As many of you know, I have been a supporter of the Kyle David Miller Foundation since it was first founded. This family has taken a tragedy, and found an opportunity to help hundreds of families. They have over 300 children on their waiting list right now, and are in desperate need of funds. They recently uploaded a new video with photographs of some of the kids they have been able to help, by providing carseats to these families who otherwise could not afford them.

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I want a new carseat. Yes I know we’re getting one sometime in the next month, if there are no more delays. But I don’t like ours. I don’t feel safe using it. Scott is not feeling nearly as uneasy. But I am. I just keep hearing more and more negative things about Dorel. I wanted a backup seat anyway, so this could be it, when we get the new one. Freedom to install it in other cars without the pain of having to reinstall before we can go anywhere in our car again. I know. I worry too much. I acknowledge it. But that isn’t changing the way I feel right now. Dorel is the same company who kept a carseat on the market after a little girl received a life long injury due to an indention in the side of her seat. The continued to manufacture this seat for five years after the fact, even though this little girl will never walk, talk, or even be able to eat by herself! The trauma nurse finally determined that the injury on the x-rays matched the indention under the seat cover of the little girl’s Touriva. Evenflo neglected to recall an infant seat, even after a crash test showed the seat shattering on impact and flying from the seat. A little boy died in an accident when his seat did just that. Evenflo still admits no guilt, yet the family is being awarded $10.4 million dollars. Yeah.

Britax made a cheaper version of their Marathon for Fisher Price. It was discontinued, because it didn’t have enough sales. Not many people recognized that it was made by the highly coveted Britax, and I don’t think it was sold at many of the mainstreet stores like Walmart, Target and Babies R’Us. I know where I can go get one right now for $99. I’m seriously considering it. I might even just do it and tell Scott I can’t return the clearance item. I guess I’m in trouble if he decides to read this. I love you honey. Please bear with me. I will sell that software I’ve been meaning to sell for two months. That would pay for it! Did I mention I love you?

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A huge recall involving over one million carseats was just released by the leading carseat manufacturer in the United States. We are blessed to have one of these seats. Lucky us. As soon as I get the recall repair kit, I will be installing it according to directions, and selling this bad boy. I don’t feel that comfortable using it anymore. Please hurry up Recaro. I’m begging you here.

Is your seat involved in the recall? Click here to find out.

Our seat looks exactly like this one pictured:

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Last night was awful. At nearly the exact same time as Monday night (and within 20 minutes of me falling asleep again), Caleb had what I can only assume was another night terror. He was a little more responsive last night though. The first time. That’s right. It happened twice last night. Scott came in there the first time, and we talked to him and passed him back and forth to no avail. Scott went and got a little penny racer car that we bought at the hobby shop last weekend. He reached out and took it after a minute. I asked him if he wanted to lay back down and he shook his head yes. So I laid next to him as he clutched his car and drifted back off into a restless sleep. I crawled back in bed at 1:00am, noting that this episode hadn’t lasted as long as Monday’s, only 20 minutes. But at 3:00am, he cranked back up. I retrieved him and brought him to bed with me. I rubbed his back, talked to him, did everything I could think of. Nada. Finally he scooted very close and begin to settle down. 30 minutes this time. Ah. I’m tired.

I have been stressing about the carseat. I just had my heart set on it, and now it is looking like it may not work out. One of the key features, the rear facing tether, may not be an option after all. Nevermind the fact that the Recaro customer service person has told everyone that it would since March. I’m bummed. It may not be as big as previously thought either. There is concern about the head wings, which are part of the side impact protection, being to constricting. At this point we’ll just have to wait and see. There has been a lot of confusion about the expiration date as well. Just a lot more uncertainties than I expected here in the bottom of the ninth. Especially from a company such as Recaro. I’m glad I didn’t preorder. We’ll just be waiting to see how the rear facing tether thing pans out, as well as seeing the seat in person, and how he fits. Supposedly it should be in a Raleigh store in mid September. There is always the Britax Regent. I will still be getting one at some point anyway (or whatever similar model is available at a later time), it is just a matter of whether we get this carseat in between.

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You know sometimes you say and do things as a parent, and never really think about how odd it would sound to non parents. Tonight I said “It’s okay, momma got the corvette out of the drain.” Yes, I had to use two pairs of tweezers like little tiny pry bars, to dislodge a Hot Wheels corvette from the drain in the bathtub. Caleb managed to drop it just perfectly, so that it was wedged at an angle such that it could not be removed. And I’ve always been told I have piano fingers. Did I mention that we sent a letter “I” down the drain a few months back? There’s another one of those sentences, “Oh no, I went down the drain!” We have those foam like bathtub letters that stick to surfaces when wet. I drained the tub for final rinse down, and I noticed it in the drain. It was barely sticking above the tub and the bottom was resting on the curve of the pipe (there is nothing covering out drain…obviously you’ve figured that out by now). I looked a few seconds later and it was gone. Hmm…oops. Oh well, it’s a rental.

On unrelated subjects, I’ll hop back up on my soap box, thanks. I parked beside a car at the orthodontist this morning. The two carseats in the back were wretched. One looked like it had been tied to the bumper and drug to the next state and back. I felt like I needed a tetanus shot just from looking at it. They had removed the harness and it was being used as a belt positioning booster. Probably with a 3 year old. If you need info on that sentence, please use the navigation bar at the top, click on carseat safety, and get to know Kyle and Belle. Anyway, the other carseat had a 3 point harness with the paper clip hook on the straps. It was pretty dirty, but there weren’t any obvious holes in the cover. I didn’t even pay attention to the installation, I was so otherwise disgusted. So I shook my head and went inside, and surveyed the waiting room, trying to pinpoint the offender. No luck. But the car was still parked beside me when I returned to my car. So I did it. I left my first note on a car. I tried to nicely explain that carseats expire, and listed a few seats that could be acquired inexpensively at Walmart. I vowed to come home and begin working on a brochure. I didn’t, but I still have the intention of doing so.

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better

Jul 16

Posted by: Scott in: blog, carseats, ramblings, rants

Feeling a little better today. Tired, but better. So far, Caleb is having an easy day though, so that always helps. I wish that I could fast forward a month or so and buy our new carseat. This recent article about Dorel Juvenille Group came as a surprise to me. So I guess not only do you have to reseach the carseats themselves, but also the companies who make them. We have an Eddie Bauer seat. Why did we get it? The same reason many people get it. Nice pattern, fluffy looking with padding everywhere (in hindsight it doesn’t seem nearly as plush as it did), a cupholder (don’t know where that is) and armrests (because really, what carseat is complete without armrests?). Oh and don’t forget Dorel’s famous product packaging…”The only carseat you’ll ever need!” Yeah. Right. We purchased this seat when Caleb was 7 months old, and I haven’t had any major complaints, but I haven’t had any experience with other seats either. I cringe at my past history in carseats, I’ve come a long way. I started off with two infant seats from complete strangers, didn’t know the history of the seats at all. Didn’t have them even close to tightly installed. My installation tightness has gone from the seat moving 3 to 4+ inches to refusing the accept an install that the car did not move with the seat. Members on my March 05 BabyCenter board began talking about who would leave their kiddos rearfacing after a year. This was just entirely new to me. One look at crash test videos answered that. The force on the child is so incredibly different between rearfacing and forward facing. Then I began obsessing over a high weight harness seat, when the Miller’s released their video on YouTube last November. I am a basket case in the car now. Scott. Don’t get me started. I’ve worked myself into tears with him driving at times. Suddenly no one knows how to drive, how to install his carseat, buckle him in. Except me. I should probably be in therapy for this! I chuckle typing it, but it is probably true. So we will be shelling out $289 (plus tax) for the Recaro. I will be able to tether his seat, forward facing and rearfacing, something only allowed by Britax and Sunshine Kids Radian at this point. Caleb is still rearfacing. I will be purchasing a child carseat from a company that has specialized in adult carseats for years. This may help me sleep a little better at night. They are a worldwide company. And they know car crashes. The know racecar crashes at that. I can’t get that Eddie Bauer/Dorel seat out of the car fast enough. I belong to a carseat safety board also, and one lady on there added a direct quote from a Dorel rep. When asked about the child that nearly died and lives in an infintile state at 6 years old as a result of a skull fracture from hitting an indention in the carseat (think pointless indention, probably for the molding process during production), he said, “It was just one child.” But a trama nurse called the company to report the problem in 2000. The model wasn’t taken off the shelves until 2000 and FIVE. Someone found a different seat that has these indentions on the shelf a few days ago. Evenflo had a crash test video of plastic shattering upon impact leaving the seat free flying to be thrown out of the car. Two years later, this happened to a family using the same seat that was still being manufactured. They lost their little boy forever. How is this even legal?? Another woman said her child was riding in a Costco seat recently and she had to slam on brakes for something…he was thrown into the seat because the harness adjuster didn’t work! 4 months old! Thankfully he wasn’t hurt I don’t think, shaken up I’m sure. I love having internet because I probably would have turned him forward facing at a year, and put him in a booster at 40lbs, not knowing there were better alternatives. I knew about Britax when we bought our seat, but I thought, man why are they so expensive? We can’t afford that! Plus this seat looks just as nice! I scoffed. Now? If I can’t eat that week, we WILL be getting that carseat the day it comes out. I don’t care if I have to send Scott in the van on Steve’s (boss) gas bill.

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recaro signo

May 16

Posted by: Scott in: blog, carseats, i want that

Recaro has officially updated their website with what I believe will be our future carseat. I’m not all that impressed with the color choices, but their slogan is after all “Don’t get cute. Get Recaro.” Safety is important, not cuteness. And who better to know safety than a company that manufacters safety seats for cars, specifically for racing seats. I wish I could go see it/buy it today.

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

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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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