I have a confession to make. When JustaBXgirl was born I didn’t think too much about car seat safety. We didn’t have a car at the time and all I knew was that I needed to have a car seat to bring her home in. When we got a car (I still don’t drive) but JustaBXgrandpa does, I just stuck with the seat I brought her home from the hospital in.
When she outgrew that seat her dad ordered her one as a gift for her first birthday. He didn’t ask me which I wanted and I just accepted the one he sent. It worked, she liked it and I again didn’t think too much about it. Some of you might remember that JustaBXgrandpa had a car accident about two years ago. After that, I was a little more savvy so I did some research before replacing her car seat.
I loved the replacement seat. Only problem was it was HUGE. Even in our seven-passenger minivan, it took up too much space. And JustaBXgirl was getting a little long for the seat. I was so happy to find the Evenflo EveryStage All-In-One car seat at this year’s NY Baby Show.
This seat is the last car seat JustaBXgirl will ever need. And it makes her feel like a big girl. She’s gotten some gentle ribbing from her cousins because most of their parents allow them to ride without the added support. Since having her, I have learned how very important having the correct seat is. I have learned so much and it has scared me. This little miss will be in a car seat until she has her own baby!
Seriously though, a lot of us rush our littles out of car seats because we think they’re ready. Or because the little complains about having to be strapped in. Or because the little has mastered unstrapping the restraints. I always tell JustaBXgirl one of my most important jobs as her mama is to keep her safe. Using the Evenflo EveryStage All-In-One car seat I am doing my job. I am keeping her safe. I also love that if she’s not in the car but one of her cousins is this seat can be used for them as well! I’m talking her one-year-old cousin, four-year-old cousin, and even her eight-year-old cousin! I know that sounds crazy but it is true.
This seat is truly for every stage. And it is easy to convert. JustaBxgirl loves it as well. I think she was ready to get out of the previous seat because it made her feel a little bit like a baby but with her being so petite I wasn’t ready for her to be in a full booster yet. This seat takes up so much less space than the one we had before and JustaBXgirl said it hugs her when she sits in it.
She loves the two cup holders and made the rule that nobody else in the car can use them. She also has finally been able to lock and unlock her own restraints. I know for some parents this is scary but I have drilled into JustaBXgirl the importance of her car seat so she only releases the restraints once I’ve given her permission. And she gets the feeling of being in a booster with the support of a car seat so this mama is happy. She’s still right under forty pounds and this seat can be used up to 120 pounds so you might think I’m joking but she really will be in this for years to come.
Here’s all the details on our new favorite car seat:
The Evenflo EveryStage DLX All-in-One Car Seat delivers a safe and unrivaled comfort and installation experience. This all-in-one offers 10 years of safe and secure use as an Infant Seat + Convertible + Booster Seat, from 4-120 lbs. Its innovative EasyClick™ LATCH system outperforms top competitors with a 3X tighter installation for a wiggle-free seat without having to get into the vehicle. (Based on consumer research of rear-facing installations with competitive LATCH systems.)
Features
- 3X tighter installation: EasyClick™ LATCH system installs in seconds without having to get into the vehicle
- Infant + Convertible + Booster: Rear- Facing Harness, Forward-Facing Harness and Belt-Positioning Booster provides a safe and secure ride for 10 years of use
- Grows with Child to 120lbs: The only seat you’ll ever need, this seat is tested in high back booster mode up to 120 lbs
- Rear Facing Longer- to 50 lbs: Adjusts to multiple positions, allowing your toddler to stay rear-facing longer, beyond 2 years, without the need to extend the seat or cramp other passengers
- Angled for Comfort and Safety: Comfortably angles child to help minimize head slump and help keep airway open, for a custom, cradled fit
- 10 Total Positions: Allow you to position the seat for an accurate fit for a growing child
- 5 Recline Positions: Provides 3 rear-facing leveling options for improved vehicle fit, and 2 forward-facing recline options for comfort
- One-Hand, No-Rethread Harness: Simply move the headrest with one hand to adjust the height and harness in one step. No need to uninstall the seat or re-thread the harness • Machine-Washable Seat Pad: Wipeable and machine-washable car seat pad removes for easy cleaning
- 2 Dishwasher-Safe Cup Holders: Cup holders remove for on-the-go snack use and easy, dishwasher-safe cleaning
- Superior Safety Testing: Proudly tested above industry standards in front, side and rollover impact tests
- Easy-To-Read Bead Level: Gives you peace of mind the seat is installed at the correct angle
- Energy-Absorbing Base: Designed to compress and absorb crash energy, helping to reduce the effect on child
- 5-Point Harness with 65lb limit: Keep your child in a harness longer! This harness has been tested up to an extended weight of 65lbs
- Up-Front Harness Adjust: Properly tighten the harness with the adjuster, conveniently centered on the front of the seat. Loosen just as quickly for easy inand- out
- Harness Covers: More comfortable for child and protects against strap irritation
- Guides for Vehicle-Belt Use: Helps properly position vehicle belt over child’s shoulder for an accurate fit in booster mode
- Made in the USA: Proudly designed, engineered, tested and assembled in the USA
- Live Video Installation Support: Schedule an appointment to have a certified car seat safety technician guide you through a proper vehicle installation
- Online Chat: Chat with our ParentLink® customer service experts online in real time
Specs
- Rear-facing mode: 4-50 lbs. and 17-48 in.
- Forward-facing mode: 22-65 lbs. and 28-49 in.
- Booster mode: 40-120 lbs. and 44-57 in.
And if you ask me this is the perfect time to make sure your little is in the right car seat. We don’t always realize how much our littles have grown and we don’t always pay attention or remember the guidelines on their car seats. Just me? I highly doubt that. If you haven’t recently, this is a great time of the year to review the height and weight guidelines that came with their seats.
For those parents dealing with their littles pushing back on being in a car seat make it special. I remind JustaBXgirl that her car seat is her throne. She is the princess and it is her special princess chair. I also point out the differences in being in it to being directly on the backseat of the car. By making her car seat special she looks forward to sitting in it.
