we have all these rules, and we talk to my mom about it, and she is like, yeah i had you front facing in the front seat, so I could keep you happy while I drove through South Boston every morning. I think my mother-in-law had my husband and brother-in-law in cardboard booster seats in the back at some point…
Kristin
Poor Lucy..locked up.
Tanya
Car seat nazis… *snort*
Mikelle
My husband refuses to install car seats for the same reason as Chris. I always do it. About a year our Wal-Mart had a car seat inspection set up in the parking lot and they taught me how to get the car seat in as tightly as possible…that has really helped.
I always move my kids to forward facing once they hit the 20 lb. mark…but that was at 18 months and 15 months.