looking for car seat for tall 2 yr old

I've just started my search for a new car seat for my almost 2 year old, 27lbs & 35" She's currently in a Britax Roundabout, which I absolutly love. I noticed her shoulders are not far off from the very top slots.

We are planning on handing down the Roundabout to the new babey, due 4/07 once she outgrows the Graco Snugride (last daughter outgrew the Snugride from length at 6 mo)

I'd ideally like to only have to purchase one more 5 point seat, and then go to a lap/shoulder belt booster when she's older. Well, really ideally she'd move into a seat with 5 point harness that converts to a booster and this would be the last seat. I'm not holding my breath on that part though. I looked at the Marathon, Graco Car go and a couple others, but they all seem to only have one slot higher than the Roundabout has. I havn't seen the Regent in person yet, but am a little concerned about the size. I wonder if it will be huge around her?

I should have plenty of room in my van for both car seats. My husband has a Nissan Altima. It's not an absolute requirement, but it would be nice to be able to get both seats and my 11 year old in the back seat.

Any suggestions?

Do you have headrest in both vehicles? If you do then I would check out the Cosco Apex.

She's less than 2 and less than 30 pounds, I'd get her a Marathon and keep her rear-facing until she hits 33 pounds. Kids under age 2 are four times more likely to be seriously injured or killed if they are forward-facing in a crash. The American Academy of Pediatrics has said since 2001 to keep kids rear-facing to the maximum limits of a convertible carseat. All seats in the US go to 30, 33 and 35 pounds.

I moved my dd to a Husky (same as Regent at age 2.5. She was 38 inches and 35 pounds at that time. If she had been 30 pounds or less, she would have ended up with a Marathon and been rear-facing longer.

If you insist on keeping her forward-facing, look at the Cosco/Safety 1st Apex, Sunshine Kids Radian, Safeguard child seat and Britax Regent.

The Apex is the only one to convert to a booster seat, but it is almost as big as a Regent and requires vehicle headrest behind it at all times.

My dd was 36 inches and 32 pounds on her 2nd birthday and would have outgrown a Marathon around her 5th birthday, still would have some room in a Radian and has 3+ years to go in a Husky/Regent.

Melanie said:

I've just started my search for a new car seat for my almost 2 year old, 27lbs & 35" She's currently in a Britax Roundabout, which I absolutly love. I noticed her shoulders are not far off from the very top slots.

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I just wanted to point out something that might help you worry less. "Not far off" is it at least an inch? You could have more time than you think

When my dd turned 2, she hit 36" tall and was barely an inch under her top seat slots. Last spring, it looked as if she only had half an inch & I panicked. I didn't know her shoulders could be equal to the slots, nor did I realize the proportion of torso growth vs legs!
I ended up purchasing a Recaro Start since all I could find at the time were booster seats (didn't know about Radian or Regents). Well -- dd is now over three years old, 40 1/4" tall and still in the same car seat. She is a smidgen less than 1/2" under her top slots And since she's potty training & wearing panties or very thin pullups if we go long distances, I think the distance increased slightly. I'm pretty sure she'll make it to at least June or July now. She just grew again in the past 2 days -- but it was ALL in her legs.

I hope this eases your mind a little

Well, you've got quite a while if you're not due until april and then you plan on using the snugride for six months. Do you ride in both vehicles equal amounts of time? If not I would get a regent for the main vehicle and maybe the cosco/safety 1st cubb/ prospector for the other vehicle. It only has a 40 lb weight limit but your child is pretty small for her age and it has tall top slots and isn't that expensive so you could check that one out and see if it would work for you.