What's your story?

butterflymama7

New member
My oldest is 8. When he was born I got my infant carrier with the base. When he got to a year I got a new car seat and faced him forward. Then a fried had told me how he should be rear facing until 2 and how dangerous FF was for babies. So I bought another seat because the one I had was FF only. Then, just before I'm about to switch him to that FF seat at 2, I hear about ERF and learned that car seats will go to a higher limit. My kid was tall. Damn. Yet another seat purchase. By the time he'd gotten to FF I'd lost that 2nd car seat I'd bought (how I lost it? Who knows, military, lots of moving. Whatever) so I got him his FIFTH seat. Man did that money add up. Now he's got a backless booster which is seat #6 but wasn't expensive so that was awful. But man was this journey pricey. Lol. I am so glad for sites like this. My 1 year old used an infant carrier cuz I like the convenience of the carrier to get to my upstairs apartment. Now is in a Radian that will last a long while. Phew! And baby #3 will go strait into a convertible. Thank The Lord

Anyone else have a story? I know many of you probably had this down with your first. But I sure didn't.
 
ADS

carseatmama007

New member
I definitely didn't have it down with my first. DD wasn't properly restrained in her infant bucket (straps were too high, harness was too loose, multiple after market products were on the seat, the seat was used/crashed, and the handle was in whatever position I felt like putting it in). By the time she was 5 months old, she had already been in two car accidents (I was rear ended twice, no damage either time thankfully). After the second accident, I started to get paranoid about car safety, and I did more research on car seats. I learned all about ERF, and I was determined she'd be ERF until she was 16 lol. I got an Evenflo Titan for free from the health department because I didn't want to use her used infant bucket anymore yet we couldn't afford a new seat. I thought the Titan was the greatest seat in the world - it seemed bigger and sturdier than the infant bucket! Then my sister gave me her Britax Marathon, and that's when I was introduced to the world of "premium" car seats. I saw how much heavier and cushier it was, and I loved that a lot more than the Titan! DD was also losing leg room in her Marathon/Titan (she was around 18 months by now), so I needed something longer lasting. That's when I bought the Radian XTSL, and I've been using it ever since! She rear faced in it until 4.5 years old and now FFs in it!
 

cookie123

New member
My grandson Brett is 9.5 and I was just learning then that rearfacing longer is better. I got him the Opus 35 to rear face him longer. I think Hannah was ffing by then in the RA40. I THINK Brett rfed in the MA for awhile but can't remember for sure. This is why I wish the siggy that was in an older post stayed the way it was with that post!

Back when my first was a baby, no way was that harness on right. I have a photo of her in the puffy bunting, packed into the car seat. At some point I was interested in car seats. I remember reading the manual and making dh put a top tether in the car. I think it had a pre-drilled hole and you just had to put it in there.

You girls should take notes if you expect to remember this stuff when your kids are grown lol!
 

Brianna

New member
I've always been a manual reader and my friend was pregnant with her first, so I read the car seat manual and went over harness tightness and installation with her. When he was outgrowing his bucket I wanted to know what was next- I drove them a lot and knew I could forgive myself if anything happened to her son in my car. I found Joel's Journey and car-seat.org and bought him a MyRide. He RF'd in that to 2 1/2 with his mom and to 3 in an Evenflo Triumph in my car. He just turned 4 and is harnessed in several different car seats. Maybe this time next year we can discuss boosters.
 

tiggercat

New member
I have 3 kids, and have been through so many seats I can't even remember. I definitely didn't have it down with my first, and I am so glad we weren't in a crash because I made so many mistakes...

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org
 

mping

New member
Cool thread! My oldest is 7 1/2. I had registered for a Peg Perego Primo Viaggio infant carrier. We used that for about 5 months (with a JJ Cole bunting too :/) and we had also registered for an Alpha Omega that harnessed up to 40lbs then became a booster. I was convinced we'd never need/want to buy another car seat! Lol! I turned her FF at about 16 months I think. I didn't know about ERF or knew anyone who still rf'ed their baby. When she was 22 months, my son was born. He used the same infant carrier but thankfully I knew to not use a bunting system by then. I moved him to a convertible a few months later. I can't remember which one. Maybe the Alpha omega? I think right around then is when I found Britax and we bought our daughter (now 2 1/2) a Frontier and our son a Marathon. I thought I was done buying seats again ;)
Then I had a car accident and replaced both those seats with the same ones. My son rf'ed until 4 and used a Frontier after that. When my daughter turned 7 we bought a Parkway SG and my son is still in the Frontier at 5 1/2. He's tiny so he'll stay in it until 7 at least unless he starts fighting it. I just sold the Parkway and bought my daughter a purple Affix because I was getting tired of her forgetting to buckle it in when she got out of it. We also have two Maestros that I bought for our babysitter a few years ago. My 7 yo has outgrown it but it's our travel seat/husbands car seat for our 5 year old. He almost never drives them in his car, we just swap cars if he will be with them without me. So I sold one Frontier when my daughter boostered and we have the Marathon and a Maestro not currently in use. And a bunch of Harmony NBBs for extra kids etc. Oh, and a Bubble Bum for travel :)
Phew! That's a whole lot of carseats for just two kids!
 

Ali

New member
DD will be 9 in January. Let's see if I can get all the seats we've owned :)

We had a 5 point front adjust Snugride for her (totally by chance- I had no idea the importance of either). We then moved her to a MA at 6 months. She had a RF Titan in our secondary car. A few months later, DH didn't like that DD wasn't "as safe" in the Titan as in a MA, so we purchased a 2nd MA. DD RF until 3 1/2 years in both cars. She hit the RF weight limit of 33lbs.

We then turned her FF and a few months later bought a FR for DH's car so that the MA could be used as a spare in FIL's car (Titan was outgrown). On her 4th birthday we bought the GN and that was put in my car. Titan was donated to Pregnancy Aid and outgrown MAs were given to a friend.

FIL had a HBTB for emergencies and DD was harnessed in primary vehicles until 7 1/2 years old when she outgrew the harnesses in FR & GN. She is still using those 2 as high back boosters in our cars. We also have 2 BubbleBums, 3 Harmony Literiders and had 2 HBTB (one was crashed and one was donated).

Now I get to buy seats for my new nephew - squeeee! So far he has a Chicco Keyfit and I'm weighing my options on convertibles.
 

Phineasmama

New member
If I went into all the seats I've owned I would have to write a book or something LOL!

Basically I had DD1 in February 2007, we had a Graco SafeSeat for her, which I bought because I liked the pattern on it, no other reason. She rode in that until the following fall, and then I purchased a Britax Roundabout 40 at BabiesRus. I didn't know much about car seats but it seemed nice, and I wanted a Marathon but they were so expensive I decided to get the Roundabout to save money. I turned her FFing around 14-15 months old, and then had DS who was in a Snugride 22. When he got super heavy (it didn't take long) I decided I wanted to move him to the Roundabout so I needed a different seat for DD1. Then I found out about ERF, I'm not exactly sure how, but I turned DD1 back around at age 2, in a classic Marathon that I got on clearance at Target :)

Then I found out that SKJP was making Radians that would rear face to 45 lbs, I think this was sometime in late 2008 maybe? Or early 2009, can't remember. But I got two of those, and then I just kept buying and selling seats from there lol.
 

Genevieve

CPST Instructor
I have 3 kids, and have been through so many seats I can't even remember. I definitely didn't have it down with my first, and I am so glad we weren't in a crash because I made so many mistakes... Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org

This is my story as well. I got so deep into Child Passenger Safety that I became a certified tech, now am an Instructor, and work at a large Children's hospital doing what I'm so passionate about. I love it!
 

Suzibeck

Active member
I taught severely multiply impaired children after graduating from college. I met many kids who were disabled due to preventable injuries, including car accidents, near drownings, poisonings, and being hit by cars. This ignited in me a passion to prevent such injuries. I bought car seats for my car for my godson and nieces and nephews before I had kids of my own. I bought my godson a car seat for his car because his mom had an old one from a garage sale. I read every one of those manuals and most of those seats got passed on to someone who needed them and I bought more. I wanted to become a tech many years ago but was not able to until not quite two years ago. I love being a tech!

I am not sure any more how many seats I've owned but well into double digits.
 

nannykates

New member
Sorry, this is long and very detailed because it was quote recent :)

Last summer I was watching L every friday. Her dad would put her marathon classic in my car in the center using LATCH but no top tether. As I was strapping her in one day I realized her shoulders were over the top slots and her head kinda stuck out the top. So I googled about car seats and ended up here asking a poorly phrased question that got me a teeny bit attacked. Even though I never responded back on that thread I read a ton of old threads and ended up buying a frontier 85 for L and my cousin T whom I would move in with in September. After moving to VA and trying to get that last bit of slack out of my short belt path install to no avail I finally spent an afternoon in my car wrestling through long belt path. Once I got it in I felt like I could do ANYTHING. Then I started getting my hands on Ts other seats, when she outgrew her fr80 in her moms van I swapped seats with her and started booster training her in my car in the fr80. Unfortunately, my belt locked every-freaking-time she buckled. So then I bought her a literider(the fit was good but she wouldn't sit up and being backless made me nervous). Then one day I saw the harmony folding travel booster at our walmart. I knew there was hype around this seat and bought it to take pics and try out and post here. I started posting more here and got hooked. I started looking for cpst classes that worked with my schedule and finally found one in January. I met a nice guy in my tech class and love being a tech. I left my boyfriend and harmony seats in VA when I moved home in june and just donated my FR85 to a rental/low income program when I got my Parkway sgl (thanks Darren and cso!). Now I'm thinking about buying some sort of convertible...just cuz. ;)
 

SnoGurl

New member
hmm. My dni was outgrowing her infant seat (she was 13 or 14 months old, an evenflo-something er other my parents had bought her as part of a travel system). I did a little googling to find something to purchase, cso continually came up and I ignored it. Finally, I gave in and started poking around and learned a lot about keeping kids rf, etc. I asked some advice on what to buy, and ended up with a Scenera after I got a heck no! on the alpha omega (and thank goodness!). It was cheap and light and accessible (very limited stores here), and I really liked it, but my sister was awful at installing it. So back I came to ask for some advice, and was told that there were higher weight infant seats if I thought that was a good idea-- I was floored that there were infant seats that went to 35lbs!! Also informed I may be able to score a Via for a good deal at a Zellers close out, so I went on a hunt and ended up with two for a really good deal. That worked quite well all through the winter (she fit in the Via until the last 6 months or so), and I ended up picking up another Scenera along the way as well, at Wal-Mart Black Friday, or something. EXCEPT! This Scenera had a WEIRD UAS belt, and I was sooo confused. My parents car never got a good belt install, so I searched for a Tech and met up with Jodie. We (myself and BFF) learned lots about car seats and I was hooked (had been for a while, if I admit it to myself!).

At some point I began to panic that dni was doing to outgrow her Scenera's and there silly 32" rearfacing limit. I was pretty devastated to give those seats up, they were perfect for my needs. I searched high and low for something to replace them with and ended up with a Triumph for my car and a MyRide for sis'. I also enrolled in my first CRST class, but it was unfortunately cancelled (was scheduled for this weekend, actually!). I hope to complete the CRST class soon, get rid of the Triumph and replace it with something more practical for my needs. Along the way I've also managed to put the bug in a few friends ears, which is nice... no bundle me babies in my group of friends ;)>
 

amandaj553

New member
I typed the whole story... but it was entirely too long... so here's the condensed version.

DS (born 10/2008) - I was unaware of the danger, and bought a used snugride 22. I used the aftermarket head support, and the seat probably didn't fit him too well (5lbs 8oz at birth). I did install correctly and tighten the straps correctly, and knew not to overdress him in the seat. About 6 months, he got a Marathon for our car (picked b/c my cousin had one and still fit at 5 years old) and a EFTA for my parents car (they liked the knobs). I learned about ERF from the carseat lady's site first, and set a goal of RF until 3.

DD (born 9/2010) - Now aware of the mistakes I previously made, we bought a keyfit 30 and used it correctly. It fit her great, coming home at 4lbs, 13oz (full term). She fit until 15 months.

We tried radians several times, but I couldn't get the install to work and the AA wasn't available, so we never kept one.

DD moved to the classic Marathon, DS got a Marathon 70. He stayed RF in it until 3 years 11 months. He is a short boy. My parents passed down the EFTA to DD and bought a Nautilus for DS for their car. After DS turned FF, we got a Frontier 85 for our car. We got another radian for DD at 2 1/2, and made it work with the AA. Sadly, she didn't last RF in it very long (not outgrown, but other issues). Turned her FF right at her 3rd birthday.

And we have also had spares of Scenera (gave to a friend), and Avenue (still have it - love it). And we currently have a harmony folding booster for DS when he gets mature enough to use it. And DD will be getting a combination seat for Christmas - haven't decided yet but probably the Frontier 90.
 

tiggercat

New member
Just for fun, and since I'm bored, I'll attempt a longer version :p Only primary vehicles, I cannot keep track of the rest!

Greg was born in Canada in 2000. I was given two used infant seats (Evenflo Joyride, Fisher price t-shield infant). He was big, so fit wasn't terrible, he was always buckled snuggly, and seats were installed tightly, albeit not likely correctly (you try installing a baseless infant seat in a hatchback tercel after a c-section :eek: ). He grew so fast that he maxed out those infant seats in a couple of months, so I pulled out the convertibles I'd been given (Evenflo Ultara? and FP convertible t-shield). Crap, only 22lb RF limits! So FF we went, before 6m old ( :eek: :eek: ). Seats were installed tightly, top tethered, but still.

Then, in 2001, I "met" Jen Ellis, aka Carseatmom on Delphi. She got me interested in carseat safety, and really go across to me that even though we still went by the mantra of 1 or 20lb in Canada, that doesn't mean it is really safe. She taught me about ERF, and I followed her to some other boards. I also learned about used seats, and a bunch of other essential info. Unfortunately, the only seat on the market the RF'd past 22lb was the Century Accel, and Greg was already above the THS which isn't allowed for RF. but I did get him into a FF FPSE (new), and then a FP GWM (Evenflo Express ct with grandparents).

Then, I had a >40lb 2yo in Canada, land of 40-48lb harness weight limits. I was advised to just put him in a booster. Uh, no. I imported a Britax Laptop (which wasn't ideal for a young kiddo!), and then a Britax Husky, and harnessed until about 5yo/55lb in main vehicle. Then he had a series of boosters that he outgrew in no time flat (Graco Turbo, Britax PW old style, Monterey, Cleo Ollie), until he 5 stepped in the last vehicle at 11yo.

Next kid, 2005. I took my CRST course at 30w pregnant with her. Megan was also 10lb at birth, so straight into a classic style Marathon. Scenera for back up. FF at 2y/30lb (limits of seat). FF'd in a Radian until outgrown by height, then Nautilus, then bolstered in Turbo, PW, Monterey, PW SG. Still in HB PW SG at 8yo.

Last kid, 2009. Graco SR32 until about 10m, RF classic cow moo MA, RF RNXT/RXTs until a month shy of 4yo. FF in Britax FRct now at 4yo/40lb.

Sent from my iPod touch using Car-Seat.Org
 

msg221

Well-known member
My first exposure to car seats was with my nephew, who is now 30! :eek: My mom had a Strolee car seat for him because she babysat him every day for his first 5.5 years! I was only 16 when he was born but I made sure I knew how to install his seat! After him, I didn't have any experience with car seats until my friend was pregnant with Nour & Zain, 25 years later! I helped research infant seats for her to put on her baby registry and she ended up with the SS1. I remember one day she called me just a few weeks before she was due and was upset because her dad tried install the car seat bases and she was sure that he didn't do it right. DH and I went over to her house and she was right, they were way too loose! After reading the manual and a few tries (because I was still pretty clueless at this point), we finally got them installed correctly! When the twins were about 2-3 months old, BRU was having a seat check event and I took them to make sure I really did have them installed and buckled up correctly. I ddi! I bet I shocked those techs coming in with perfectly installed seats!

My new found knowledge came in handy as Ethan, Katelyn, Owen, and Chase were born between 2008 and 2010 (I became a tech in 2010)! My two SD's always come to me for advice and are great about listening. They kept the kids RF until 3 and are great about buckling them up correctly. I've also helped out friends and co-workers. It feels great to know that kids are riding safer with my help!
 

hgpswimmer4

New member
My oldest was born in 2004 and is almost 10 years old. He and Lily (born 4/07) I both adopted when Lily was about 4 months old and Steven was 3. Lily had an older style 3pt. harness baby seat I forget what it was called. She was able to be RF till 16 months. In early-mid 2008, I got a Regent for Steven at 4yo and about 40 pounds. Lily rode in a Truefit. Spring 2010: We handed down the Regent to Lily who was 3yo and 35# and put Steven in an Evenflo Amp HBB at 6yo and 50ish lbs. Late 2010: we got Lily a Nautilus because the Regent was so damn HUGE. When Steven turned 7, I was ready to take him out of the booster till I realized he was not big enough and it wasn't safe. He was about 57lbs and 4'2 1/2." I didn't know kids had to be a certain size before they were big enough to fit without the booster. he started riding in a backless booster to avoid embarrassment from his friends while seen in one. June 2012: Lily started booster training in a Turbo at 5yo and 45lbs while Steven rides in a Cosco Topside at 8yo and 65lbs. Lily moved into booster full-time for her 6th b-day when the Nautilus harness was getting real tight. We tried various HBB's and ended up with a new-style Parkway SGL and Harmony Dreamtime along with a backless Amp for carpools. My last baby was born May 2012 and I learned about ERF and decided to keep her RF because it was safer. She now rides RF in a Graco Headwise70 and we LOVE it! Steven, now 9y10m, is 56" tall and 81# and passes 5-step test in our small SUV but hasn't quite managed it in larger vehicles yet. 6.5yo Lily loves her Parkway at 49.2" tall and 51#!
 

SavsMom

New member
When my dd was born 6 years ago I had a dreaded rear adjust infant seat. I had read the manual but simply hated that seat, it was impossible to get the harness correct. In researching a better seat for her I came across cs.org and carseatblog.com. This helped me choose a better seat for her and started my obsession with car seats/safety.
DD now rides in a Sure Ride and a Pro Booster for shorter trips. DS was born in September and rides in a Key fit and Coccoro.
 

YinzerMama

New member
My oldest is 10. I started with the Graco 20 pound bucket that came with the travel system. After that he moved to a roundabout 40 which I paid full price for because I wanted the exclusve BRU wicker print which looked so good with his eyes. (Actually prior to that I got a deal on a Britax galaxy which was actually a better seat but the fabric wasn't as nice so I sold it - omg what was I thinking???? I knew so little then) He turned FF at about 14 months which was pretty good for back then. When he was 20 months rumors began to circulate that Britax would no longer allow discounts for seats sold online so I snagged a Marathon in Granite while they were still cheap - I want to say $180 which seemed like a lot back then. That went into my car and the roundabout went into my husband's car. Time passed and he outgrew that little roundabout *sniff* and I sold it for $100 and got him a Graco Turbobooster for DH's car (blue with gracopedic foam). He was 3 and boostering at 3 was not unusual then. He did quite well.

I got pregnant with my twins when he was almost 4. I got them snugride22s in Lotus with luxury foam because they were at a great price on albeebaby. Ruled out the 35s because who would carry 35 pounds * 2 with twins? Did not know enough when brought them home to know those 5-22 pound seats really didn't fit them right. (one of them was actually only 4 pounds when we came home but I figured there couldn't be that much difference between a 4 and 5 pound min. seat, right? Oh well, live and learn.) When they outgrew those buckets I got them 2 more marathons in Ashley (yellow with flowers) and I got my son a second Turbobooster (red with foam) so I could pass his old Marathon to DH's car as a spare for the girls and THEN... duh duh! The great Britax Marathon scandal of 2008 happened and Target accidentally listed cow ones for $49 and granite ones for I want to say $58? so I ordered 2 granite ones because I didn't like cow at the time - I planned to return my Ashleys as I hadn't used them yet - but Target realized the errors and alas I did not get two seats, I got a $25 gift voucher. (A bunch of people who ordered cow actually got their seats)

My girls RFed till about 2 1/2 at which point one was getting near that 35lb rf weight limit so I figured I should turn both to reduce fighting. The other one didn't hit 35 pounds till she was 4! Since my oldest had been so tall and outgrew his marathon so much earlier than I expected him to - he was 4, but I didn't realize he had outgrown it since I was focused on the weight limit - when a deal came out for FR85s I snagged two, one in that light pink mesh and one in cow, just to have on hand. One girl wanted cow - I did not. But it came and I loved the cow so much I set out to find 2 cow covers for the marathons which we were still using and which would be handed down to baby #4, a boy, who I was then pregnant with. I think the girls were about 3 1/2 when I moved them to the FR85s. I wasn't crazy about the pink mesh so we replaced it with a Livia cover which my daughter said was cold and slippery so we replaced that with another cow. Long live cow! I considered getting my youngest a cow chaperone but couldn't justify the price for Britax - he ended up in a Flint (I think?) snugride35, gray velour with the foam, which he used until he was 20 months or so.

He is the one I have bought the most car seats for. While I love our cow classic MAs I figure they expire next year and there are leggier options so let's see what I want to get to replace it with to rf as long as possible... and I have tried a lot. I bought a cobalt radian rxt because I found an open box deal. I tried the nextfit but hated the shoulder pads so sold it again pretty quickly. I tried a peg, a foonf, a size4me. Radian rxt won out despite it's quirks. So we had a classic MA in DH's car and alternated rxt and marathon in my car.

My husband got hit by a guy who ran a red light about a month ago and he called me from work to say he had been hit and the car had been towed, and once I established he was not in the hospital I said "OMG this means I get a new car seat!" The nextfit happened to go on crazy sale right after that so I bought one again and then Chicco released the harness pad update so it seemed like a sign. Then I found a deal on a daytona RXT on TRU's site so I ordered one of those, too, and figured I would decide once they came. Then the Roundabout 50 went on sale ... and I bought one... but returned it because I didn't need it... but later found one clearanced for $50 so I bought another one... which means that right now, for my youngest, I have a cow classic MA that can be used, a cow classic MA that shouldn't be used but which I am keeping the cover from, a roundabout50 which I don't know if I should keep, a nextfit, a cobalt rxt, a daytona rxt (box has never been opened so can be returned easily), and a plum rxt cover I picked up here.

I need to decide on boosters for my girls and feel like I should get something taller than a graco but am really liking the affix so might just go with that. I figure if they need a taller high back booster later, the fr85s will still be good. I'm planning to move them to dedicated boosters when they turn 6.

Ironically, for all I planned their outgrowing their marathons super early as their brother had, both can still fit in them at 5 1/2 - one just barely, one with room to spare. :rolleyes:

Little dude, I plan to rf as long as he will stand for it. He's perfectly happy that way for now, I think because he can see ALL his siblings in the car that way.

I am a car seat hoarder. I don't know why I find them so fascinating but I do.

The classic marathon will always be my truest car seat love and I am sad that Britax seems to have DC'ed it for good now. That seat with a 40 weight limit would really be a dream. I've largely lost my Britax love - although if they still made cow parkways with latch it would be a no brainer what booster to pick. Their booster options now are so... boring.

eta - my oldest's bucket, we tossed before it expired because a cat got in our garage and peed on random things. I had no idea back then that the cover could be removed and washed! I would have likely replaced it for features anyway but how silly of me to toss it over cat pee.
 

Lee-B-

New member
Not much of a story here...our first child is now 9months old in a Radian GTX. She'll stay rear-facing as long as possible.

I had worked as a nanny for many years, for many families. I've seen it all, though didn't really know better back then. One family had their 2yr old in a booster already :-(

I worked for a few that I would have the kids in my car occasionally so I bought a high back booster for my car. One wasn't in anything in their car (3yrs old) but I wasn't comfortable with that so made him ride in my booster. Now I wouldn't even be comfortable with him in a booster.

The last family I worked for had 4 kids 1,1,4,5yrs. They were all in harnesses. I at first found it odd the 4 and 5yr olds were harness but it soon became the norm. When they did finally get her into a booster (close to 8yrs as she was tiny)...it seemed scary and too weird for me lol.

When pregnant I started researching and found this site and found all the stats and info and I am now informed and better able to keep my daughter safer in the car.
 

thekatie

New member
J1 was born April 2003. For the first few months he was in a white plastic infant seat with I think blue fabric cover - I don't remember if it had a base or not, or anything else about it, this was borrowed from a friend's brother. For my birthday (July) my mom bought me an Evenflo travel system. It was from Walmart, and I even posted a picture a while back asking what it was (Discovery).

After he was out of the Discovery he went into a Graco... something? I don't remember ever installing that one rear facing. I also don't remember exactly how old J1 was when I flipped him, I just remember it was after a year because he wasn't 20 pounds, and I had been told he must be BOTH one year and 20 pounds.

He stayed in the Graco (whatever it was?) until he outgrew it. I really liked it, honestly. It was easy to use, easy to clean, and pretty squishy and comfortable. DH (his biological father) and I weren't together and he had his own convertible (that I do actually vaguely remember being installed rear facing, but I'm probably imagining that). It was a Cosco overhead shield seat with the ugliest dimpled velvet fabric.

We went with Graco TurboBoosters when J1 went out of the convertibles - and I'm certain it was years before he should have been in a booster. I know by 1st grade I said "nah, he doesn't need a booster" even though DH argued (we still weren't back together so he probably argued just to argue at that point) and of course that the law said otherwise.

J2 was born March 2008 and went into a Chicco KeyFit 30. I absolutely love how easy that seat is to install! I was still going to flip him at 1 and 20... until a post on a mommy forum got me thinking (a woman bought a Nautilus for her 10 month old thinking it would rear face, asking "do I use it anyway or return it" and one lone mom, a CPST, insisted return it). I found this site when trying to figure out what convertible to get. I had it narrowed down to a Pria and an XTSL (right before the change). We went with the Pria. I love that seat so, so, so very much! At this point I also realized J1 still desperately needed a booster and back in he went. With very little fuss.

Then... I decided we need a spare and bought a MyRide for about $70. I hate that seat. With a passion. I loathe it. It never worked right for me, and I never felt J2 fit well in it. I just hated it. Sold it after 3 weeks to a friend who needed a seat - she LOVES it. So I got a Scenera, which I actually don't mind. I definitely like it better than the MyRide ;)

THEN I discovered Bargain Hunt. And found an RXT still sealed in box for $140. I was looking for a high back booster for a long road trip for J1. I knew full well by that point the RXT wouldn't work, but I talked DH into it... I know a lot of people hate it, but I really do love mine. I think it's my favorite install.

Hmm, and I can't remember if it was before or after the RXT, but at some point I found the Coccoros, and fell in love. It's so.darn.cute! So I used birthday gift cards to buy myself (ahem, J2) one in Cherry Pie. I cried at FedEx when he had outgrown it and I was shipping it to a friend. It was also J2s favorite seat.

That's it. We have a variety of boosters on hand for J1 (I'm about to order an Incognito for him now though, now that they're out) and his friends.
 

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