Frick or Frack?

I am losing my mind trying to choose a car seat. No kidding. This is why I let Matt buy toothpaste; all these decisions stress me out. It's bad enough when we're talking about a little tartar control, but the safety of your child? Holy LORD. I mean, logically, I realize that some of this is just a total racket/mind job playing on parents' fears and guilt. You didn't choose the one with XYZ? Oh, your child will surely die in a fiery crash...

Even though most parents would like a definitive answer to: which one is the safest? There really isn't one. All seats have to pass the same rigorous government testing standards. That said: some do more. Some install more easily/fit better in certain cars. Some depend on if you want a convertible seat (faces both front and rear for all the newbs, out there) or if you want to buy a baby seat...and then a convertible seat (told you it was a mind job). And the most expensive is not necessarily the best.

Are you confused yet?

I have looked in various online forums and I even found a database that tells you which seat fits your car best. I kind of had to majorly LOL when some posts said that everything was tight in the Volvo S40 and I should consider another car. Oh yeah...let me just go do that.

I am to the point where I want to walk into a store blindfolded and just load one into the buggy.

That said, I have narrowed it down to the Britax Boulevard or Roundabout and the Sunshine Kids Radian XTSL (I am sure those letters are in the wrong order...whatevs). The Boulevard or the Roundabout are gigantopotomous and I think the Radian is super heavyopotomous. How often will I be moving this thing? Hopefully: never. I really like the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio (does that sound like a perfumed vagina to anyone else? Gross.) infant seat, but it's $250 and you have to switch to a regular seat after Baby reaches 22 lbs, or at about 6 months. Not a great value, unless like the super amazing Jo, you can get a loaner in great condition from a trusted friend for free! (Brilliant!).

I think I will just have to go to Babies R Us, where I hear they will let you try them out in your car or if you do buy one and it doesn't fit, you can return it easily. One thing's for sure though: I will have that seat securely installed well in advance of Baby's debut. I like to have killed myself attempting to install Lucie Jane's car seat for her unplanned ride home from the hospital in March. There was a label that said "Even if you think installing this seat seems simple, please follow instructions in the manual." Simple? I nearly gouged my own eyeballs out! And my sister told me that one was rated as being "easy to install."

And you want to know the best part? My mom had 5 kids and they hadn't even INVENTED baby seats until my sister was born. Even then she got whatever one was made by the car manufacturer. And we all lived! But I know, I know--I don't want to risk Baby dying in a fiery crash. But I really don't want to risk Baby having a totally insane mother. Might be too late for that, though...whoops. I will be very glad when the car seat is purchased and all I have to worry about is being a good and effective parent. Ha!