Carseat woes.

Now that SS is spending more time with P we are forced to share the van. Just before we began the new schedule we received a recall letter for SS's second carseat, the one in P's car. I never liked the damned thing and have been honest about it. Why in hades did I purchase it then? We ordered SS's Britax Online and darn it the thing was due to arrive a few days after we departed for China. We had also been promised a carseat as a welcome home Baby S gift. I did some research and the Alpha Omega Elite had the same safety rating as the Britax. The biggest complain I came across was how difficult it was to install. P can attest to the veracity of those complaints as he spent almost two hours trying to get the carseat installed the day before we departed for China.

We never gave the Plan B carseat that much thought. Since we thought SS had another Britax coming (HA!), we only had to get through the drive home from the airport, then SS would have proper carseats in each car. Life has a way of throwing plans off and upon our return we did procrastinate about installing SS's Britax. Let's see, new child, jet lag, new child, readjusting our lives, new child, velcro child, new child, sleep deprivation, new child... You get the idea. I still hated the Plan B carseat, it did not seem to be a good fit with SS, she was not as comfortable as she still is in her Britax. By September we had the Britax installed by two CHP officers who were experts in car seat installation and safety. SS sat on her new luxurious seat and never looked back. By then we realized the promised carseat would never materialize so we installed the Plan B carseat in P's car. Again not thinking much about it because SS would not spend much time in Baba's car.

Now back to the future and with our new schedule SS will spend as much time in Baba's car as she does in the van. The company will send a repair kit for the carseat and that is where P and I are butting heads. I DO NOT trust that carseat, could not care less how safe and effective the repair kit is touted to be. How is that different than SS using her high chair after the recall and repair kit? SS will never be at risk of being involved in a collision while in the high chair.

P thinks I am being wishy washy and I think that he is playing Russian roulette with our daughter's life. We have had several spirited discussions about this and I will not back down from my edict about not using the recalled carseat again. Since another Britax is not in our budget we will continue to share the van until we can purchase another safe carseat. I was going to ask P to buy the carseat as my Mother's Day gift even though he never spends that much on my Mother's Day gifts. He is not cheap, it's just that I never have a list of things I want. MD is kind of ruined by the time you get done worrying about what to get everyone else. Not a fan of that freaking Holiday that is supposed to be about me.

Life threw another monkey wrench our way as P's car needs a new clutch. Quite a pricey endeavor, we could purchase three carseats with the money we are forced to shell out for the clutch. But we need two cars, thus P's car is in the shop today and I have finally come to accept that SS is not getting another good carseat. I still will not back down from my stance about the recalled carseat. My daughter's life is way too precious, and if the way to keep her safe means further inconvenience then so be it. P needs to readjust his thinking, suck it up and get ready to share indefinitely. I have never demanded the best, the most expensive for SS. But when it comes to her safety I do not compromise.

Britax Marathon, SS's current carseat, but not in that ugly crocodile pattern.

Britax Decathlon, SS's next carseat, but not in this color.

Post #7 of Spring Fling. This one is early because we are due to meet P for lunch soon, then have to pick up his car, AND I have a paper due for my class tonight and have yet to begin. Last time I wrote my paper two hours before class and got a 100%. Praying for the same luck tonight.