"Big Boy" Car Seat

I did a little rearranging in the car this past Sunday. Remington was outgrowing his infant seat, (I remember moving Southern to his current car seat around 6 months old!) and we were given a hand-me-down "big boy" car seat from some friends. It had just been sitting in storage waiting, so I decided to get it out.

Now, as some of you present-day moms know, car seats are not easy. Yes, there are ways for you to just slap it on the seat, wiggle a seat belt through it, and go on your merry way. But I want these kids safe! So maybe I secure the seats down more than necessary? But hey, they carry precious cargo.

So... I was waiting for a day when I would have enough time to get the car seat ready. And Sunday turned out to be perfect! My dad was coming to visit but was running late. It was right after lunchtime, and Remington was getting tired. I put him down for a nap, left Dustin to supervise, and headed outside with a shop vac and Southern.

First I took out both Southern's seat and Remington's infant seat. Then I vacuumed the seats and floors. (Wow, talk about some Cheerios!) Then I positioned Southern's seat in the spot behind the driver's side (where Remington's was) and latched all the different straps from the "Latch System" as well as ran a seat belt through it. I also took the time to raise Southern's head support/safety gear. (His car seat can last through rear-facing, forward-facing, and booster AKA up to 80 lbs.) Once it was snug and secure, I went to Remington's new seat.

It was free, so no complaints! But it didn't have as many features as Southern's. So we brought our padded head support system out of storage (you may remember it in his infant seat when he was just days/weeks old). I got that installed in the seat. Then I connected all the "Latch System" latches and buckles to the car. I also attached the rear latch strap to a bar that runs along the bottom of the seat so that it could not flip backward in case of an accident. The instructions didn't say to do this, but why not?

So now they are all ready to go!

Remington has enjoyed being able to reach Southern easier. Southern has enjoyed being able to climb up into his seat himself (when it was in the middle, it was too hard to get to). Southern's not able to see out of the front of the car anymore, but he has a great side-view that he hasn't had before. I'm not able to see him as easily (my Mommy mirror can pivot so I can see his face, but the back of Remington's seat blocks my view of Southern's hands unless I lean up a bit - which this little troublemaker has been making me do lately!), and I'm no longer able to reach back to hand him things easily. I'm looking forward to the time when both boys can face the front!