CARSEAT SAFETY

I have to post this because of a situation that happened to me the other day. A friend offered me her infant car seat for Crew so that I could have one in my husbands car. I thought that was so nice of her and was excited to have a car seat that was bought new and had never been in accident. But I started doing some math and realized her baby was only 9mths old, kids are supposed to be rear-facing till age of 1 AND 22lbs (not one or the other but BOTH) by law. I thought for sure she was going to get a convertible car seat and rear-face her baby but she said that her daughter weighed 23lbs and was really big for her age. I kept my mouth shut and didn't say anything to her, is it really my business to inform her of the law? No, it is not. However, as a mother I love to hear anything that relates to keeping my kids safer, healthier, happier and I'll be honest- quiet! So I sent the link below to her in an email in hopes that she will rethink her decision. One thing I will be doing from now on is taking off Irinas bulky sweaters and jackets, I will have a blanket in the car ready for her to cover up with instead. I'm glad I read that!

http://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/108322/9_lifesaving_car_seat_rules

Brand spankin' new car w/ 0 miles = Bad for us

The summer of 2006 Craig and I moved back to Fort Worth after living in College Station for 2yrs. We had been driving Craig's "baby", a 1977 Formula for a few years and it was time to get a new car. We decided on a new Mazda 3 that was copper red (really looks maroon, go Ags!) and took the responsibility of the car payment and full coverage insurance. Craig taught me how to drive the car since its a manual and things were great after that! Neither one of us had ever owned a brand spankin' new car with zero miles on it before and we felt on top of the world! Until...

Accident #1- It was the end of January 2008 and I was a couple of weeks from my due date when I accidentally rear ended someone. I had just picked up Craig for lunch and I was not paying attention to the road ahead of me, there were construction cones on 820W and along the access roads as well. The truck in front of me slammed on their brakes and so did I, only I was following too closely and ran into his trailer hitch. There was no damage to his truck and said he was fine not doing info exchange. We repaired the car, it got a new front bumper, new head lights and a new hood.

Accident #2- It was literally 2 weeks later when during a "wind storm" a walmart shopping cart took out the side mirror on the drivers side! I was even more pregnant and spent over an hour searching the walmart parking lot looking for the mirror. I never did find it and ordered one from the dealership. It was almost $200 for the mirror and the labor was free b/c Craig wired the mirror back on with no problems.

Accident #3- Irina is about 2 mnths now and yet another accident! do the math...it was about 2 1/2 mths after losing the mirror! ugh! My sister and I went to visit a friend and her new baby girl, I had to drive b/c of the whole car seat thing and we parked across the street from her house. We were ooo-ing and aaww-ing over the new baby when her mom walks in and says "I think I just hit your car".."is it bad"? was my question to her and she responds with a slow nod..."i was trying to back out and not hit the truck next to me when I heard a loud crunch" she says. I look out to see my car with the entire drivers side completely smashed in, the hood, both doors and even the back of my car was wrecked. Did I mention the BRAND NEW $200 MIRROR was on the ground broken in pieces! Her insurance paid for all of it and my car was repaired.

Accident #4- It was February 2009 and after only 2 1/2 yrs we paid off our car! We made a 4 yr note originally and were proud to have budgeted well enough to no longer have a car payment! 4 days after writing our last check to our credit union, our bliss came to an end when a woman backed into our parked car in the Target parking lot. We were in the car getting ready to leave when we felt a hard push. She said she did not see us and we exchanged info. ugh! After talking to her insurance company and her talking to ours, she admitted it was her fault but was only willing to pay for 1/2 of our deductible. Our insurance company (and us) were not willing to accept her offer and we have been going back and forth ever since. The passenger side tail lights were broken and the bottom bumper was smashed as well. The car was not repaired.

Accident #5- October 2009..Read previous blog about the Deer. ugh!!

Present day- we are taking the car to be repaired by accidents #4 & #5 tomo morning at 8am!

As my good friend Chrissy would say: "Really?, this is happening to my new-non-payment car, Really"??
I mean come on! This car is literally still BRAND NEW... on the outside anyway, all the doors will be new, so will the hood, all mirrors, front and back bumpers, tail lights and head lights! ALL BRAND NEW!
Note: only accident #1 is my fault. ugh!