Another car seat configuration help request

I had posted back in the spring about whether it would be possible to keep my current seats and fit them all in a row in the back of my Toyota Sienna. Thanks to your wonderful advice, I was able to fit the kids all in one row. However, getting DS into his RF Britax Roundabout when he was in the farthest corner from the door was a PAIN IN THE NECK!

I did the set up of DD (5.5 FF Graco Nautilus) in the passenger side because of the stiff buckle stalk, DD2 (3.5 FF Radian) middle position, DS (20 months RF Britax Roundabout) driver's side. These were all in the third row.

My problem was that DS can't obviously get in his seat himself and he weighs about 26 pounds so lifting him in was uncomfortable, and that was with the two passenger seats folded down since we didn't need them. Now they will have to be up.

So my new thinking is to have DD1, DD2, and the newborn in the third row seat. That way I could put the baby in the carseat properly and just click him/her into place and put DS and our soon to be adopted special needs DD both rear facing in the captain's chairs. What I don't know is if what I am thinking is even possible to do. Would I need to put the infant seat all the way on the far side (driver's side) because of no tether point there? Is there another configuration that I just can't think of? Also, what infant seat would puzzle well back there? We have to buy a new one because our first expired after DS used it, so I am open to anything. I would like to keep DD harnessed as long as possible, but if a booster would work better without having to be tethered, that might make the car seat configurations work better. I need some expert help here. TIA!

Can anybody help me? I really need to be getting the infant seat soon but I don't know how to make the configurations work or if it is even possible...

You posted at 8:30 on a Sunday night and it's only 8:30 am on Monday (EST) I'm sure someone will be along but it might take a little while.

I don't have any experience with the Sienna at all but a few members here do so I'll wait for and defer to them. Here's a link to OP's last thread that includes a little more info. http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=217587 That should help.

Best wishes and congrats on your expected arrivals!!

Sorry, I'm a little crazy wanting this all done I'll be a bit more patient and thanks for linking to my previous question. I was able to get all three in the third row with their current seats, but the Britax was a bit tilted against the armrest on the driver's side - don't know if that is allowed or not. Also, there was no way my 5.5 year old would be able to buckle herself in the seatbelt with all three across - at least we couldn't seem to do it. The seats were in there so tightly that she couldn't get the buckle down where it needed to go...

Could I do the radian FF on the passenger side? (I think I remember hearing it doesn't work well with the seatbelt because of the stiff buckle stalk). I would then put the Nautilus or some other seat for my 5.5 year old in the middle and then the infant seat on the drivers side. Would that work?

For access reasons, I'd probably put a forward-facer in the second row. Does the 20 month old have special needs? Most 20 month olds can climb into their own car seats and then you just need to buckle them. You're going to have to be climbing in the back to put someone in no matter what, it sounds like, which is why I'm thinking a forward-facer in the second row might make sense for much easier access...

I'm not sure a forward facing seat would give better access? Except maybe to be able to put the captain's chair all the way forward. My thinking was that it might be easier to lift an infant seat into the back than a toddler who I then need to buckle as the infant would already be buckled.

My 20 month old is not special needs, but he is short and he rides in the Britax which is kind of tall. A radian would be lower for him to climb into, but it is a PAIN to tighten rear facing.

Also, side question, when will my Britax expire if it was manufactured in Jan '07? 2013 or 2014?

Your Britax carseat made in Jan. 2007 has a 6 year expiration from its date of manufacture and it will expire Jan. 2013.

I tried a Radian rear facing in the back row to see if DS could climb into it (lower than the Britax) and he did just fine, but tightening the straps is a beast in that position. Do Radian's have to be tethered FF? If not, could I do two, FF Radian's in the driver's side and middle of the third row and then an infant seat on the passenger side third row? That way the girls would be able to get in first... or maybe a radian in the two outboard positions and the baby in the middle. Is there an infant seat that would puzzle well?