We seem to have picked up a virus from our 18 month old grandson at his aunt’s baby shower last weekend. He had a slightly drippy nose and was crabby waking up, but rallied each time with a cold drink and a chance to play. We’ve had chills, headaches, sore throats, and other URI symptoms. DH, a pediatrician, is certain we picked up his virus because of the timing.
This is the 3rd time I’ve been wiped out from a bug that seems to bother the little guy very little. Toddlers really are resilient!
Baby due in 8 days and I already have a babysitting gig lined up in June!
The parents have a car seat that can be converted to work for all ages. It attaches to some kind of a base and the base can be purchased separately, so the grandparents and other caregivers can just buy the base and not the whole car seat. Sounds like a good idea.
I think youngsters are happiest in a familiar seat, so if loved ones can get a base and allow the tyke to remain in his/her seat, that’s great!
Don’t buy one of these. They have just been recalled https://www.target.com/p/fisher-price-auto-rock-n-play-sleeper-aqua-stone/-/A-51978565
Wow! S has used this since day 1. GD loves it! I’ll check it out.
Looks like the recall is for mold, which can develop if materials get wet and aren’t washed and dried. Of more concern, though no recall yet, is that babies who aren’t restrained and can roll over, may suffocate. Product not recommended for over 3 months.
Yes - the articles say kids not strapped in were turning over and suffocating 
While the carseat base makes strapping the carseat in a simple job, you do not have to use the base with the carseat. You just lock in with the carseat belt like we did back in the dark ages 
If you will be transporting the baby regularly, I would absolutely use a base, but if just for once or twice a year, just strap in with the seat belt.
When traveling with a baby and getting in and out of multiple cars (cabs or Uber) there is no need for the base. When my granddaughter came to visit, as they flew, they didn’t want to drag the base, so I was luck and was able to borrow one from a friend, but the kids were fine with me not having one.
Envious! I wouldn’t even suggest the no-base use to my D because I know she will not go for it. She would like us to have a base permanently installed in our car.
@garland, I thought my S and DIL would feel the same way about just strapping the carseat in without the base but they are comfortable with it since the carseat came with explicit “alternative” instructions for installation without the base. They live in NYC and it makes taxis and Ubers accessible when they aren’t using their car. He’s in a carseat that is only good until 22 pounds, so I think I’ll get a base that will fit the next stage when I think he will be spending more time here with us without his parents!
Well, I’ll arm myself with info and broach this with them. But my D is super OCD about danger possibilities, so I will probably not prevail on this. But thanks for the info!
S and DIL also strapped the carseat into cars without the base when there was no other alternative. I was the one who didn’t feel comfortable with doing that, but they reassured me it was in the instructions.
Due date is Saturday but they are going to induce Thursday—because the doctor won’t be around next week!
^That’s why I have the birthday I have–doctor was going on vacation. If the baby isn’t late, I sort of hate that–induction is really hard on a mom (my D was induced after my water broke but no contractions.)
Just in case, you all don’t know…
Where I live, and it seems most everywhere, it’s possible to go to your local fire station and have them inspect/install the car seat, and give you an official form attesting to the safety. The base isn’t needed for the fire station to approve. Although I understand some parents may have higher safety standards than fire fighters, this was adequate for our son and daughter-in-law’s peace of mind.
My kids were amazed I’d never heard of this.
My grand’s car seat has a base, but also can be used w/o - you face the car seat to the rear, and there are loops for the restraining strap. The child already has its own buckle in, so the car’s restraint holds down the car seat. The base with pop in doesn’t need the extra work so it is a very handy feature for parents.
Thankfully with this babysitting time, when dad came home on Sunday afternoon - GD was about a foot away from him when she got distracted and hit her mouth against the coffee table while falling. She has a lone lower tooth that of course punctured her upper lip and she bled. Cold wet paper towels to the lip and cold teething ring were the fix.
DD and SIL are getting a little less sensitive, but if something goes wrong on my watch…DD accused me of scarring GD’s finger when the clipper caught a little skin and she bled from her thumb…I had to tell daddy on the phone that GD had already forgiven me. DD way way over reacting. Scarring under the finger nail…
Were we the same way??
Ummm… not me.
My parents worried I wasn’t cautious enough with their grandchildren, and now my children worry I’m not cautious enough with their children.
I’m sitting on my fingers not to share more
The general public would consider me extremely safely conscious, or even over cautious
I have kept a ‘tight lip’ - when dad or mom is available, I let them take over primary responsibilities unless they are busy with something else. SIL is ‘possessive’ but they need my babysitting due to his reserve duty and her weekend work when it occurs the same weekend. We also are very generous with buying clothes for the kids. We just purchased a sofa and love seat that they picked out, so SIL’s parents will have a comfortable pull out to sleep on when they visit.
At a future date, they will be moving away, but we retire in a little over 2 years.
All is going well. At some future time, the couple will want a trip w/o kids (after we are retired). Right now the other grandparents limit time (in part due to distance) and they have another grandchild with their other son.
H and my parents lived over 750 miles away, so maybe time twice a year, sometimes around Christmas and some summer time. My widowed mom was at Disney World with us when DDs were 7 and 9, and she also had some other stays with us, so they did have more extended time with her. My dad was a gem of a guy - and his name will be our new grand baby’s first name (the mom was 1 1/2 when her grandpa died).
.Baby boy arrived this evening. 8 lb 10 oz and 22.5 inches! They measure from the top of his little cone head, so he won’t really be that long with a normal head. Mom’s dad is tall, though. I didn’t get to hold him yet, but he is adorable and sweet and so pink!