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scatterbunny
03-17-2007, 10:36 PM
And I'm a CPST!

:D :D :D :D

It went awesome! The instructors were great! Ruth Harshfield, from ACTS Oregon, and Tamara Rose, from Network for Mentoring, a grassroots nonprofit based in Marion County, Oregon. They actually stressed the importance of rear-facing, touching on the fact that some European countries RF kids to 3+, and they have lower death rates! They said that we should always tell parents that the AAP has recommended kids RF to the limits of the convertible for optimum safety.

I got a perfect score on the test. And massive bruises on my right thigh from a RF Scenera with LATCH in a PT Cruiser with slick leather seats (one of my test installs). :p

It was a small class--10 signed up, one cancelled before class started and one was late almost every day and then didn't show up on test day. So there were 8 of us at the end. I'm not sure if one firefighter passed or not, but at least the two cops, two hospital employees, one preschool teacher/health clinic worker, one Burlington Coat Factory/Baby Depot employee, one lactation consultant and myself all passed. The LC, Baby Depot guy and myself all got perfect scores. They were carseat geeks just like me. It just felt SO great, so much different from last year!

The LC had a 2.5yo in a Marathon and an 8yo in a Husky, so we bonded instantly, LOL! I'm planning on getting together with her soon because her son is on a dairy-free/gluten-free diet and has ADHD and SID (along with a few other issues) and she wants to take me to her favorite health food store and used book store. So I had a great time in class, got a perfect score AND made a new friend. Awesome!

The seat check was great, too. Not many seats to check, but I did the first one, a brand-new ComfortSport in a grandma's 1999 Dodge Caravan with leather seats. No child, because grandma said, " I just KNEW I didn't have the seat in right, so I couldn't bring her with me!" :) We did all the paperwork and recall check, then I uninstalled it, installed it while talking to grandma and explaining what I was doing, then uninstalled it and talked grandma through it. She got it perfect her first try, and was so happy!

The last car to come in was a Yukon, not sure what year because I didn't do the check, just stood there and watched, but the mom had a 3yo in a Marathon and an 8yo in a Husky. It turns out she is the current Mrs. Oregon and asked the Network for Mentoring instructor about becoming some sort of spokeswoman for CPS!

All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better experience, bruises and all. :D

Jeanum
03-17-2007, 10:41 PM
Yayyy, congrats! Your class sounds like my idea of a perfect class, I'm so happy for you. How awesome that extended RF was emphasized by the instructor. Welcome back! :D

rlsadc
03-17-2007, 10:44 PM
omg yay! i am so glad it was a great experience for you...congrats!:D

skaterbabscpst
03-17-2007, 10:45 PM
Welcome back!!!! Told ya you'd have fun!

LuvBug03
03-17-2007, 10:52 PM
thats wonderful!!! Im SO HAPPY you are official now :p lol!

arly1983
03-17-2007, 10:52 PM
Yay Scatterbunny!!!HIP HIP HURRAY!!

papooses
03-17-2007, 11:16 PM
Wow, wow & WOW! What a cool mix -- congrats of course, but we knew you'd pass ... I'm so just, erm, wowed by how cool it all sounds :D

Yoshi
03-17-2007, 11:19 PM
YEAH!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!:D :D :D
Welcome Back!!

scatterbunny
03-17-2007, 11:22 PM
Thanks so much, everyone! I am just beaming right now. :D Really, I have been all week. It was awesome. I can't even think of another word to describe it. Just awesome. :p

JaRylan
03-17-2007, 11:32 PM
CONGRATULATIONS JENNY!!!

Wow, sounds like it couldn't have been more wonderful than it was! High five on the perfect score. So many cool things - the other carseat freaks, the Grandma who didn't bring her grandchild and someone wanting to be a CPS spokesperson.

broken4u05
03-17-2007, 11:44 PM
WOW good for you. I am glad you had fun and you made a friend.

Gypsy
03-18-2007, 12:24 AM
Congratulations JENNY!!!!!

AdventureMom
03-18-2007, 12:24 AM
:D Hey, that's AWESOME!!! :D

Welcome back! We all knew you'd do well... And I'm so glad you enjoyed it! :p

murphydog77
03-18-2007, 12:37 AM
Congratulations, Jenny!

super_grape
03-18-2007, 12:43 AM
I'm glad you had such an amazing time and Congrats, Jenny:) !!!!!

lovinwaves
03-18-2007, 12:53 AM
I am so INCREDIBLY HAPPY FOR YOU!!!! I knew you could do it!!!
How awesome too that you had such a great experience! :D

Judi
03-18-2007, 02:46 AM
I like your new signature........Ms CPS TECH!!!!! :) :) :) :) :)

Judi
03-18-2007, 02:51 AM
LC came by my work tonight. Told me about Mrs. Oregon, so cool!!!

Patriot201
03-18-2007, 08:47 AM
C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S ! ! !
:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Amaris
03-18-2007, 08:50 AM
Congratulations!!!!!

Susan in MI
03-18-2007, 09:25 AM
Yea! Congratulations! Sounds like it went better than you could have imagined.

LovinMyBabies
03-18-2007, 09:33 AM
Yay!!!! I knew you could do it!! I am so happy for you!

SusanMae
03-18-2007, 09:45 AM
YEAH!!!!

Would you like to come to MD this fall to check my KeyFit?

Susan

_Jessica_
03-18-2007, 10:01 AM
CONGRATULATIONS JENNY!!!!
We all knew you would do great!! Glad to hear the course went so well for you!!!

Momto1bigkiddo
03-18-2007, 01:17 PM
Congratulations! :)

joolsplus3
03-18-2007, 01:21 PM
Awesome, Jenny! I'm so proud of you :)

Starlight
03-18-2007, 01:26 PM
Yay! Congrats Jenny!

(And... it doesn't surprise me at all that you got a perfect score! LOL)

tchrgrrl
03-18-2007, 01:35 PM
Congratulations!!!!

scatterbunny
03-18-2007, 02:13 PM
:o Thanks so much, everyone! It really did go better than I ever could have hoped. I was nervous the first day, but immediately felt comfortable with the instructors so I calmed down. They didn't make me feel stupid for my questions and comments, and that went a long way in settling down my nerves. Having another mom there who was like me helped, too.

And thank you ALL who have taught me so much over the last 3+ years. Without you I do not believe I would have had a perfect score.

papooses
03-18-2007, 02:26 PM
No doubt! This place is awesome :) But, fess up, chica, you know you only scored a 100% instead of my 99% because I told you to remember that Reverse Belt Path is not an answer option for buckles forward of the seatbight :cool: Kidding of course. I'm the one who got that one wrong :D :p

(Note: Reverse Belt Path is often the best/easiest real life solution short of buying a new vehicle, but the official answer is to install a top tether, which is also the least expensive)

scatterbunny
03-18-2007, 02:40 PM
LOL! Yeah, that one bugged me. Using a top tether will not fix forward-of-the-bight belts. The seat will STILL be just as loose at the belt path; the tether will increase stability at the top of the seat and reduce head excursion, but it will do nothing to increase stability at the belt path. :rolleyes: But we reviewed some questions before we took the test and that was one of them, so I was prepared. :)

j4m4d8
03-18-2007, 03:42 PM
Congratulations, Jenny!

I'm so happy you succeeded so well with this class. I hope you have lots of fun getting to use all your knowledge in REAL LIFE!

Julie D.

remken
03-18-2007, 04:51 PM
Congratulations

hsjwmom
03-18-2007, 09:18 PM
Congrats!

Momto2whosews
03-19-2007, 10:59 AM
Congratulations!!!! I was thinking about you all week. I'm glad you had such a good time. I hope my class is similar. I fear I'll be the only carseat geek in there, and they already told me that more than 25 people applied and they only have 25 seats. Yikes! I'm also so happy to hear that they stressed the importance of RF past 1 year/20 lbs. That is wonderful!

Congrats again!

mamato2
03-19-2007, 11:56 AM
Congratulations!!! How wonderful to not only do so well in the class but to enjoy it too :) . Sounds like a great class.
C.

Michi
03-19-2007, 12:24 PM
HOORAY! We knew you could do it!!!!
BIG CONGRATULATIONS !!!!

scatterbunny
03-19-2007, 02:23 PM
Thanks, everyone! :D

groovymom2000
03-19-2007, 08:11 PM
Coming in late here---Congratulations Jenny! Sounds like a really terrific experience. Someday......:) So glad that you made a new friend, too!