The Arbolog |

Back in the days of early pregnancy (sigh, how things were different then) I bought a stroller / car seat / combo thing of which I have railed about how I dislike it. Well, the car seat has expired and Mr Long and Lean has almost grown out of it anyway, so Ross and I planned our Sunday to include a shopping trip to buy a new car seat.

Like most of my purchases these days, I spent some time online before going to a store researching different car seats. For those that don’t know, there are many different kinds of car seats for various stages of childhood and there are extremely good laws about child safety in cars. Infant car seats are sort of “stage 1″ and can come in infant only, or an infant / child type of seat. Here is more info about car seats, from Transport Canada. Our previous car seat was an infant only car seat, and Mr Giraffe Legs here has already reached the end of it. So I went searching for a new car seat, and decided to go for a “convertible” style of car seat that can be rear facing for his infant days, and then forward facing up to 47 lbs.

There are many many brands out there, and an equal number of reviews, and it really depends on a few factors such as what physical shape your baby is as that will determine how comfy it is, and how much space you have in your car, and also money.

Money. Well, that’s a big one. I’ve said it before that opening a baby store is a license to print money, because there is nothing like playing on an expectant parent’s fears about child safety to make them shell out. Seriously. Brutal.

I kept reading how unbelievably great the “Britax” brand of car seat was, but with a $350 price tag, is it really the best one? Or just an expensive one with good PR? I also read up on the Evenflo Triumph Convertible ($150), and the TrueFit Convertible ($200), as well as the Eddie Bauer 3 in 1($190).

Anyway, so Ross and I decided to make our way to Babies R Us, the Mecca of Baby, and decided we wanted to take these demo models down off the shelf, try strapping Kale in, and see how sturdy they were. Good reviews on the internet doesn’t necessarily make the best one for us. So, Sunday we hopped in the car and headed off and walked into Babies R Us (note to self: never go shopping at Babies R Us on a Sunday afternoon AGAIN – sheesh!). No sooner had we walked in there, that Ross, who was carrying our precious little boy, felt his hand get wet.

And by wet, I actually mean “covered in poop that had leaked out of his cloth diaper and through his pants”.

Yeah. Good times.

Because we were only supposed to be out for about an hour, I hadn’t bothered with the diaper bag. I know, I know, that was stupid. But I like to travel light and every day Kale and I go for 90 minute long walks and I never bring the diaper bag. I just kinda figured.

So Ross says to me “Just grab the first car seat you see, if it sucks we will return it and if it works then we will keep it.” So, we came home with the Evenflo Triumph Convertible because there is no point buying the most expensive one if the cheapest one works just as well. It’s not about the money, but why spend if we don’t have to?

Last night we went out for a quick drive after installing the car seat (which was easy enough) and although Kale squawked as he always does, it seemed just fine. I’ll be writing a Product Review in a few weeks after we’ve had a chance to try it out in a few different circumstances, but so far, so good.

And… lesson learned: Keep emergency stash of diaper and clothing change in the car. Then when I elect not to bring the diaper bag, its not the end of the world.

Okay so maybe it wasn’t the worst $220 EVER that I EVER spent – I am sure there are many empty shooter glasses at bars from my past that would qualify as “Worst $200 ever”, BUT… when Ross and I first found out we were pregnant, I went on an absolute tear reasearching all the things we needed for the upcoming baby. I kind of went on overload and I do have to congratulate myself that I wasn’t consumed with acquiring a bunch of “stuff” – rather, I was consumed with getting the best value for our money for the few things I felt were essentials.

I found and bought a Peg Perego Travel System including a car seat and base, a bassinet that converted to a toddler seat, and the chassis that it all attached to. I bought it used from a very nice lady and it cost me $220. She had bought it for over $600 brand new only a few years before. It was simple and plain grey and black, and all the covers are removable and washable.

Since Kale has been born, I have used the stroller maybe three times – once to go to the midwife and it was a huge process to putthe chassis in the car, get it out, clip the car seat to it, go TWO blocks to the midwife’s office, fit through the doors, blah blah blah. I used it again to take Kale for a walk, and he woke up every single time we went over a seam in the sidewalk. And Ross and I used it once more one incredibly hot night, and put Kale in the bassinet attachment starkers except for a diaper and walked around the block when it cooled off.

Otherwise, the car seat gets used, and generally the car seat stays in the car and Kale gets put in a carrier when we arrive at our destination.

The basket under the stroller isn’t even that big so… I can’t quite figure out if its useful or not! Once Kale grows out of the car seat (and its rated for 22lbs so that won’t be long for us) I am going to sell the whole system. Kale’s great-grandma has offered to buy us a “comprehensive car seat” that will last for a few years, and I’ll pick up a cheap umbrella stroller and put the remaining cash into his RESP. WAY smarter.

A friend has been sending me her list of “Worst $ / Best $”. She says the Bumbo is one of the worst and lists Fisher Price toys as some of the best. What do you guys list as your worst and best purchases? So far for us, the carrier a friend gave me (no-name carrier that she used for two kids that is so tattered and loved) is a best “purchase” and the stroller is one of the worst. I’d also list the dresser with change table (Kale is too long for it already) as one of the worst, and probably the Combi Ipod Bouncer as one of the best.