Booster Seat Escapee? Flip that Seat Belt Buckle

Ranger outgrew his convertible car seat pretty quickly. Though we prefer 5 point harnesses for him during the toddler years, we bought a Britax booster seat for Jim's car. Ranger tends to ride in my car most of the time, and Jim needs a car seat that can fit in the trunk during carpool weeks.

We've been frustrated on a couple occasions to find Ranger releasing the seat belt while in transit. Toddlers simply don't seem equipped for the responsibility of booster seats.

Jim discovered that with our car and our seat (this may not be true for all car and booster combinations) that twisting the seat belt receptacle, he can prevent Ranger from reaching the release button. If you choose to attempt this, please inspect your seat and belt configuration to be sure that pressure won't inadvertently be placed on the release button when the seat belt is tightened.

Jim flips the belt receiver before buckling in Ranger and pulling the belt taut. It actually works well enough in our car that the other adults in the family take a little longer to get to the release button. Meanwhile, Ranger likes to direct the activity, "Press the button, Grandma!"

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Ranger is a tall drink of water. His atypical height and skinny build wreak havoc on finding pants and car seats that fit.

Since our beloved Graco infant car seat, we've gone through a number of convertible car seats that really didn't merit particular mention. Ranger quickly exceeded their 40" to 43" height restrictions (remember that kids with long torsos can outgrow a seat before they hit the height total requirement).

We bought a Britax Regent (max height: 53") for our primary car (a Honda accord) and my mom's minivan (the cars he rides in most often and on long trips). We chose it for it's five point harness. Upon first inspection, it looked like it wouldn't fit in my car. With a lot of wrestling, we were able to get it in place. It's huge in our small car, but seems both indestructible and luxurious (we call it the recliner). It's much easier to install in a LATCH vehicle (like my mom's minivan).

For Jim's car (compact sedan) which Ranger rides in less frequently, we have a Britax Parkway (height limit: 60"). It's a compact booster that uses the car seat's belt instead of an attached harness. We like it, but feel it's one he will do better in when he's more mature. We have to be attentive that he doesn't try to slip his shoulder out from under the seat belt mid-trip. He's starting to understand that we want him to leave it alone, but it's much easier to use (and feel confident in) a five point harness at this young age (2.5 years).

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Strollertown: Baby's First Wheels- the Graco SnugRider

When we started stroller shopping, it seemed that all the registries were strongly encouraging travel systems for new parents. In my limited stroller-pushing experience with travel systems they seemed heavy, unwieldy, and less than compact when folded.

When it became apparent that Ranger would enter the world via cesarean, the weight of a bulky travel system (20+ pounds) seemed out of the question in the first month when I would be on lifting restriction. The "compact" travel systems didn't seem that much smaller or lighter (~17 pounds).

We had decided that we wanted a specific top-rated infant car seat, so we sought a compatible stroller, but they were all so heavy.

Then I started reading about stroller frames that carry car seat strollers. At the time, the Baby Trend Snap N Go frame stroller (~$50) was the only option available locally. It weighed around 12 pounds, but it was reported to be a little complex to work with the Graco car seat we had chosen. We registered for it with reservations.

A few weeks later Graco's SnugRider (~$60) came on the market. It was much easier to use with our chosen car seat than the universal frame strollers. We changed our registry immediately.

The SnugRider is incredibly light and still very stable. It's adjustable push bar works for people with a wide variety of heights. The basket is HUGE and easily accessed unless you stuff one enormous object in there. The stroller folds up to a moderate size, and with the adjustable push bar lowered, it works well as a carrier holder in restaurants.

We think this frame would be great for maneuvering airports with an infant, although it would have to be gate checked upon arriving at the plane (there's no way it would pass for carry-on).

It doesn't have a an additional sunshade like the ones on travel systems, so we often took along a light blanket to cover the carrier in bright light or wind.

A Graco car seat is very easy to install and remove from the frame. Snapping the seat in and out of the stroller are as simple as using the locking base in the car (maybe even easier).

The SnugRider was a vast improvement upon using the car seat as a solo carrier (which wears out already tired arms and shoulders).

We tricked out his car seat for winter with a sherpa Bundle Me cover by J.J. Cole (incidentally one of the few car seat covers that work well with the Graco seat) that a friend didn't want and a flannel receiving blanket attached to the shade with a few big safety pins (on the outside so Ranger couldn't tinker with them). We just flipped the blanket back over the seat's shade when Ranger was out of the elements and awake.

Ranger really liked riding in the SnugRider as it let him face whoever was pushing and he could encourage us to make faces or do little dances to keep him entertained.

We were all a little sad when he got too tall for his infant car seat and had to move to an actual stroller (the Maclaren Vogue- our review).

*This review is the independent, unsolictied opinion of Baby Toolkit (babytoolkit.blogspot.com). We have no relationship with and have received no compensation from Graco Baby (beyond being satisfied customers).