Car Seat Capers

Oh the drama. I had a 20% off coupon for BabiesRUs burning a hole in my pocket...it expires Thursday for crying outloud! (and I thought there was just one of these coupon dealies per month...I see now that they seem to be more like every week...but I didn't know that EARLIER when the caper commenced)

ANYWAY. So. 20% off coupon. What to buy? A carseat of course. Big purchase. Critically important. Groovey. I'd spent weeks previously researching brands for our registry. Weeks. Finally, after much deliberation, we (I) settled on the Graco Snugride. Mr. Random's only requirement was "the safest one". Well, many studies have found this to be that one. Plus it's compatible with a lot of different things, etc. etc.

So I registered us for one. In a lovely brown and green pattern. It's available online only...but hey, most our family live in a different state, it's probably more convenient to order online and have the store ship it anyway.

So, that settled the car seat issue, next up, was the stroller issue. I mean...do we do the travel system? Do we get a jogging stroller? Something else? We went with the jogging stroller...one that has good ratings and is compatible with the car seat I so carefully selected. Perfect! It's on the registry.

Right, so bring us up to Tuesday this week, when I drug Mr. Random to the store to look at these beauties in person. The coupon was only good in store, so we had to find something IN the store. Right then. It was like going back to square one, except, at least we knew to look only at Graco.

You'd think this would narrow things, and it did...a bit...but there were still at least 5 car seats, and then 5 or 6 travel systems, and there's the jogging strollers. I just couldn't decide! So we wound up leaving to think on it.

The problem was this. I liked the pattern of the travel system fabric. But the carseat in that deal only goes up to 22 lbs. SHOULD be fine...but Mr. Random was a chunker and many have been commenting on how large I am already....so, we wanted to get one that went to 32 or 35 lbs. Which...in store, only comes in red. Or a really hideous green and black thing. So Red. Which...is fine. Kind of gender neutral. I like it fine...it's just...it looks more boy than girl, and if we have a girl, I feel all kinds of irked at the idea of putting her in a frilly pink thing, and then into a RED car seat. Weird? I know. Dumb? I know. I'm pregnant. What do you expect?

So, we're thinking on it.

I do more research this morning. I find a travel system online that has the 32 lbs car seat, in a pattern I like, and for about the same price as if we'd gotten the one in store at 20% off. PERFECT. Why didn't I just order that one? Well...I'd started having doubts about the travel system concept. Did we want such a bulky stroller? Would we rather have a jogger if it's going to be bulky even tho it'll cost more? I JUST DON'T. KNOW.

The travel system I'm looking at does fold up and down really easy. It was totally intuitive in the store. But it's still BIG. And moderately heavy. SIGH.

So, I went to the store to look at them again. I called my mom, AT WORK, and made her talk with me about it. She advocated for the separates. And a smaller stroller. I called my sister, also at work...she didn't really have an opinion, not having had kids, but was nice to talk to. I called Mr. Random, AT WORK, to get HIS opinion, AGAIN.

Finally, I go with the separates option. I buy the blasted red one, because it goes to 35 lbs, it's got super ratings...and then we can get a smaller stroller or the jogger, whatever we decide later.

And I'm filled with buyer's remorse. Really, the biggest complaints against the travel system are: 1. it's bulky, and 2. as a consequence, we might only use it the first 6 months...once Baby Random can sit up in a smaller stroller and stay awake longer periods of time, we'll likely move to a smaller stroller. Is it worth buying the travel system for SIX measly months of use?

Granted, if we keep it for another child, we get more use...but...I just. don't. know.

So the red car seat is still sitting in it's box in the back seat of my car...and I will continue to ponder I guess...they have a 90 day return policy. I've got time to waffle.