It's a sad day

I have to turn my oldest niece, 4.5 years old, forward facing. She's 37.8 pounds in pajamas and no shoes. I'm not going to weigh her every day. She's been forward facing in her dad's car a few months, and my sister turned her a few weeks ago, but I've been holding out. It's more convenient, especially in my car, since I take her or the 2 year old, and I just adjust the headrest depending upon who I take with me. I'm taking her on a trip this weekend, so I might leave it for the weekend since I think she'll pester less that way, and turn it when I get home.

{{{Hugs}}} and kudos to you and your sis and BIL for keeping her rear-facing this long, such an improvement over a decade ago where some of my dd's classmates were getting moved into boosters sometimes before they were 4YO and out of boosters by age 6

Too bad. It's hard to get used to at first! You'll be even sadder when you find out 6 months later that she's still under 40 lbs. Ha ha. That's what happened to me. But she's over 4, he was only 3.5. She will be very safe in a forward facing properly installed and used seat.

So, I put one in ff tonight, but made her go in the rf seat to dinner. I'm going to have both kids in the car at least briefly tomorrow, to only pay parking for one car at hersheypark, and a dog crate. We're going to the motel to check in, the we'll combine to one car, and to to the park. She'll ride in the ff seat to the park, because it will be easier with two and the crate in the car to reach back and buckle her that way. I think she'll be more comfy to drive 1.5 hours in the rf seat, but she wants to be in the ff seat though, so I guess I'll let her decide. Maybe. I might make her come home Sunday in the rf seat, because I anticipate she'll be exhausted. We have two long days of Flyball racing this weekend, and a late night Friday at hersheypark.
When I put the seat I took out of my moms car back in, I'll put it back ff. I have to check if her center seat has a tether. At least mine does so I feel a little better that I could put her there for the weekend. Usually I have two crates and the seat, and the crates to next to each other, and it's going to be easier to put it on a side in case I need to switch it to take the 2 year old.
I weighed her last maybe a month ago and she was 36.6 lbs, so I kind of do suspect she might stay there slightly under 40 for a bit, and she also basically ate two dinners in an hour and a half prior to weighing her. I know I can't be bothered to check that often. I might check prior to the next long trip if she's whiny while driving on this one and switch it for the drive if she's not over 40lbs till then.