Ladies and Gentleman, let’s have a round of applause for our contestants!! Most current seats 5 point harness until 40lbs only, and then your left with a few choices other than a belt positioning booster. Please see Kyle’s video and Belle’s gift for more info on that subject. The following contestants will 5 point harness higher than the 40lb maximum of most current seats on the market.

Uuuuup first, we have the beautiful Britax Regent! The fabric options, all two of them, well…they suck, especially with the pattern lineup for the rest of the Britax seats. But none the less, this is the Lazy Boy of the carseat world. It’s claim to fame? A 5 point harness system to the whopping weight of 80lbs (assuming of course the torso height is 20 inches or less). After just sitting my huge behind on the floor and measuring my own torso height (24 inches), and am encouraged by this seat. I just wish it had some fluff. You know some nice pillows, and such. I feel like my little Boogaman would be lost in this thing. It is a forward facing only seat, so it is not for immediate purchase or use, seeing as how he can rearface for another 7lbs in his current seat. But, as far as safety…this is about as good as it gets. Take a look at the Regent’s cousins, the Decathlon and the Boulevard. Now that’s the fluff right there, that’s the fluff-stuff I’m talkin about…they look like pint sized Swedish Massage chairs from Brookstone!

Regent

And next on the list, the Sunshine Kids Radian80 or Radian65. The numbers suggest the weight limits of the seats. But here’s the thing, the top harness slot on each seat is the same, about 19 inches I believe. So they are basically saying, here’s our carseat… If you have a skinny kid that isn’t growing in height, get the 65, if you have a fat kid that isn’t growing in height, get the 80. Hmmm. And oddly enough, it appears the fluff only comes with the fat kid seat. That makes sense. It also boasts being a slimline seat, so you can fit 3 of them in a row across your carseat, not that that applies to us right now. I’m told that it is nearly impossible to get another person in between two Britax seats, much less another carseat. It also is a convertible carseat meaning that it can rearface and forward face, and top-tethers in both positions, a complaint I have with our current carseat. So this one would be available for immediate purchase, should I decide to go this route. I would feel more comfortable with him tethered in the rearfacing position, but his current seat does not allow for it. He could be rearfacing for at least another year or so. After reminiscing, I noted that he gained about 8lbs over this past year, and his growth rate will probably slow down weight wise over the next year. I was sold on it this morning until learning that the top harness slots were 18-19 inches instead of the Regents 20-21. By that time, it could make the difference in another 6 months to a year or more in the carseat. So that is something to think about. Oh and it folds up, because honestly, where would we be without folding carseats? Weird! Another spectacular choice in color options, here they are:

radian1

radian3

radian2

Okay I realize this is getting incredibly boring, but stick with me. Two down, two to go. I’m told through the grapevine that Recaro is coming out with a new convertible carseat. The stats are as follows: 5-35lbs rearfacing, 20-70lbs forward facing. The height of the top slots is still out with the jury. This seat is due to be released in May 2007. Here we have pictured a close cousin from the US of A (left), and one from across the pond in Europe (so much cooler by the way!) I’m told it may look similar to either one.

Recaro

Recaro Europa

And last but not least, we have the one that we aren’t telling dear old dad about…because, frankly, we will have to take out a loan if it is the chosen one. Seriously, all of the above carseats are approximately $250 give or take $20, but this bad boy…four hundred and fifty dollars (and comes in a box looking like a piece of Caterpillar Earth Moving Equipment no less). It looks pretty plain to me, especially with the price tag. Not saying you can put a price on safety, but that one is well above the maximum cost of any seat I’ve seen thus far. Seat stats are as follows: 22-65lbs, 57 inches or less (4’9″!!), but the top harness slots are no higher really, coming in at 19.5inches. It is in the running, but I would say, not the most likely purchase. No fluff. I really prefer fluff.

safeguard

I have been advised that seatbelts are positioned for a person no shorter than 4’9″. Why can’t all cars just come with an installable/removable 5 point harness for every seating position and take the guess work out of this for us?!

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snow day

Jan 18

Posted by: Scott in: blog, caleb isaiah, memories, parenting

I imagine at some point in a few years, you will be excited about snow, and the prospect of being out of school for the day. You’ll probably try to sled in it, even though we haven’t had enough snow for sled use in North Carolina in years. There will be snowmans to build and snow angels to make and snow balls to throw. Hot chocolate to drink and soup to eat, I imagine it just like that Campbell’s Soup commercial were the snowman melts into a little boy as he eats his soup.

But for now, you are less than impressed. I thought you would at least be interested to walk around and kick your feet. Not so much. First thing this morning, I dressed you in windbreaker pants that are flannel lined, a onesie, and a lot sleeve shirt on top. Then came two pairs of socks, shoes, a coat that is bigger than you, gloves, and a hat that covers your ears and velcros under your chin.

You seemed okay with all of this inside. You stepped out onto the deck and started to tottle off. Then you realized…something was different. Something indeed. You stopped in your tracks….looked at your tracks…and then at your shoes. You promptly toppled over from all of the clothing.. I helped you back up and began snapping pictures. You brushed your gloves together and wrinkled your nose. I waited anxiously at the bottom of the steps, snapping pictures. But there you stood, your feet planted firmly. So I went to help you navigate the steps with your extra bulk of clothing.

We reached the grass. You stopped. You wouldn’t move. Slowly things took a turn for the worse. You started waving your arms up and down like a bird, and then you started to whimper. Whimpering quickly turned to crying, and added tears shortly there after. You little feet were frozen to that very spot, afraid to move any further into the white unknown. It was green the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that….why in the world was it now white. And it was getting all over you. After shooting a few pictures of you fussing, I decided it was turning cruel.

I scooped you up in a heroic rescue attempt, as you continued to cry. Your eyes were full and watery as I sat you on the dryer. I thought surely the snow had just gone straight through your shoes and two layers of socks to your toes, and you must have had the beginning stages of frostbite. Okay, not really, but that was how you acted. You just kept looking at your feet as if you were in immense pain. But I found your little socks, both layers I might add, to be dry as a bone. I unbundled you, and sent you back inside, where you curled up on the couch with Charley and your paci, happy to be back in the warmth. Maybe next year…..

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guess what mom?

Jan 17

Posted by: Scott in: blog, family, rants

The clouds lifted yesterday. I realized I don’t have to listen to the things you say. I don’t have to talk to you every day only to be put down and criticized. Until you can speak to me without putting me down and shaking your head at the way I choose to parent, we will just be speaking less. You will no longer be included in the conversations about your grandson’s everyday happenings. I won’t be spending an hour on the phone with you every day. From now on I will be busy. I will let the voicemail pick up your calls, or I’ll be on the way out the door. You are making the choice, not me. I don’t have to be an emotional punching bag. I am not a failure because I am raising a child. I am not a teenage mother, I’m almost 25! I’m tired of being treated like a shame. I love my little boy with all of my heart, and I’m sorry you don’t enjoy being a grandmother as much as I enjoy being a mother.

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As you turn 21 months….



21 Months

1. The way you give “big baby hugs” and wrap your arms as far around my shoulders as they will go and pat my shoulders with your hands.

2. You give your grandpa “five” when he comes to see you, and then wave byebye and say “BYE.” You might not know it, but it is much needed and it melts his heart.

3. The way you walk on your tip toes just for kicks. You have always walked like you were supposed to, but sometimes you just run around the house on your tippy toes and it looks so funny!

4. I love it when you make Charley walk by holding on to his back and plopping him along whatever surface, including my head when I try to put you down for a nap. Last night Daddy was resting his eyelids with you in his lap. He opened them only to find that Charley had walked up his chest, and about faced to stick his butt right in Daddy’s face.

5. You have started using Charley as a step stool when you want something on the counter. You place him at your feet and step the 1/2 inch up on to him, and sometimes it gives your little fingers that half inch they need to be able to grab the treasure. It hasn’t occured to you to just move the chair, but I’m sure it won’t be long.

6. The way you are holding your plate up and licking it right now because you are all done with your breakfast.

7. The way you sometimes play peekaboo with your cup. It is so big in diameter that it covers your eyes. If I give you “the look” you will quickly move the cup where you can’t see me, then you move it slowly to one side until you see my eyes, and squeel with delight, kicking your feet, and quickly moving back out of sight. You could play peekaboo forever. You pull the covers over your head while sitting up in bed and you think that no one can see you. Sometimes I walk past the doorway and see a huge lump in the covers. If I ask where you are and start calling, you just cannot contain yourself, you start squeeling and giggling.

8. Before Christmas, we kept all of the presents hidden in our bedroom. We quietly snuck back and forth past your bedroom door as we moved the presents underneath the tree late Christmas Eve. One of the larger gifts was not wrapped. When you came in Christmas morning, you stopped dead in your tracks and pointed, your eyes dancing, and said “Ooooooo.”

9. I love how quietly content you are in the car just watching the world go by. Occasionally we will pass a larger dump truck or big rig, and you will turn to look out the back window as we pass. You point silently from your seat, and then you turn back to continue watching out the side window. Daddy obviously passed on his love of cars and understanding how things work. That we knew by less than a year old.

10. We found you a board book for Christmas that is filled with colorful pictures of various things with the name under each item. The first page happened to have transportation items on the right hand side. Everyone has tried to continue though the rest of the book which goes on to the subjects of bathtime, kitchen items, household items, foods, animals, etc. But you glance at these pages before turning right back to the first page. So I found you the same book, but instead of 100 first words, it is called 100 first machines! You love it. You love every page, all of the cars and construction vehicles and boats and planes. The amazement in your eyes…

11. I have taught you “gentle with faces.” Being a rough and tumble little boy, you get a little carried away at times, but now when I say gentle, you come up with both hands and softly rub the sides of my face with your palms. It makes my heart melt.

12. How you sleep with your mouth open just like me after your paci falls out.

13. The way you love Charley. He goes everywhere with you. In every grocery store cart, every doctor’s office, every restaurant, every nap…you bring him to the table with you and sit him near you to watch you eat…you bring him along on outdoor explorations, although sometimes you drop him to go examine some wonder of the world…in the car, you quietly play with his tail as you watch the world go by…he is your pal, your comfort, your love, your friend, confidant, and pillow. I love to watch how you know every centimeter of that little stuffed giraffe. He is so much more than just a toy.

14. I love when you come and take me by the finger, off to show me some new discovery, or to play, or just to tell me you are thirsty. This is your current form of communication. You pull until I stand up, and then your scurry off, pausing to check behind you every few steps, making sure I am following.

15. How you are so dependent on your paci….until someone brings out a morsel of food. You cannot get it out of your mouth fast enough to go and beg for a treat. You have a new favorite…oatmeal pies.

16. You wave byebye to your belly when I button or zip up your pajamas at bedtime. And you give Daddy a big baby hug and then proceed to wave to everyone and everything multiple times. Bob the Bulider and his bulldozer. Lightning McQueen, a teething ring, your beadmaze rollercoaster, a toy train, anything that may be in your path to the bed.

17. I love to dress you. I love to make you look cute. I live to pick out your clothes and anticipate the “aawe”s and the “isn’t he adorable”s. I even catch myself thinking, now are we going anywhere today? Who will you see? Grandparents? An extra helping of cuteness will be required today. No, just staying home? Well we can do some sweat pants and a not-as-cute shirt then.

18. Sometimes you army crawl backwards. You look sort of like a snake, but you have it down to a science. Drop on your belly, lift feet slightly, and push, push, push! And you slide backwards across the floor in an ‘S’ pattern until your feet hit something.

19. When a new person comes over, you run and grab my legs and hug them tightly and then turn around to look at them. You then look up to me as if to say, pick me up and let me know that they are okay. I trust you. I trust your judgement. I love that.

20. You think I belong to you. When Daddy and I hug, you run from whatever you are doing and worm in between our legs and try to push and pull us apart. Then you grab my legs. Sometimes I think you just want to be included in the hug, but others I honestly think you are jealous. Your Mommy is off limits to anyone but you.

21. And last but not least, I will always cherish what a loving little boy you are. You cannot get enough cuddles. You love to snuggle in bed. You love to sit in our laps on the couch. You live for the closeness and the touch. Not just when you’re sick or hurt, or sad. Every single day. You love to hug and be hugged. I kiss your soft little cheeks at least 100 times a day. I wonder sometimes if people think I’m a lunatic in public. I kiss you when I get you out of the car. When I put you back in. I kiss you in the shopping cart. When I pick you up out of a highchair. In the grocery store the other day, you threw your littles arms wide for a hug, I of course obligided. Then you did the same for Daddy. We must have alternated 4 or 5 times. I love you so much.

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