Ouch!

I sprained my ankle last week while carrying the carseat out the back door to the garage.  Ryland was inside the seat.  I missed the last step...and there are only two!  In order to get through the door I have to hold the carseat directly in front of me, which makes it impossible to see my own feet.  Still, there are only 2 steps and I have been out that door, with a car seat, too many times to count.

 

When I realized I was going down, I did my best to save the little one from harm.  Thankfully, he was strapped in all snug-like.  And since those car seats are meant to keep babies safe in a car accident, he ended up unharmed on his short drop to the ground.  My right ankle, on the other hand, got hurt.  Knees ended up bruised too.  Nothing too horrible, just inconvenient for a few days.  And it is healing faster than I expected.

 

 

I have been wanting to ditch the infant carseat for awhile now.  Luke stayed in his infant seat for a full year.  The others, not even close.  I haven't made the switch yet with Ryland because there are some convenient things about the infant seat...namely, I don't have to unbuckle him and strap him back in for quick trips...particularly when taking or picking up Caden from preschool.  It is also great when I don't have to disturb a sleeping baby (although this one hasn't fallen asleep in his carseat for ages).  And it is nice to have protection from the cold, wind, and rain with the carseat cover.  And that, for me, is the end of the convenience factors. 

 

On the flip side, with a growing baby inside, that thing is heavy.  It's awkward to hold.  It's awkward to walk with it.  It's just plain big.  We haven't even brought this seat inside our church building on Sunday as it is so difficult to navigate the halls with "the beast."  And I have discovered, obviously, that I am a klutzo when I can't see my feet!  And last, but not least, I have a 2-year old that is a "runner".  After we drop Caden off at preschool, Porter's favorite thing to do is make a run for the outside door.  Thankfully, he can't yet open it himself.  Once I finally make it to the door, I have to keep Porter close and quickly grab his hand once the door is open before he makes a run for it.  Sounds easy, except that he is fast and I am hampered by the heavy and awkward car seat.  I have, on occasion, had to run with that thing and I am sure it is not a pretty sight.

 

So, as I lay hurting on the garage floor, I made a decision.  We are saying good-bye to the infant carseat.

Ryland hasn't really cared for this seat anyway.  Thankfully, he is not a screamer, but he whines and fusses a good deal.

 

 

Maybe he will like the big boy carseat better.

We can always hope.