This is not the seat I bought, but it has received good reviews!I am first and foremost a wife and mother, so at times will have to interrupt my creativity to post on what may seem mundane topics, but still those that occupy corners of my brain... We received our UAB (unaccompanied baggage) on Friday. These are the items we shipped well in advance of our departure, on the promise that the items would be "on the ground" upon our arrival. Normal time versus Brazilian time is a topic for another post.
Included in the items was Avery's new "big girl" car seat. Now, I am a gadget junkie ("GJ") - not like Ben is a GJ in the maybe-should've-been-an-engineer kind of way, but a GJ in that I love the idea of products made for specific reasons. Again, I think it's a details thing. I also think that having children could put a GJ over the edge - into the OCD department, because there are SOOOO many gadgets and gear for babies and children.
Before I ordered the new car seat, I did all the research - safety standards (of course), user reviews (the best critics), and price comparison (be dumb not to) and settled on what I felt was the best fit for us and Avery. I picked one designed for a small vehicle (good thing, because some of the carseats I've seen are BIGGER than the cars down here!), FAA approved - for when Avery will require her own seat on the plane, and because I'm me, a not-too-babyish fabric! So, Ben installed the new seat, and it works great - has met all my expectations, and Avery seems cool with it, too. But NOW I've got a trip back to TX planned, and will need a similar seat for buzzing around with Mims & Pops, et al.
I know they make these nifty little convert your carseat to rolling baggage things, but, I'm not in to those too much - if you've travelled alone with a toddler, you understand my need to pare down, so I'm looking at buying another carseat that will be for, and remain in Texas - yeah, I know, kuh-ching. I'm looking at a slightly different seat, and was doing the requisite research, as I did on the first, and had a somewhat visceral reaction to some of the user reviews.....
DISCLAIMER - If you are easily offended, DON'T READ FURTHER - I'm about to get on a soapbox... I am SO OVER these people who say things like "What price can you put on your baby's safety" when rating these high-end carseats. I mean, come on! What they're really suggesting is that somehow you're a better parent if you spend the max amount on a car seat - basically equating the priority level of your child's safety to the dollar amount you spend. Shame on you, people. The Dirty Little Secret here, though, is that there are parents who use baby gear as status symbols - they know some of the prices are ridiculous, but want to own these "gear" items for the "status" of it - these are the same people who hide under the can't "put a price" on their kid slogan because deep down, they know their true motives are superficial. (My psychoanalysis of the day!) I'll take my great reviewed, middle-range gear, and sleep well knowing Avery's safety and security are way more precious than any car seat could suggest.
Included in the items was Avery's new "big girl" car seat. Now, I am a gadget junkie ("GJ") - not like Ben is a GJ in the maybe-should've-been-an-engineer kind of way, but a GJ in that I love the idea of products made for specific reasons. Again, I think it's a details thing. I also think that having children could put a GJ over the edge - into the OCD department, because there are SOOOO many gadgets and gear for babies and children.
Before I ordered the new car seat, I did all the research - safety standards (of course), user reviews (the best critics), and price comparison (be dumb not to) and settled on what I felt was the best fit for us and Avery. I picked one designed for a small vehicle (good thing, because some of the carseats I've seen are BIGGER than the cars down here!), FAA approved - for when Avery will require her own seat on the plane, and because I'm me, a not-too-babyish fabric! So, Ben installed the new seat, and it works great - has met all my expectations, and Avery seems cool with it, too. But NOW I've got a trip back to TX planned, and will need a similar seat for buzzing around with Mims & Pops, et al.
I know they make these nifty little convert your carseat to rolling baggage things, but, I'm not in to those too much - if you've travelled alone with a toddler, you understand my need to pare down, so I'm looking at buying another carseat that will be for, and remain in Texas - yeah, I know, kuh-ching. I'm looking at a slightly different seat, and was doing the requisite research, as I did on the first, and had a somewhat visceral reaction to some of the user reviews.....
DISCLAIMER - If you are easily offended, DON'T READ FURTHER - I'm about to get on a soapbox... I am SO OVER these people who say things like "What price can you put on your baby's safety" when rating these high-end carseats. I mean, come on! What they're really suggesting is that somehow you're a better parent if you spend the max amount on a car seat - basically equating the priority level of your child's safety to the dollar amount you spend. Shame on you, people. The Dirty Little Secret here, though, is that there are parents who use baby gear as status symbols - they know some of the prices are ridiculous, but want to own these "gear" items for the "status" of it - these are the same people who hide under the can't "put a price" on their kid slogan because deep down, they know their true motives are superficial. (My psychoanalysis of the day!) I'll take my great reviewed, middle-range gear, and sleep well knowing Avery's safety and security are way more precious than any car seat could suggest.