For those of you moms of two munchkins (or just more than one), do you have any helpful advice/tricks of the trade type things to offer me?
One specific question I have - and this is kinda trivial, but I figure moms who've already done the trial/error thing would have an opinion to offer me - where do you place the second car seat? In the middle, so the kids are right next to each other? Maybe then, I could put the infant seat into its base before Luke gets in, then get him buckled up, hence eliminating the need to walk around the car. Or behind the passenger seat? (Luke's always been behind the driver because I'm already on that side.) Then, I wouldn't have to lean in the middle with the infant seat, and Luke couldn't torture the poor guy if he was in the mood. (Which - believe me - I'm sure there will come a day when he's in the mood.) I don't think I'd want Luke in the middle, because I have to lean over to buckle him up. Call me a freak, but I started thinking about this the other day and am trying to figure it out.
I know that most of the time, there will be no "easy" way to go about life with two, but if you have any tried and true secrets to let me in on, I'm all ears!
13 comments:
This is so funny because I remember thinking the same thing. It isn't so bad when you and hubby are along...but one time right after i had logan i was on my way to Target and it hit me...bam! How am I going to do this?? I am only one and I am TOTALLY out numbered. When my kids were really little I remember finding a parking spot as close as possible to a cart carrel. (you know the things that you put your carts in) Anyway...I would park right next to one, grab a cart, put Victoria in the seat part of the cart and then the baby seat fits perfectly if you lay it across the basket part of the cart. (does this make sense???) As I type this I am thinking how silly I looked, but believe me...I worried about getting the kids into a store with as little chaos as possible. I worry way too much. :)
Now to answer your question...Victoria sits behind the driver and always has. Logan sits behind the passanger. We never used the middle seat beacuase in our car at the time it was only a "lap belt" with no shoulder harness so that couldn't be used with either of the carseats.
You're not strange--I always think about car seat placement when we're ready to add another child. I think it's good to leave Luke behind the driver--especially if he can open the door and get in by himself. Then you can send him around to get in (or wait by the door) while you put the baby in from the passenger side. Then head around to buckle Luke before getting in yourself.
There are my two cents. :) At least it isn't too hard to move seats around until you find the configuration that works for you.
I would say leave Luke on the driver's side and put the baby on the passenger side...to give them a little distance...just in case. =) Maybe then, Luke could crawl though to his seat, while you put the baby in and then you could just buckle Luke up when you go around to get in yourself. Just an idea that has worked fairly well for us.
yep. i was thinking the same as tricia's idea. that way while you're buckling the baby, luke can really be the "big brother" doing a helpful job for mommy.
oh dear nanner, interesting question... sounds like you had some good suggestions, although, i would put the baby behind the driver... because that is what we did when we had anna... kalynn would jump in first crawl over to her seat by the window and then i would snap anna in, run to the back to strap in the boys and then check kalynn's seatbelt to make sure the "big girl" did it right by herself. so i would end up taking my loop around the car, but exercize is good right?! - i often did what heather did, park by the carts... and i still do with quincy. cub and target have nice carts b/c they allow for up to 2 toddlers and and infant. - i am sure you will do great and it won't be a big deal. - i love you.
Great question, KT. I hadn't thought that far ahead yet but I like the idea of them being separated by the middle seat. I'm with Heather as far as parking by the cart carrel thing.
I've heard that going from 1 to 2 kids is quite an adjustment but going from 2 to 3 is easy as pie. :) Good thing we don't have to think about that yet!
I do park near the car kart but we keep our kids seperate, the oldest sits behind the driver and the baby behind the passenger, we have a 6 seat truck I go to the pass. side first my oldest walks over to his seat while I put in my baby (who's almost 2) in his seat and the grocerys, bags in the pass seat. then I buckle Caleb in right before I get in and do myself. Whatever works for you! I liked to be able to see the baby if I was at a red light or be able to reach back to give him a pacifier. Luke is old enough that things should go pretty well, I didn't think adding the 2nd was bad at all until about 5 mo (crawling) but my boys were only 2 yrs apart.
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i can't help you there. :)
man, i think i am opposite from everyone else. Jackson sits behind the passenger seat. That way, if i am driving and he needs something, i can turn to look at him and figure out what he needs. the baby sits behind me b/c he really doesn't need anything once he's in the car.
getting groceries...owen is in the baby carrier on me and jackson rides in the cart. At walmart and target, it's the same way, unless i am just roaming around to kill time for some odd reason, and then jackson rides in the front on the cart with owen in his seat on the back (or vice versa)
you'll figure it out...as long as you don't have any expectations about how long things take to get done, you won't get frustrated or overwhelmed! :)
I put Liela behind the passenger b/c I put her in first. I think its easier to put Liela in while Ava is standing there than to put Ava in while trying to hold Li or putting her in the exhaust. They the last one you put in is on your side when you are driving. When Mike is with me he has the job of putting Ava in and Liela is on my side. I like that the best.
Yes, going from one to two kids is a BIG adjustment! Bigger than I thought. You think it won't be since there are still two adults, but it's quite different than going from no kids to one. I separate the car seats--one behind the driver seat and the other behind the passenger seat. I don't want them right next to each other! Plus when the baby cries in the car our toddler gets a little stressed about it. As far as going to the store--I didn't take my two by myself anywhere for almost 3 months! Too much work. :) Have fun!!! People told me it'd take 3-4 months to "adjust" with the second baby and all. I thought, no way! But yeah, yeah that's about right.
But would I change anything about my two babies.....no, absolutely not. :)
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