Vent I need a (carseat) intervention!

I am having a carseat problem and am trying to convince myself that "buy a new carseat" is not the answer... help! Novel-y vent below!

Background: I used to have just about every carseat under the sun - when I was watching a ton of kids and needed to be able to fit multiple configurations. I am used to being able to switch things out at will. I got rid of most of them, since I just watch two kidlets now, hanging onto just a couple from each category. Convertible-wise, I am down to just a Radian and MyRide (and backup/teaching/giveaway Scenera,) both of which I like a lot, and did not anticipate it being a problem.

I started watching G this fall and put him in a MR. When C came along, she went (her parents') KeyFit. I was reminded quite quickly about how much I HATE buckets. Now that the weather is warmer, I got the RN out of storage, took it and the (crumb-covered) MR in the house, stripped them, washed covers, wiped down, etc.) Installed them in the car, outboard with the KF base in the center just in case we have a nasty weather day and I would rather bucket the baby instead of try to coat and uncoat her.

OMG. G and the Radian... NOT a good combination. First of all, it just doesn't seem to fit him right. When I try to buckle him in, we end up crabbing at each other - I put his arms in the harness, he pulls them out, he won't let me tighten before messing with the chest clip, if I get the straps even remotely tight he cries, I can't get them the right tightness, legs in the way, etc, etc. (We did not have these problems with the MR, and he is appropriately harnessed with his parents... they're great about strap tightness/positioning. This is a new problem, just with this seat.) Then, once I get him in, he's low-profile and into EVERYTHING: he messes with the KF base - I don't know how he can reach - and the center seatbelt. Won't leave it alone. I locked it and he cried about not being able to get it. Never paid attention while in the MR... Kicking stuff, grabbing stuff... does not contain him enough. Blah.

So, I could put him back in the MR and her back in the KF, but I hate hauling the bucket and she'll outgrow it eventually. Can't leave the KF in the car, her parents need it. Plus, I my girly MR cover and how the MR fits C.

C is 4mos and normal sized, she could fit in any convertible. Just for the record. G is almost 3, low-30lbs, and a shorty (inches above his head in the MR.) Out of desperation, I went to BRU to see if I could find anything. Something with a 40+ lb limit, on a base, okay legroom, MR-height or taller. I hate the new Graco buckle, so the MR is out (although I do have an old-style buckle I could swap...) and Evenflo uses the same buckle. Although the EFT65 seemed to have a different buckle, that might work. What did I see and fall in love with? The NextFit, of course I did. I need another $300 carseat like I need... well, something I really don't need, ha ha.

Other seats I thought might work? Pria and Peg. More expensive than the NextFit!

I really need someone to tell me to suck it up and figure out how to make the RN work. I really do not have another carseat in the budget (although I could make it happen if it's essential) and I just need to get this "new carseat" idea out of my head. But now I waaaant a NextFit, I think it would be perfect! Boo, and blah.

Somebody tell me to get over it and make the RN work for us.

I still use my KF but leave it in the van a lot of the time.

Why can't the baby go in the radian?

Jessica61624 said:

Why can't the baby go in the radian?

Click to expand...

This is what I was going to ask.

Otherwise, using the keyfit but keeping it in the car sounds good too.

I know the KF can't always stay in the car, but can you just plop it in the car when she shows up?

Baby in the radian, g in the myride and switch later on down the road maybe he won't cause a fuss then

I believe the MR has a girlie cover which the OP likes using for C which is why G is in the radian?

I vote to buy a new seat lol but I talk myself into new seats for no good reason so I'm no help

Mom, Dad and I all have bases for the KF, but there is only one bucket. The bucket lives in the house, can't stay in my car because it is needed by her parents. If I owned it, I would probably go that route, because I did like it, as far as buckets went.

I work a weird schedule and we don't go out everyday; by the time I take the bucket to the car and come back for the baby I might as well just put the baby IN the bucket in the house, kwim?

I could switch the kids. Yes, I my girly cover for the MR (did I mention recently I cared for six (6!) boys for years and only occasionally did I have a girl in care? Ha ha!) but the bigger thing for me is that generally speaking the MR just seems to "fit" littles better and the RN seems to "fit" bigger kids better. Generally, kiddos have gone bucket => MR => RN, sometimes with an interim seat (Scenera, CCO) between the bucket and the MR, depending on the ages and stages I had. Usually by the time the kids were 2.5/3 I felt like they were substantial enough for the RN, while the MR just snuggles them better while they're smaller. It also seems "weird" to me to use the bigger seat for the smaller child... and I have concerns about recline (G's seat is forcefully braced behind the driver and I think it's too upright for C, although I'm not certain. She has good neck control but tends to get "slumpy" when put too upright. Going behind the passenger, where it can't touch, means my occasionally-used passenger eats the dash... I really like the RN behind me, where I can brace and tether it, and it is rock solid.)

I'd really like to buy a new seat. I might just break down and buy a new seat. I'm thinking EFTA, MR (w/swapped buckle,) or NextFit. If you had an old-style MR buckle set (it's the buckle, including strap, and buckle tongues,) from a crashed-but-not-occupied 05/09 MR, would you put it on a new MR?

Argh. I am thinking we need to give the RN a try for another week or two but I waaaaaaaant a new seat!!! Now I'm just whining. Sigh.