As you all know… Owen is growing so fast.
He is by far our tallest baby, maybe not chubbiest 😉 Caleb won that prize, but definitely topping the charts in height.
With this growth comes the possibility of having to move him into a convertible car seat, vs. the infant car seat he currently uses.
He would of course still remain REAR facing.
I think I can squeeze a few more months out of it his infant seat… but for sure by age 1 he will need to move up to something larger.
Currently we have a SAFETY 1st convertible car seat that Taite is using. It is one of those 5lbs-45lb seats. It can be used both REAR and FRONT facing.
Caleb uses a GRACO Nautilus 5-point-harness car seat (goes up to 100 lbs!). Yup, you read right… Caleb at age 6 still rides in a 5 point harness seat. I am not doing this because I think its needed… I really think he’d be fine in a booster. Seeing as hes well over 4 foot tall and weighs 52lbs. He however likes his car seat… He has told is he likes to sleep in it… I guess sleeping in a booster with no sides results in him falling over 🙂
Here we are though at this transition stage again.. and I was going to just put Owen into Taites car seat (rear racing) and then move Taite into Calebs graco, and then Caleb into a grace booster we already had. HOWEVER… It was brought to my attention that “regular” car seats expire every 6 years, just like infant car seats.
I began thinking “well.. ours is fine, it looks great and still functions like it did brand new… “
I hate to junk something that seems in perfect working condition.
I hate to have to spend another $100-$200 on another car seat…
However…
I then read this, and it really did make sense.
“While I can understand the frustration of throwing away something that still looks good, it’s important to understand that the breakdown of a car seat is not something that can always be seen with the naked eye. Car seats are made of plastics. Consider what happens to a plastic toy if it is left outside for some time. The plastic becomes brittle and can develop cracks when stressed. Car seats are subjected to extreme heat and extreme cold while sitting in your vehicle, so the plastics eventually react just like that toy left in the sun. You may not be able to see that the plastic is breaking down, or is more brittle, but that change could be dangerous in a crash when the car seat shell is stressed. It’s far safer for parents to buy a new car seat than to take a chance on a car seat that may be too old to function properly in a crash.”
– learn more about car seats expiring here.
SO,
Although Taite’s seat looks fine… it may not be.
Then again you wonder about life when we were kids.. and how we never used these huge car seats… I don’t even remember having to use a booster seat as a child. My husband actually remembers riding in his dads arm as a kid on long trips (in the front by the wheel!)
I think though that we live in a different age now… with lots of knowledge that can be helpful and save lives….These rules may seem a bit much, but they are here to protect our children. People are a lot more distracted in their driving today as well, with cell phones, txting, and who knows what else. The fast pace society we live in I think contributes to a lot more accidents.
So… that being said, I think we may have to buy another car seat :-\ eek… my husbands probably reading this thinking “Great…” – its ok Travis, ill pay for it 🙂 – I love my graco nautilus one Caleb uses A LOT, but Im not sure that one is rear facing? it might be, got to look into it. For now, I think ill move Taite into Calebs, and Caleb into a regular booster, although im sure he will protest to giving up his seat.
I have also made the choice to leave Owen rear facing for longer. I think its safer… I don’t believe we should live in fear… as believers… however, after reading sites LIKE THIS... I would rather be safe than sorry. Whats the rush, you know?
Note: Did you know in Europe some areas recommend children staying rear facing until age 4?! wow… 🙂
*The photo above of the boys has nothing to do with car seats 🙂 I just didnt have a picture to use and didn’t want to be a boring no picture post and really didn’t want to post pictures of car seats, cause – thats boring too*
dreawood 
I know it stinks that car seats expire, and they are soo expensive! That’s why I chose to not buy an infant seat for Emery. We just bought her the Sunshine Kids Radian XT, which rear faces to 45 pounds. I knew we wouldn’t need any other seat for her, except for maybe a booster when she’s older. But this seat has a weight limit of 65 pounds, rear faces to 45 pounds, and has some of the highest harness slots available. Not to mention the frame is super strong 🙂 I know it would hold up in a crash no problem.
I love Owen”s hat!!!!
The nautalis is NOT rear facing.
Graco came out with a new one – MyRide 65, it will RF until 40lbs and FF until 65 lbs, but most outgrow the FF’ing capability height-wise at about 4 1/2. My smallish almost 5yo could fit in it last year when we were carseat shopping though, with about 1/2 inch to spare at the shoulders
I have the First Years True Fit, and I LOVE it. It rearfaces until 35 lbs, and FF’s until 65 lbs, but the harness slots are higher than the Myride65. And the expiration date is a full year longer than Graco seats, so it will be the only seat Owen will need other than a backless booster (around age 5-6.) My now 5 1/2 year old has about a 1 1/2 inches to spare before he outgrows it (although he usually rides in the nautalis.)
I did NOT get the model with the anti-rebound bar, I got the less expensive model, and bought it during a babies r us trade-in event, and got it for about $100. Although admittedly that was a great sale. Usually they are $150.
Sorry, I should clarify: A 5yo should not be in a backless booster. A high back booster is fine for some five year olds, but they are usually not mature enough to sit straight in a backless.
I personally prefer my 5 1/2 yo in a 5 pt harness. And I will harness him until he is at least 6, or when his little brother outgrows our 40 lb weight limit seat and needs the nautilus
There should be an expiration date on the car seat itself…on the bottom somewhere check that and make sure it really is expired…maybe you have a few more months??
We have a Graco booster and it is not looking great and I know E will be out of a car seat in a year and half…to buy a new one or not??? At least boosters are much cheaper than what you need=(
Ask around maybe a friend has one??
If you are hoping to have more children, I would definitely look at the Radians. They are narrow, which is great if you need to put three seats next to each other. Also they don’t expire for 8 or 9 years (can’t remember off hand). They are great seats for tall children!
If you need any recommendations, you know I’m always glad to help:) Oh, and I disagree, carseat pictures aren’t boring! LOL
Hehe, Heather. Not everyone is as addicted as you! And that’s right, I forgot about the expiry of Radians. It’s 8 or 9 years.
I had to move on from the pumpkin with Claire since she’s 18LBS!! She loves being in the car now with her higher seat (MyRide65). I am a Graco fanatic tho. Both boys are in Nautilus’s and she’s got her My Ride, and if I have a 4th the pumpkin has enough life left and by then I’d get Warren a high back booster so it would all work out.
That whole plastics in the hot/cold car got me too. I didn’t get it until I realized they go through 6X of extreme heat and freezing cold. I think the Pumpkins get a lot of life though, at least mine because I keep them in the house.