help me with a dilemma please

Anyway, I have 2 dilemmas. First off Meg is 3 years, 9 months, 28.5 pounds and 38.5 inches. She's a peanut. This is great for babywearing, not so great for carseats. She is starting to notice that her friends ride in different car seats than she does, and she's not very happy about it. So, when we found out about #3(due in August) I told her that in a few weeks we would go get her a booster seat. I mistakenly thought she was 30 pounds because I weighed her with too many clothes on! So, last night we went and she chose a Cosco Summit. It has really good ratings, but it is also huge (not a big problem in our new to us 93 suburban, but not so hot in the back seat of dh's extended cab truck...) and now I read that she might outgrow it at 40". Well, at the rate she's been growing that will only be a few more months. What do I do? Any great suggestions? She's currently in a fisher price safe embrace-which she will probably also be too tall for in a few months.

Dillemma #2. DS is in Meg's old Roundabout. We have loved it, and it is a tough seat and has held up to us, all except the cover. It is thrashed. I would like to use it for the new baby, but just can't see doing it with that cover. I've been looking on ebay for new covers, but they sell like hot cakes. $40 or more for a new cover seems like so much! Do you think it would be safe to MAKE a new one if I made it EXACTLY like the old one?
OR
Do any of you live near a still open zany brainy/right start? I hear they have some there for $20, which sounds much more reasonable to me. I would happily paypal, reimburse shipping, etc. Is there anywhere else I should look for one? Anyone heard of any other good deals?

Please no flames, just gentle suggestions for future safe riding

Thanks,

Rochelle
Mommy to Meg 5/00
Peter 6/02
#3 due 08/04
www.slingrings.com

Hi . No flames from us!
The Summit, and all Cosco harnessed boosters, have very low top harness slots. Since it is truly safest to keep her harnessed as long as possible...40 pounds (or higher in a seat with a higher weight limit, such as the Marathon or Husky), it would be a good idea to get her a harnessed booster with higher harness slots, such as the Graco Ultra or Platinum Cargo, or the Evenflo Chase (these don't have spectactular seatbelt guides, but try to focus on the harness and the padding, that's really what is going to matter to you right now).
Even if her friends are in belt-positioning boosters, you should keep your dd harnessed. She's old enough to understand simple explanations about why being harnessed is safer, and this isn't the sort of issue that you want to bend to peer pressure on.

As for making a cover for the RA, unfortunately it's a big no-no. I hope you can find one cheap...have you tried the "sale" page at www.britaxusa.com ? They sometimes have deals...as does ebay...but I hope someone can find you a cover from ZB, that would be awesome!

Check your daughter's fit *in* the Summit. Yes, many kids will outgrow that seat well before they hit 40 lb, but fit does vary from child to child. I believe that Darren has been happy with the Summit in his vehicles with his child(ren).

Rochelle,

Do you have a certain cover you want or don't want? I can look for you at a local outlet store that I've seen RA covers at before.

Britax has covers for $36.10 on thier site in popsicle, spruce and denim.

If you have a BRU near you I believe they also have RA covers.

Mel
Mom of a 2 yo in an Airway (getting a Husky soon!)

I'm not Rochelle, but I am looking for a RA cover in Marina...Nect time you are there would you mind checking for me?
~Melanie