For the next week, give or take a day or two, I'm driving a 200X Jeep Liberty.
It's kind of bouncy and very upright. It's missing its rear windscreen wiper, and the seats are a little beat up, so it's basically the perfect loaner car - in good running condition, small and easy to drive, but not so new that I'll worry about Cheerios in the back seat or dinging a door in the parking lot. Best of all, it's a loaner, and FREE. Thank you, thank you, thank you Bodyshop People!
All this car switching lately means my car seat installation skills have been getting a workout. I got the Britax Marathon into the Liberty's back seat (tethered and all) in 3 minutes flat tonight. In the dark. While it was snowing. Nice tight fit with a seatbelt install (Annabel's too big for Latch now), and we're good to go for tomorrow morning. Popped in Otto's booster and threaded in the shoulder belt, and we're all set.
I'm not a super geek about car seats, but I bought good ones that are easy to install. Needless to say, buckling up is non-negotiable. Safer for them, safer for me. And yes, Bel is staying in that 5 point harness for as long as she fits -- she is much too much a busy body to be in a booster where she could unhook herself! And Otto will be in his booster until he outgrows it. He'll also be in the backseat until he's 12.
Oops. Make that 13. My bad.
Sadly, my children are being raised by two people who care nothing for being cool.
On the up side, odds are pretty good that they'll live long enough to complain about it.
Now that the 3rd car is gone, Jon can park in the garage -- a fact that makes him very happy, especially tonight. It's sleety and snowy and yucky out right now. You know, normal Michigan winter weather?
We might even have to break out the snow shovel tomorrow. Egads!
